How to make a silent compressor for an aquarium with your own hands

Breeding aquarium fish seems like a simple task only at first glance. In fact, this event is quite troublesome, since silent pets require special care and the creation of special conditions that are as close to natural as possible. Before releasing fish into the aquarium, you need to purchase the necessary equipment: a water filtration and lighting system, a device for thermoregulation and, of course, a compressor for aerating and mixing the water. This is what will be discussed further.

Choosing a compressor for an aquarium

An air pump, or compressor, is a device that provides aeration of water, enriching it with dissolved oxygen. This is a necessary device for a home aquarium, since a glass pond is a closed space in which all fish and plants may lack oxygen. In the natural environment, water is saturated with oxygen as water moves. At night, plants let in oxygen and release CO2 (carbon dioxide). There are not always enough plants to provide the fish with oxygen; a compressor is needed for their full life.

How oxygen is supplied in a closed environment

The compressor has tubes for supplying oxygen - through them it enters the water. The air pressure is regulated by special valves and clamps. To aerate the aquarium, several nozzles, which are usually made of an abrasive substance or white grindstone, must be attached to the air tubes. Located at the bottom of the aquarium, the sprayers emit a lot of air bubbles, creating a beautiful decorative effect. Such bubbles are very popular with guppies, zebrafish, neons, angelfish and mollies.

The smaller the size of the bubbles, the larger their total area, which is favorable for intensive aeration of the reservoir. You need to choose a powerful aquarium pump (from small bubbles - strong pressure). Air bubbles at the surface burst, as a result of which the bacterial film is destroyed and aeration improves. In addition, the bubbles mix all layers of water, equalizing its temperature in the aquarium.

See how to install a compressor in an aquarium.

Types of aeration devices

There are two types of aquarium compressors: piston and membrane. If you want to choose an aeration device that makes little noise, then a piston compressor is suitable. When you need several compressors, you can choose two types at once - piston and membrane. The first can be turned on at night, the second - during the day. To avoid loud noise, you can put foam rubber under the compressor. Otherwise, you will have to take the device to another room and lead it to the aquarium using a strong air duct. However, such a risk requires a very powerful tank.

You can choose a membrane compressor if you want to save energy in your home. Such a device can be connected to several aquariums at once, it has a long service life, and does not need to be repaired often. The disadvantage of this device is that it makes a lot of noise. Unfortunately, there are no silent compressors - their operating principle is based on vibration. A compressor located under water will not be as noisy, but will work around the clock. You can put the aquarium in a separate room where no one sleeps - then you can connect a membrane aerator to it.

An aquarium pump will help create coordination of air flows in tanks of different capacities, and will help supply water to the filter; it is also the driving element of filtration. The pump has 2 functions - it saturates the water with oxygen and purifies it. If you have a large aquarium, it is advisable to purchase a pump that will help circulate water in the pond, which is very useful for all its inhabitants. This device does not make much noise because it is placed in the water and not out.

If you are not satisfied with the quality of branded compressors for an aquarium, you can make it yourself. However, such a device will only work well if you have the skills to create such mechanisms. Homemade compressors can cause a short circuit in water, which is very dangerous to life. Waterproofing in this case is an extremely necessary part of the aerator.

See how to make a compressor with your own hands.

Choosing an aerator for a home pond

Today, different models of aerators for home ponds are sold. It is important that the compressor has sufficient power (0.5 liters per hour per 1 liter of water). The high power aerator is capable of working with a ceramic sprayer that produces fine bubbles, which is also useful for aquarium inhabitants.

Aquarium compressor brands:

1. The most famous manufacturers of aquarium equipment: compact Aquarium Systems NeWair, Resun, Tetratec, Hagen Marina, JBL, Ferplast, AquaEL, BiOrb, Hydor and others. Compressors from German brands are in wide demand.

2. Ferplast is an Italian company specializing in the manufacture of aquarium mechanisms. Aerators from this manufacturer are not very noisy and inexpensive.
3. German Schego aerator - has strong power, pumps water with a column height of 200 cm. The power can be adjusted, the performance of the device is high.

4. Eheim is one of the quietest compressors available and comes with high quality nozzles and tubes.

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Assembling a mini-compressor from a plastic bottle cap

First you need to prepare all the necessary materials:

• Plastic bottle cap;
• A sheet of rubber (a piece of rubber seal);
• Wooden block;
• A thin plastic tube from a dropper;
• Balloon;
• Motor with old battery;
• Unnecessary plastic card;
• Chupa Chups stick;
• Hot glue;
• Scotch.

Assembly steps:

1. First, the entire seal is removed from the lid, after which, using a marker, future holes for the plastic tube are marked, which are made with sharp scissors;

2. A small piece in the shape of a horseshoe is cut out of a piece of rubber, after which it is tightly glued to the inside of the lid, previously coated with glue;

3. Let's start assembling the drum - a structure that ensures air pumping. To do this, a piece of a balloon is put on the lid and secured with tape;

4. Next, take a plastic card and cut out a circle in it that is smaller in circumference than the plastic cover itself. A Chupa Chups stick is glued to one side of the mug, and with the other side the part is attached to a mini-drum made of a balloon using hot glue;

5. A small part for the gun is cut off from the glue, and two holes are made using an awl - at the central point and at the edge. A motor is fixed in the center, and a wire is fixed on the side;

6. The motor is attached to a wooden base, after which you should try on the position of the second part. The excess is cut off and the device is joined together;

7. The final step is to attach the motor to the tube, and the compressor is ready!

In a home aquarium, it is extremely important to provide good artificial aeration so that the fish feel comfortable, and the water is clean and evenly heated. To do this, it is not at all necessary to buy expensive piston or membrane units in stores; you can assemble a homemade device yourself using inexpensive materials and simple technologies. Below in the video master class you can see how to make a silent compressor for an aquarium with your own hands from improvised materials (in this case, from a Coca-Cola can).

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Aeration of water in an aquarium

Oxygen is vital for all creatures, including aquarium fish. It would seem that it should be produced by green plants. But, unlike natural conditions, home reservoirs have a limited volume and there are no currents in them that would renew the water. And plants themselves are consumers of this gas (in the dark) along with other inhabitants. Therefore, the oxygen concentration in the aquarium drops and additional aeration is necessary.

In this article we will talk about what aeration is, why it is needed, how to organize it, what happens when there is a lack or excess of oxygen. So, let's go!

Factors affecting the oxygen content of water

Temperature regime . The cooler the water, the more oxygen it contains and vice versa. Warm water also speeds up the metabolism of fish, causing them to require more O2.

Vegetation. If it is thick, then at night there is a lack of oxygen in the aquarium.

Aquafauna. Snails and other living things (for example, aerobic bacteria). If their populations are too large, then they consume a lot of the above-mentioned gas.

How to determine that there is not enough oxygen?

The beginning of oxygen starvation can be easily determined by the behavior of fish, which often capture water in their mouths, making movements similar to chewing.
Then the fish have to rise to the surface of the water, and the swallowing movements become more intense. In very critical situations, fish are constantly at the very surface, quickly swallowing air through their mouths.

To prevent such situations from arising, it is enough to follow simple rules:

• do not overpopulate the aquarium;
• choose the optimal ratio of the number of fish and plants;
• use special devices for aeration.

What is aeration?

This concept refers to the movement of layers of water, as a result of which the liquid is saturated with oxygen. When aerating, atmospheric air is blown through the water column, and it is divided into very small bubbles, which, when in contact with water, enrich it with oxygen. The more bubbles, the larger the contact area and the better the oxygen release.

In nature, in reservoirs, this process occurs naturally due to currents, winds, springs at the bottom, and plants that make the water move. This is not the case in the aquarium. The only supplier of oxygen, and even then an unstable one, is plants. As soon as there is a shortage of light and carbon dioxide, they immediately turn into consumers.

Why is aeration needed?

The main goals are:

1. Saturation of water with oxygen for the normal development and functioning of all inhabitants of the home pond.
2. Creation of moderate vortex flows and mixing of water layers. At the same time, oxygen is absorbed more efficiently, carbon dioxide is removed faster, and harmful gases (such as methane, hydrogen sulfide and others) do not accumulate.
3. Aeration in combination with a heating device protects against sudden temperature changes.
4. Creating currents necessary for some fish species.

Aeration methods

Natural , which involves breeding plants and snails. The latter not only affect the amount of oxygen in the water, but are also a kind of indicator: if everything is normal, they live on rocks, if its content decreases, they crawl onto plants or the walls of the aquarium.

Artificial , in which aeration can be carried out using:

• air compressors;
• specialized pumps

Compressor

Oxygen is supplied to the water column.
The air passes through the tubes and enters the sprayer, where it turns into tiny bubbles, which are distributed throughout the entire aquarium. Compressors can vary in power, performance and maximum depth of water pumping. There are even submersible models with backlighting.

The entire system consists of:

1. Air duct systems. It is better to take them from synthetic rubber, vinyl chloride or bright red rubber. Avoid rubber medical hoses, black or yellow-red tubes (they contain toxic impurities). Pay attention to elasticity, softness, length.

2. Adapters. Made from plastic and metal. The latter are more durable and more aesthetically pleasing, although more expensive. The adapters may have valve regulators. They allow you to dose the air supply to each sprayer, if there are several of them.

3. Check valves. Tetra products are considered the best. They are reliable and easy to install.

4. Air sprays. You can buy them or make them yourself. They come from wood, stone, expanded clay, etc. In any case, the sprayer must be of high quality, dense and produce small bubbles.

Sprayers are produced in the form of short cylinders. They are placed on a stone or a short distance from the ground and decorated with pebbles, driftwood, stone ridges or plants. There are also long tubular products 20-60 cm long. They are placed along the back or side wall at the bottom.

It is better to place the compressor close to the heater, so as not to create different temperature zones in the aquarium.

In this case, moving bubbles will mix the water without leaving unheated layers below, and pull the liquid from bottom to top, where there is more oxygen. Another important point: the compressor must be above the water level or have a non-return valve.

The main disadvantages of compressors are noise and vibration. You can fix them like this:

1. Place the device in an enclosure that absorbs noise (for example, polystyrene foam).
2. Take it to the pantry, another room, loggia or mezzanine. In this case, the long hose is hidden under the baseboard. This option is only possible in the case of a powerful compressor.
3. Place foam rubber shock absorbers under the device.
4. Connect the device via a step-down transformer. It is worth considering that the performance of the compressor will decrease.

The device must be maintained: regularly disassemble and clean the valve.

Useful articles on AquariumGuide.ru

Read how to make LED aquarium lighting here.

Disinfection of water using a UV sterilizer.

Specialized pumps

They move water more intensely than compressors. They most often have a built-in filter, and air is sucked in through a designated hose that goes to the surface. When choosing a pump, remember: the throughput of the device should be no less than one third of the total volume of water in the aquarium.

A little about excess oxygen in the aquarium

First of all, an excess of O2 is no less harmful than a deficiency. It can cause gas embolism in fish when air bubbles appear in their blood. As a result, the fish may die. Fortunately, this occurrence is rare. However, you should not be overzealous with aeration (for example, you do not need to install several compressors).

Please note that the normal oxygen concentration is 5 mg/l or a little more. Measurements can be carried out using special tests purchased at a pet store.

Changing water in small portions, monitoring the composition of fish and the number of plants, and regulating the air flow from the compressor will help you achieve the ideal balance.

Common Mistakes

1. The water is enriched with oxygen not because of the bubbles that the compressor forces into the water. Mixing of air and water occurs on the surface of the water. Bubbles only create vibrations on the water surface, which improves this process.
2. You cannot turn off the aeration at night! It must be continuous. Otherwise the balance will be disrupted.

Tricks and secrets of aquarium aeration

1. Increasing the water temperature in an aquarium increases the oxygen consumption of its inhabitants and vice versa. Knowing this, you can quickly help the fish in case of asphyxia.
2. Hydrogen peroxide. Few people know about its use in the aquarium. She can:

• revive suffocated fish;
• fight unwanted living creatures (hydra, planaria);
• help treat fish (bacterial infections, parasites, protozoa);
• fight algae on plants and aquariums.

But you need to know how to use it correctly, otherwise you can only cause harm and poison all the fish. In this article we will not dwell on this. If anyone is interested in this issue, information can be found on the Internet.

1. Oxidants. They come in different purposes: for long-term transportation of fish, for small and large aquariums, for ponds. The essence of the work: hydrogen peroxide and a catalyst are placed in a certain vessel. As a result of their reaction with each other, oxygen is released.

In conclusion, I will say that you should not underestimate the importance of aeration in an aquarium. Moreover, there is a large selection of equipment for it. You can find inexpensive and high-quality models.

When choosing a device, you need to compare its power, the volume of the aquarium, the number of inhabitants and their CO2 needs. Manufacturers usually indicate the recommended volume for each model.

And remember that only an aquarium that provides healthy conditions for its inhabitants can be beautiful.

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Main types of professional aquarium installations

Hello, dear aquarists!

quiet aquarium compressor

Any aquarist knows that an aquarium compressor is the artificial lungs of an aquarium, because without aeration, the water in an aquarium very quickly turns into a swamp.

But the aquarium compressor has one nasty feature: it makes a loud noise during operation. And if you turn it on at night, you are guaranteed a sleepless night!

Is it possible to make the operation of an aquarium compressor silent? Can. What exactly? This is what you will learn by reading the article to the end. So!

We suggest you read: Making a cage for rabbits with your own hands

First we need a box of suitable size. The box must only be wooden! You can either make such a box or buy it in a store, in the souvenir department. The main requirement for the box is the following: the internal space must be large enough to accommodate not only the case itself, but also to provide sound insulation in this box.

To avoid getting into trouble in this matter, do the following: measure the length, width and thickness of the compressor with a tape measure. Write down the measurement results on a piece of paper. Now add two centimeters to each result.

Based on these results, select a box. And if you don’t find a ready-made one, then work hard and make it yourself. (making a box is very simple. You make four walls out of pieces of wood, and then nail a plywood bottom and a lid on top. Here you have a finished case).

Let's assume that you already have the box you are looking for. Great, now all that's left to do is make a few additions to the inside of the box.

Place the compressor housing in the box and decide which way the wires go. When you decide, take a jigsaw and make a neat cut in one of the walls of the box (where you will pass the wires from the case).

Remove the compressor from the wooden box and set it aside. Now take felt and cover the inside of a wooden box with it: felt is excellent sound insulation.

Now place the compressor housing in the box, pull the wires through the cut and close the box. Turn it on. That's it, the noise is gone! At the same time, you don’t have to worry: when working inside the box, the compressor housing does not heat up.

By the way, thanks to felt, the vibration of the aquarium compressor is significantly reduced, and this significantly increases the life and quality of its operation.

If you “didn’t catch up” with something, then re-read the article twenty times in a row and use your imagination - then everything will work out. Personally, I made such a “vibration isolator” in 30 minutes (though I had all the necessary “bells and whistles”).

In any case, friends, go for it and everything will work out for you.

That's all about reducing the noise of an aquarium compressor.

All the best to you and see you again!

There are several types of air pumps in use today. With their help, it is possible to create comfortable living conditions for fish. When choosing, you should pay attention to the type of design:

• Piston. A professional option, which is advisable to use for aquariums with a volume of more than 200 liters. Their disadvantage is their high noise level. The piston at the moment of movement cannot but create discomfort for others.
• Membrane. It does not create noise and operates on a rubber membrane. It sets the air in the tube in motion.

The device can also be installed on the outside or inside of the aquarium. The method should be considered separately.

Compressor aerator for aquarium

The price of the system directly depends on its power. It starts from 100 and ends at 20 thousand rubles. The compressor is improved by changing its design, power and other operational characteristics.

There is a misconception that aquarium fish do not require care. In fact, this is a troublesome task. Care can be simplified through the use of modern devices. For example, if you have filters, you will rarely have to change the water. Additionally, you will need to organize lighting, thermoregulation and a compressor for air supply.

For aquarium fish to have a normal life, they need proper care.

Review of popular models

Aqvel has been in existence for 33 years. She is one of the best manufacturers. Characteristics of the OxyBoots AR - 100 plus model:

• the volume of water that it can enrich with oxygen in one hour is 100 liters;
• installed on aquariums with a volume of up to 100 liters;
• consumes 2.5 W per hour;
• small size.

Operating principle of an aquarium compressor
DoFhin appeared on the Russian market in 2008. The products produced are of high quality and are in great demand. Among the most popular models are the AP1301 device:

• consumes 1.8 W of electricity;
• used for aquariums up to 125 liters;
• works almost silently;
• water enrichment volume - 96 liters per hour.

The main drawback is incomplete equipment. The sprayer and hose must be purchased separately.

An aquarium compressor is an indispensable device. It provides a full life for fish. You should not forget about this and pay special attention to the selection and creation of the product.

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