Sponge filter/ nano air punp

[Lc57]

Good evening! I’m currently setting up a new 40 gal breeder. I was planning to use a large sponge filter with a nano air pump. Upon setting it up it seems like the air pumps creating little flow. Do I need a larger air pump?

[Yanni]

I think it depends on what you are putting in there. Overall, a nano air pump might not cover it but it could work. If you wanted more flow then try something like tetra whisper 20-60. If you are planning to put other filters in there then it should be fine. 

[MN-AQUARIST]

Are you using an air stone with it? If you have the never clogs you could try adjusting bubble size to influence the flow rate.

[gardenman]

I just got a nano air pump and I was pleasantly surprised by the air output. Mine's more for emergency use and maybe I just got a good one, but it seemed plenty capable of powering a sponge filter and even my K1 fluidized type filter. My plan is to rotate it from filter to filter for five to ten minutes at a time during a power outage. I expect it to give adequate airflow to each of my filters though based on my tests. It could be the power brick you have it plugged into isn't delivering enough power to it. Different chargers provide different amperage levels. The USB plugs on a computer typically deliver 500 mA. A typical older iPhone charger delivers 1,000 mA. Some more modern chargers go much higher. Most of us tend to just use whatever USB brick is lying around, but a different one might give the pump a boost. Especially if the one you have it plugged into is an older model. 

[Lc57]

1 hour ago, MN-AQUARIST said:

Are you using an air stone with it? If you have the never clogs you could try adjusting bubble size to influence the flow rate.

I’ll have to play with it but I am using the never clog airstone. I was planning to use the nano because it’s so quiet.

[Lc57]

1 hour ago, gardenman said:

I just got a nano air pump and I was pleasantly surprised by the air output. Mine's more for emergency use and maybe I just got a good one, but it seemed plenty capable of powering a sponge filter and even my K1 fluidized type filter. My plan is to rotate it from filter to filter for five to ten minutes at a time during a power outage. I expect it to give adequate airflow to each of my filters though based on my tests. It could be the power brick you have it plugged into isn't delivering enough power to it. Different chargers provide different amperage levels. The USB plugs on a computer typically deliver 500 mA. A typical older iPhone charger delivers 1,000 mA. Some more modern chargers go much higher. Most of us tend to just use whatever USB brick is lying around, but a different one might give the pump a boost. Especially if the one you have it plugged into is an older model. 

I’ll give that a try too and see if it makes a difference. 

[Kirsten]

I use the nano pump with the extra-small, small, and medium sponge filters and even with a well-tightened airstone, I'm still blowing crazy amounts of bubbles, so I'm finally getting some control valves to bring them down a notch. Love these little air pumps.

[KaitieG]

I've been using the nano pumps on a medium and a large sponge filter in a 95 gallon aquarium with an airstone, and they put out a lot of bubbles and seem to create a good flow.  I did have one (out of the 5 I've bought for various purposes) that got really squeaky within about a week of running it on the big tank.  It sounds like there's a lot of friction going on inside the pump--the other one I hooked up to the same type of filter in the same tank is doing just fine.  I switched out the squeaky one to use for hatching brine shrimp and put a new (quiet) one on the big tank.

[Maggie]

I have nano pumps in all three aquariums (10, 20 and 45 gallon) and have had no problem with the airflow. My 45-gallon is 24" deep. The plug-in part stopped working after 4 months, but you can use one plug for two pumps, so I had an extra. I don't think they're made for long-term use, so you might have to replace it sooner. However they are absolutely silent, and they work in a power outage with a cell phone battery backup, so for those two reasons I will keep on using them.