3.3, 3.4, 3.5 Air Pump Accessories

What are the accessories for air pump? 

Just an air pump won't be of any use to you. For that you'll need other attachments like air pipes, air stones, controllers, non-return check valves,etc. We will be talking about them in my own words, hopefully you'll find it useful.

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• Air pipes

The only duty of an air pump is to pump air from the atmosphere through its nozzle, air pipes are then used to "transport" the air from the aforementioned nozzle to the tank. That air is then released underwater through air stones, but that's another story we'll talk about later.

The pipes used for aeration in fish tanks usually have an inner diameter of 4 mm (0.16 inch) and are made of plastic,silicone, etc. Both have their own pros and cons. Plastic pipes are cheaper but they become hard and loose their flexibility and gets damaged because of kinking. Silicone pipes are comparatively a bit costlier, but they are soft, flexible and they resist wear and tear way better than plastic pipes.

I've noticed that using silicone pipes are better because the ends don't get loose after repeated insertion of the nozzle of the air stones or air controllers, and that is very helpful because a loose end will cause the nozzle of the air stone to slip out and trust me, it is very very hard to find the fallen air stone in a tank full of water with fishes and floc in it. So, if you take my advice, go with silicone pipes, you will not regret. Maybe it will cost you a little extra but will save you from all the troubles we had to go through because of our bad decisions. 

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• Air stones

Air stones, also called "air-bubblers" are important fish tank accessories. Their nozzles slide into the cavity of the air pipes and the air from the pump is released through their pores in the form of bubbles. Air stones do not directly mix oxygen into the water. What they do is cause agitation on the surface of the water, allowing greater volume of water to release the built-up carbon dioxide and take in more oxygen.

There is a myriad collection of air stones in the market today. Try to go for cylindrical air stones with brass nozzles. The brass nozzle is longer lasting and has ridges that prevents them from slipping out.

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• Controllers & connectors

Controllers are plastic attachments used to control the volume of air passing through the specific pipe. We should always opt for the sturdier controllers that are available, although a bit costlier. 

Connectors are plastic ornaments too with a specific purpose, to divide one air line to two or three secondary lines. I always buy about a dozen extra because I do not know how I always keep losing them. 

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3.2 Air Pumps

• What are Air Pumps?

An air pump is one of the most basic, yet versatile, pieces of equipment that you will have to own for fish rearing, whether it is an aquarium or a fish farming tank. For biofloc fish farming, this is considered one of the most important equipment which you will need, so that you don't end up with thousands of dead fishes floating on the water surface. The basic function of an air pump is to force air, through mechanical means, from the atmosphere into your aquarium, which is later released inside the water in the form of bubbles. 

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• What is the use of air pumps in tanks?

Like we've discussed above, the air pump forces the air from the atmosphere into the tank through a pipe. The air is released through a air stone, this results in the creation of thousands of tiny air bubbles which rush to the water surface, causing surface agitation. This is beneficial in some ways:

1. Increases the concentration of dissolved Oxygen (D.O.) in the tank.
2. Fishes are constantly breathing oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide, these bubbles helps in releasing the dissolved carbon dioxide. 
3. Good aeration helps in stirring the water up to a certain degree. Maintaining proper water flow velocity is essential for optimizing biofloc systems and keeping microorganisms suspended in the water column.
4. An additional benefit of aeration and mixing is the removal of gases from the water column, which can have a great effect on overall water quality.

• Types of air pumps : 

1. Electromagnetic air pump
2. Diaphragm air pump

➤Electromagnetic air pumps are a type of rotary pumps where they rotor is constantly, well, rotating, and when it comes to fish-keeping trade, they generally look something like the picture attached. They are comparatively cheaper than diaphragm air pumps but they come with their own set of problems like: 

1. Louder operating noise.
2. Cannot be easily repaired in case of malfunctioning, although by theory they last longer. 
3. Consumes more electricity as compared to diaphragm air pumps.  

➤Diaphragm air pumps are a better substitute for electromagnetic air pumps. They are a type of reciprocating pump, where the air is pumped in two-steps cycle. They can be comparatively quieter than electromagnetic air pumps, with lesser power consumption, and they last way longer in comparison. Even in case of malfunctioning, its usually a damaged diaphragm which can easily be replaced by a novice with just unscrewing about four screws and repairing it, that's why i always use them as my primary aeration source.

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• How to choose the right pump for my tank?

Do consult your trainer under whom you were trained, he/she will probably assist you up to a certain extent, but do not follow him blindly. I mean, the person who trained us, said that any pump that causes "bubbles to come out of water" will be useful. He also insisted that any pump that pumps about 25 LPM (litres per minute) volume of air will suffice. That is not totally true. The depth of the tank affects the air pressure, and from my experience more is better, because its better use one pump for more than one tank, than using multiple pumps for them. 

I use 120 LPM diaphragm pumps for two tanks (10,000 litres each) on an average, and they've been working fine for me. If you're going for just one tank in the beginning, try to invest just a little bit more and go for any pump that pumps 60 LPM volume of air or more, you can easily make 11-12 outlets from it and still have enough aeration and water movement. 

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3. Equipment

Hello everyone, today's post is where we are going to enlist the necessary equipment needed for the flawless functioning of a biofloc tank.

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Equipment needed for a Biofloc tank

• Potassium permanganate powder

• Air pump 

Hailea HAP 60 Hiblow Air Pump

Hailea ACO-009 Electromagnetic Air Pump

• Air pipe

Silicone flexible air pipe (100 mtrs)

• Air stones

Air stone (3inch) with brass nozzle

• Air valves (controllers)

Air controller

• Calcium carbonate powder (Limestone powder)

• pH Meter/Kit

pH Meter

Lifesonic pH Test Kit

• Raw salt

• TDS Meter

MI TDS meter pen

• Digital thermometer

Digital thermometer

• Probiotics powder

Everfresh Pro Probiotics

Fish Vigyan LifePro Aqua Probiotics for Biofloc

• Molasses (Carbon source)

• Imhoff Cone

• Ammonia Test Kit

Lifesonic Ammonia Test Kit

• Dissolved oxygen (DO) kit

Lifesonic Dissolved Oxygen Test Kit

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2. Advantages of Biofloc technology

We have already been introduced to the Biofloc fish farming technology, hence we are going to move ahead and discuss the advantages of this relatively new aquaculture technique.

Advantages of Biofloc technology

1. It is an eco-friendly fish culture technique.
2. Biofloc technology improves land usage efficiency.
3. Biofloc technology required zero or negligible water exchange.
4. It greatly reduces the negative impact on the environment.
5. Productivity of fishes using biofloc technology is comparatively higher.
6. It reduces the cost of standard fish feed.
7. Security is higher as compared to traditional fish farming methods.
8. During harvest the water can be used as liquid fertiliser.

Brief explanation of the advantages of Biofloc technology:

1. It is an eco-friendly fish culture technique:

Since the biofloc technique is like a closed environment hence there is very less chance of introduction or spread of pathogens into the culture tank. There is also almost zero chances of leakage of harmful compounds that may affect the environment negatively. Hence, it is totally pollution free.

2. Biofloc technology improves land usage efficiency:

Traditionally, fishes were cultivated in large scale ponds and lakes, which required a larger area of land where these water bodies existed, whereas, biofloc fish tanks are comparatively way smaller hence requiring lesser area of land. People of India and Bangladesh have constructed biofloc tanks inside their house premises, which is a testament to the point.

 3. Biofloc technology required zero or negligible water exchange:

The main objective behind this Biofloc technology was to minimize or nullify the need for routine water exchange because it is not possible and not very economic. Using this technique, the water is maintained free of toxic compounds so the water is fresh and free from all toxin buildup. Hence, there is almost zero water exchange if you are using biofloc fish farming technology.

4. It greatly reduces the negative impact of the environment:

Biofloc fish farming technology prevents water pollution, and environment pollution due to release of toxic materials into the environment. So, negative impact on the environment is reduced.

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1. Introduction to Biofloc Technology

What is Biofloc?

Biofloc fish farming is one of the most innovative techniques used in aquaculture which results in better production of fishes and other invertebrates in smaller manually controlled tanks. Fishes have been grown in smaller tanks for decades, but over time their fecal matters along with the left over food and dead organic matter leads to high concentration of toxic materials like  in the water. This concentration of these toxic materials eventually becomes so high that the rate mortality of the fishes would be very high. The only way to cope up with this was to drain the water out and refill the tank every few days. This wasn't feasible for fish farmers at places where water is scarce, hence their fish production would be hampered. The solution to this problem was Biofloc Technology (BFT), introduced by Prof. Yoram Avnimelech of Israel, where the need to change the water wouldn't be necessary. 

Biofloc is defined as macro aggregates of organic matters which includes bacteria, algae, protozoa, diatoms, fecal matter of the fishes, remains of dead organisms and other invertebrates called Floc. It is an innovative and cost-effective technology in which toxic materials to the fish and shellfish such as Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia can be converted to useful product, i.e., proteinaceous feed., that way preventing a spike of harmful compounds in the water. 

It is a very novel technique of enhancing and maintaining the water quality of the water through balancing the ratio of Carbon and Nitrogen (C:N ratio) in the system. The application of BFT offers benefits in improving aquaculture production that could contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals. This technology has resulted in higher productivity with less impact to the environment. The technology has recently gained attention as a sustainable method to control water quality with added value of producing protein rich feed and better yield.

Principle of Biofloc Technology

The principle of this technique is the generation of nitrogen cycle by maintaining higher C: N ratio through stimulating heterotrophic microbial growth, which assimilates the nitrogenous waste that can be exploited by the cultured species as secondary feed. Hence, Biofloc technology is not only effective in treating the waste, but also provides extra nutrition to the aquatic animals. The higher ratio of Carbon to Nitrogen (C : N) is maintained through the addition of carbohydrate source and the water quality is improved through the production of high quality single cell microbial protein.

In such condition, dense microorganisms develop and function both as bioreactor controlling water quality and protein food source. Immobilization of toxic nitrogen compounds occur more rapidly in biofloc systems because the growth rate and microbial production per unit substrate of heterotrophs are manyfolds than of the autotrophic nitrifying bacteria.

That,s all for today. Thanks for your time and patience.

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