Boyu · Mains
CJY Series Air Pump
- Air output
- 1–15 L/min
Anyone wanting adjustable aeration, from a nano sponge filter up to a multi-tank air line.
7 models
Gear catalogue · 27 air pumps
Aquarium air pumps, compared properly
Mains and battery air pumps for sponge filters and oxygen at night. From Boyu, Dophin, Eheim, Oase, SunSun. Match them to your tank, then put up to four side by side.
TL;DR, choosing aquarium air pumps
In a CO2-injected tank an air stone during the day drives off the CO2 you are paying for, but at night it is useful: running an air pump when the lights go off lifts oxygen while plants are not producing any. Air pumps also run sponge filters in shrimp and fry tanks, and a battery or AC/DC pump keeps oxygen going during power cuts. Choose one with a little more output than you think you need and an adjustable valve, and look for a low noise rating if it sits in a living room.
How to choose
- Size by tank volume and how many sponge filters or stones it runs.
- An AC/DC or battery model keeps fish alive through power cuts.
- Put it on a timer to run at night in CO2 tanks.
- Mount it above the water line or use a check valve.
Boyu · Mains
S Series Air Pump
- Air output
- 4–12.8 L/min
Budget aeration for one tank, or the S-4000B for a small rack of breeder tanks.
4 models
Boyu · Battery / AC-DC
S-1800 AC/DC Air Pump
- Air output
- 8 L/min
Keepers in areas with regular power outages who want aeration to carry on without them.
1 model
Boyu · Battery / AC-DC
S-1801 Lithium AC/DC Air Pump
- Air output
- 8 L/min
Load-shedding and power-cut backup for a single tank.
1 model
Boyu · Mains
SC Series Air Pump
- Air output
- 3.2–6 L/min
Small to medium tanks running one or two sponge filters or air stones.
2 models
Boyu · Mains
SE Series Air Pump
- Air output
- 2–7 L/min
Nano to medium tanks where a quiet, low-power pump is the priority.
4 models
Boyu · Mains
U Series Air Pump
- Air output
- 2–6.4 L/min
Nano and small tanks running a sponge filter or a single air stone.
3 models
Dophin · Mains
AP1301 / AP1302 Air Pump
- Air output
- 1.6–2 L/min
- Tank size
- 40–200 L
Running one or two sponge filters in small to medium tanks.
2 models
Dophin · Mains
AP1500 Air Pump
- Air output
- 0.6 L/min
- Tank size
- 30–60 L
A single small sponge filter or air stone in a nano tank.
1 model
Dophin · Mains
AP1501 / AP1502 Air Pump
- Air output
- 1.6–2 L/min
- Tank size
- 40–200 L
A sponge filter in a shrimp tank where you want to turn the bubbles down.
2 models
Dophin · Mains
AP2500 Air Pump
- Air output
- 0.8 L/min
- Tank size
- 30–60 L
Running a sponge filter in a shrimp or nano tank.
1 model
Dophin · Battery / AC-DC
BP-1 Battery Air Pump
- Air output
- 0.4 L/min
- Tank size
- 30–60 L
Keeping fish or shrimp oxygenated in a bag or bucket on the way home, or during a power cut.
1 model
Dophin · Battery / AC-DC
BP-188 AC/DC Air Pump
- Air output
- 2 L/min
- Tank size
- 120–230 L
Anyone in an area with regular power cuts who wants filters and livestock kept oxygenated.
1 model
Dophin · Battery / AC-DC
BP-189 AC/DC Air Pump
- Air output
- 0.5 L/min
- Tank size
- 30–120 L
Keeping a sponge filter running through short power cuts in a small tank.
1 model
Dophin · Mains
FISH-1 / FISH-2 Air Pump
- Air output
- 1–2.4 L/min
- Tank size
- up to 150 L
A simple aeration or sponge-filter pump where the look appeals.
2 models
Eheim · Mains
air
- Air output
- 1.7–6.7 L/min
Running sponge filters in shrimp tanks, or adding air overnight on a CO2 planted tank.
3 models
Oase · Mains
OxyMax
- Air output
- 1.7–6 L/min
Running sponge filters or night-time aeration in small to mid-sized planted tanks.
3 models
SunSun · Mains
CIP Series Air Pump
- Air output
- 1.5–5 L/min
Sponge filters and air stones in small tanks.
4 models
SunSun · Mains
CP Series Air Pump
- Air output
- 1.5–16.7 L/min
Sponge filters and air stones in nano and small tanks, and shrimp racks.
7 models
SunSun · Mains
CQ and CRP Series Air Pump
- Air output
- 1.7–30 L/min
Anything from a single sponge filter to a small rack of tanks.
6 models
SunSun · Battery / AC-DC
CQ-B Rechargeable Air Pump
- Air output
- 12–16 L/min
Larger tanks and fish rooms that need backup aeration.
2 models
SunSun · Mains
CT Series Air Pump
- Air output
- 1.5–11.2 L/min
Sponge filters and air stones in small and mid tanks.
6 models
SunSun · Mains
DY and HDY Electromagnetic Air Pump
- Air output
- 20–50 L/min
Fish rooms and shrimp racks running many sponge filters from one pump.
9 models
SunSun · Battery / AC-DC
YT AC/DC Rechargeable Air Pump
- Air output
- 8–100 L/min
Backup aeration for fish rooms and big tanks where a power cut is a real risk.
10 models
SunSun · Mains
YT, HP and HT Magnetic Air Pump
- Air output
- 1.5–75 L/min
From single small tanks (YT) to fish rooms (HT).
10 models
SunSun · Battery / AC-DC
ZN-30 AC/DC Air Pump
- Air output
- 30 L/min
Backup aeration for fish rooms and large tanks.
1 model
SunSun · Mains
ZQ Air Pump
- Air output
- 3.3–30 L/min
Small tanks (ZQ-200) or several tanks from one pump (ZQ-3000).
2 models
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions people ask most when choosing aquarium air pumps.
Does a planted tank need an air pump?
Not necessarily. Healthy plants make plenty of oxygen by day. An air pump is handy at night, in heavily stocked tanks, for sponge filters and as a power-cut backup.
Will an air stone remove CO2?
Yes, surface agitation drives CO2 out. Run the air stone only when the lights are off if you inject CO2.
How big an air pump do I need?
Use the maker's tank rating as a guide and size up if you run several outlets or deep tanks, since output drops with depth.
Why does my air pump need a check valve?
If the pump sits below the water line and the power cuts, water can siphon back down the airline into it. A one-way check valve stops that.
Keep reading
Other gear
Specs come from the maker or a major retailer’s listing and are checked where we can. Makers revise products, so confirm the figures on the product page before you buy. Product photos are supplied by the brands and their distributors.