Tetra APS50 Silent Aquarium Air Pump for Fish Tanks,Black,10 - 60 Litre

I own a 190 litre corner tropical fish tank (see image attached!) as well as a smaller cold water fish tank and this pump is absolutely perfect. Having owned a number of cheap air pumps in the past (many of them loud and weak), this one has completely impressed me with its overall design, quality and specification and is the best pump I have owned. Let me talk you through some of the frequently asked questions you are probably asking yourself now:Specification:* Mains Powered (standard UK 3 pin plug)* 2 Watts* 50 L/H* 230v/50HzIs this air pump powerful?I have found this air pump to be powerful but this is a difficult question to answer. Different people have different sized fish tanks along with different requirements and different expectations. In my experience of owning cold water fish tanks, tropical fish tanks and Axolotl tanks, this is one of the most powerful pumps for its size and I can use this no problem with a medium sized bubble stone. Do bear in mind this is the smallest air pump from the Tetra series and if you do require a more powerful pump for larger fish tanks then it may be a good idea to check out some of the larger models.Is the air pump quiet?When I first plugged this air pump into my electric socket I was horrified by the loud noise the pump was creating. The noise wasn't actually coming from the pump itself but from the actual output inside the fish tank whereby I was using a medium sized bubble stone. The pump was simply chucking air out at maximum power which the bubble stone was unable to cope with. I then found a little valve inside the box which allows me to control the pressure of the air output, after using this I turned down the pressure considerably and the air pump became much quieter, in fact I have turned it so far down (for use in my small cold water tank), so that there is a little trickle of air and it is now virtually silent. The key is to ensure you have the correct sized bubble stone to cope with the amount of air pressure you require, a bubble stone too small for the required pressure will create a loud noise due to the air coming out too fast. Alternatively you can simply turn down the pressure to reduce the overall noise providing you still supply sufficient oxygen for your own fish tank requirements. Please note, there is no bubble stone supplied in the box and this must be purchased separately.How long is the power cable?After measuring with a measuring tape I can confirm this is approximately 1.9m long (or 1900mm).Does the box come with everything required?No the pack doesn't come with everything required. An air tube is required to transport the air from the pump to the fish tank, this can usually be purchased from any pet shop for a matter of pence. The air tube is also required to operate the air pressure valve, which is a little valve supplied in the box which can be used to control air output (see images attached), which you can connect to the pump using a small amount of air tube. Also an air stone which is not supplied isn't necessarily required but it is strongly advised to use one. Simply placing an air tube into a fish tank without a bubble stone will just result in it floating around at the surface of the water unless it is tied down inside the tank. A non return valve is also strongly recommended to prevent water from being drawn back to the pump.Can the air output be controlled?Yes, as mentioned above, the box comes with a little air control valve which you can connect to the pump using a little amount of air tube. The valve can then be turned to alter the amount of air flow required, from a little trickle of air to maximum power. The air flow valve is not built in to the actual pump but can be used externally from the pump itself (see attached images).Can this pump be used with a fish bowl or small tank?Yes this is the ideal pump for fish bowls and small tanks as long as you have used the supplied air output valve. The air output valve can adjust the power of the air output and by turning it right down and using it with an air stone makes it perfect for fish bowls and small tanks. Without using the supplied air valve the pump would be far too powerful.What types of tanks can this air pump be used with?This air pump can be used with cold water fish tanks, tropical fish tanks and marine fish tanks.Can this be used with a Biorb?Yes this pump is perfect to compliment your biorb tank.This review has been based on my experience of using this air pump for a number of months, I hope it helps!

Only had it for a few days but seems to be working well in my small tank. A lot quieter than my previous pump.

This was purchased for a 50l fish tank to supplement a bit more oxygen to our fish. As the pump didn't come with any tubing, we purchased these separately along with a bubbler stone. The pump connected properly and we've not experienced any issues with it.As we have the pump on a self above the tank, it is a little noisy but I'm more or less used to it by now. You can adjust the strength of the pump and this obviously affects the noise it produces, but on a low setting it produces enough bubbles for us and it's not noisy enough to be distracting or unpleasant.On max power it looks like it would be good for a bigger tank too.

Just started using mine which is a replacement for my old worn out aerator and so far I can say it is a well made and sturdy looking pump which is extremely quiet and efficient. If this remains the case in the coming months I shall continue using Tetra pumps in the future. 5 star so far.

So, my problem was really the noise... I'd purchased a BiOrb 15L fishbowl and it came with its own airpump and light (both powered by same mains transformer) but to my surprise the airpump shipped with the BiOrb was ridiculously loud.We keep the BiOrb on top of the chest of drawers in the bedroom, so you can imagine the noise factor was something extremely disturbing and needed be fixed asap!The only reason I've bought the Tetra Tec APS airpump is because it said on it "silent"I really needed to sort out the problem that I was having, which was as multiple times repeated in this post --- the noise.When I've unboxed the new received Tetra Tec my first thought is to plug it into the mains to see if it is quiet. It wasn't, I was so disappointed... but then I've placed my finger over the air nozzle and immediately the sound and vibration reduced to almost nothing. Ahuh...?!? Lesson learned: try the pump the correct way before jumping to conclusions.Connected to the airtube, with the flux reduction valve also mounted somewhere half way in the length of the air tube, this airpump works beautifully with the BiOrb.... And you know those nice advertisement pictures you've seen before buying a BiOrb that show the few bubbles here and there releasing into the fishbowl water, so minimalist, so IKEA-style? Well, you can forget about that if you use the airpump your BiOrb comes with. That airpump has no air flux reduction option, so you'll blow bubbles into your aquarium as if it would be an underwater vucano! With the Tetra Tec everything's as it should be: you can adjust the air flux as per need, there is no vibration noise when the airpump is placed on a firm, horizontal surface (not even if this surface is wood, ... and we all know musical instruments are built generally from wood, right?... and that's because this material has a fantastic resonance ability) and the best of all for me, it brings a solution to one and only problem I was so eager to fix: the noise. Ahhh..., so quiet... can you hear that?!? - listen... just the sound of the bubbles releasing into the water..., nothing more. Fantastic!