When it comes to aquarium keeping for beginners, you may not be aware of the importance of oxygen in your fish tank. This may sound weird, but fish, just like humans, need to have oxygen to breath in through their gills in order to live. However, oxygen in a home fish tank can become depleted very quickly. And if this happens, then your fish can actually suffocate!
What can you do to ensure that your home aquarium is properly oxygenated, or araeted? There are a number of ways that this can be done. You can choose to do one of these methods, a combination of these methods, or all of them.
The cheapest and simplest method is using an air pump with an airstone. The airstone keeps your home aquarium aerated, however it does not aid in keeping your tank clean.
A second option available is the use of a powerhead. This is a motor that is placed in your tank and it circulates your water. When an air hose is attached, it not only circulates the water but it adds some needed oxygen to it as well. The nice thing about a powerhead is it can keep debris from settling down at the bottom of your aquarium. The negative part is it does not filter your water. These are very good for fish that like to have current, but some fish do not like a lot of water movement, so double check to make sure that your fish like current first before adding a powerhead.
A third suggestion is a HOB, or 'hand on the back' filter. As the name implies, it hangs on the back of your home aquarium. It pulls water from your tank, runs it through a filter of some sort, and then trickles the water back into your tank. By exposing the water to the air you are adding back fresh oxygen.
Another similar option to the HOB filter is a canister filter. These are a little more expensive to purchase but they do a great job in cleaning your water and putting oxygen back in. Since they are bigger, you don't have to clean them as often. And, in addition, unlike a HOB, they are quiet and they are placed outside of the aquarium, where they can be hidden from the eyes of onlookers.
One downside, they are more difficult to clean when it comes time to clean them, but a small price to pay, in my opinion, to have a home aquarium that is filtered correctly and is aerated.
All of these methods are exceptional for aeration, which is adding back oxygen to your aquarium water. You can use one or more of these methods and you will find success and your fish will thank you.
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