Instructions for the Meiko Aquarium Pump

If you're interested in giving your fish a healthy lease on life, installing an air pump on your aquarium is essential, even if you have just a single fish in a fishbowl. Meiko makes a variety of air pumps. Some pumps, like those for a goldfish bowl, have one air outlet for a single aerator and are simple to install. Others are more powerful and can supply as many as eight air outlets for a bigger, more lively aquarium.

Things You'll Need

• Standard-size aquarium air tubing
• Control valve (if needed)
• Twist tie

Instructions

1. Place your air pump behind or beside your aquarium. Do not get the pump wet.

2. Moisten the outtake nozzles on your Meiko air pump. Slide on tubing for each of your accessories, cut to lengths that will allow the tubes to reach the location of the control valve, usually found along the back rim of the aquarium. Attach the other ends of these tubes to the intake ports on your control valve.

3. Cut the tubing to a size sufficient for your accessories to reach the bottom of your aquarium from where your control valve will be placed. Attach these tubes to the outtake ports on the control valve.

4. Attach your accessories and air stones to the other ends of these final tubes and place them where they will be located in your tank.

5. Close the valves on your control valve, one above each nozzle port. Normal airflow will occur when the valve controls are aligned with the tubing. Airflow will stop when the controls are turned to the side. Close all the valves and place your control valve wherever you've chosen to locate it.

6. Make a shoestring-size loop in your power cord, near the air pump, and secure it with a twist tie. This will form a drip loop that will keep water from rolling onto your power cord.

7. Plug your Meiko air pump into outlet power and release the valves on each of your air tubes at the control valve.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to choose the proper pump size to aerate your aquarium. If you're working with a fishbowl, get a small pump with just one or two air outtakes. If you have a larger tank, a more powerful pump will ensure an adequate supply of air. Count how many items will be operated by your air pumps. Some people run an under-gravel filtration system off one or two of their air outtakes, as well as a few air stones to help aerate their water, along with a few air-fed accessories like a moving diver. This type of tank would need a pump with at least five or six air outtakes. On a smaller tank, you might want to plug in an air stone and an air-fed, moving treasure chest. This would require two outtakes.

References

• First Tank Guide: Air Pump Set-up Information