Air Stone/bubble Tube?

[death]

hi people im thinking of getting those bubble tube things the thing is that some one said to me thats an air stone you attach it to,is this right or are these things im talking about 2 different things?

 

[petertr]

Air pump drives an air stone or air disc.

 

[Colin_T]

Like Peter says, you need an airpump that sits outside the tank and pumps air through some airline (plastic tube) and into the airstone, (coloured sand-like stone in the tank that releases the bubbles).
Big airstones require bigger pumps. Also depending on how tall the tank is will determine what size air pump you will need. Tall tanks need more powerful pumps too.
Get the shop to plug a few pumps into a power point and put your finger over the outlet. See how much noise the pump makes when you have your finger over the outlet hole. If the pump is quiet then it will be a reasonable pump. If the pump makes heaps of noise when you put your finger over the outlet, then it will probably make a bit of noise when running the airstone.

 

[death]

thanks for the advice guys,well i went and purchased a rena 200 pump along with an airstone and tube today.

 

[Schmill]

Did you get a checkvalve at the same time? If not I'd advise getting one next time you go in. It's a one-way valve that fits into the airline, allows the air inot the tank, but stops the water syphoning back along the pipe, out of the tank and into your pump if there is a powercut, (or you switch it off)

 

[raptorrex]

hi people im thinking of getting those bubble tube things the thing is that some one said to me thats an air stone you attach it to,is this right or are these things im talking about 2 different things?

yep a bubble tube and an air stone are two different things. both run on an air pump, both need connected with air tubing. but the bubbles from an bubble tube/air curtain are much smaller. it can also be placed around things to provide a display point.

 

[death]

thanks for pointing about the check valve out schmill,ill go to the lfs asap to buy one,i dont want no nasty shocks or leaks

 

[death]

so i got the check valve today, is it just a matter of turning off the sockets and cutting the tube in half then fit in the valve or should i do some other thing?

 

[Schmill]

First thing, put one end of the checkvalve between your lips and try to blow through it.
If you can turn it around and just check that you can't the other way, similarly if you can't then turn it around and check that you can
When you are happy which way the air flows through the valve, clamp the tube, or fold it or pinch it (clothes peg?), or something to stop it being able to flow backwards, switch off the sockets. Cut the pipe on the PUMP side if where you are pinching the airline, and then push the 'out' end of the checkvalve into the pipe that is being pinched.
You should then be able to remove the clip / clamp / fingers and blow air into the tank via the check valve. Also you shouldn't be able to suck water out of the tank through the valve.
When you are happy all is working as it should connect the airpump to the check valve and switch back on safe in the knowledge that you are now protected against a potential disaster

 

[death]

thanks schmill ill give it a go seen as im of work today