Airstones Or Perforated Pipes?

[doktor doris]

Hiya folks,

I would like a wall of bubble at the back of one of my tanks, I could use 2 12inch airstones with a t joint in the middle leading up to a single pipe or I could use some of the pipe with holes in that pet shops sell for the same purpose.

What are the pros and cons of each method?

If anyone would be kind enough to offer some advice please.

doris

 

[afishdude]

I personally like the airstone way. It gives smaller bubbles with less water movement. I have never seen the pipe one but I would think the holes would be pretty big and would give out big bubbles.

 

[saltynay]

Build your own pipe one they are easy to make....

 

[shelaghfishface]

the perforated pipes deffo, ive got 2x 6 inch airstones that are running on a tetratec 300 ( plenty enough to blow a huge current thu them) been in there since april, now im getting hardley any bubbles at all, so i will be replacing them with the plastic,which ive used in the past and no problems with


shelagh xxx

ps, keep meaning to ask, have you got any pics of your tank here anywhere?

 

[doktor doris]

no, I havn't shelagh.

I'll sort some out, which tank would you like to see?

Just realised that was a stupid question! Ill take pics of them all, they are-

4ft long tank with a comunity, Iam very proud of this one because it is on a divider between the 2 parts of my lounge so the tank has to be nice to look at from bith sides. It contains the usual mix-(black neons, neons, glolights, mollies, platies, guppies, ADFs, plec, and cory catfish.)

2ft tank with just babies, babies are from the live birthers described above.

2ft tank with lots of plants and guppies, neons, and zebra danios.

Juwel 125 that Iam cycling at the mo.

3ft by 2ft by 2ft tank that Iam cycling.

7 gallon tank with Cherry shrimps.

Juwel 125 with only angels.

That's all I have, Iam afraid.

I only started keeping fish again a few months ago but things have spiralled out of control really quickly!

doris

 

[matalan]

Get One of these, Excellent at creating an airbubble wall, And you can curve it to your desired shape, around wood and stones etc looks beautiful.

http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/AQUARIUM-AIR-CURTAIN...%3A1%7C294%3A50

 

[JohnRossDele]

JUST GOTTA SAY BGK'S LOVE THE BUBBLES FROM THE LONG AIRSTONE WALLS

 

[doktor doris]

Get One of these, Excellent at creating an airbubble wall, And you can curve it to your desired shape, around wood and stones etc looks beautiful.

[URL="http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/AQUARIUM-AIR-CURTAIN...%3A1%7C294%3A50"]http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/AQUARIUM-AIR-CURTAIN...%3A1%7C294%3A50[/URL]

I just bought 2 to go at the back of my 31 inch tank.

So if they aren't jolly good it's all your fault!

Thanks

doris

 

[shelaghfishface]

oooh i didnt realise you had so many Doris, would love to see them

dont you find these one tend to split near the covered end matalan? ive had a few and always the same problem, the ones i use are clear,cant remeber who make sthem though

 

[doktor doris]

oooh i didnt realise you had so many Doris, would love to see them

dont you find these one tend to split near the covered end matalan? ive had a few and always the same problem, the ones i use are clear,cant remeber who make sthem though

Well I don't like to give the impression that I have many tanks shelagh, Iam only a beginner you see. If people find I have that many tanks they may think Iam an expert and ask me questions!

I had no fish at all 2 months ago.

doris

 

[Schmill]

I started with the pipes with pinholes, but they soon clogged with what looked like 'hardwater scale'.
I then tried the pourous bars, which gave a much nicer much finer bubble curtain, but some of the bubbles were SO fine that they gave the water a cloudy appearance, (we are talking bubbles so small that when caught in the waterflow from the filter the bubbles didn't float to the surface, but more just got pushed around the tank.
Currently using a 12" airstone and it seems to be the best after trying the rest, (although I have to say I haven't tried the flexible type shown above). If you airpump has a dual outlet I would definitly recommend running one outlet to each airstone though. I T-ed mine together at the pump, (as it said I could in the manual), and then ran a single pipe to my airstone. Less than a year later and the bellows in the pump have split, and I think it might be due to the back pressure caused by having both outlets connected to one pipe. Once I fit the new bellows I am running 2 completely seperate airpipes, each to a 12" airstone and see if that improves things

 

[doktor doris]

Get One of these, Excellent at creating an airbubble wall, And you can curve it to your desired shape, around wood and stones etc looks beautiful.

[URL="http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/AQUARIUM-AIR-CURTAIN...%3A1%7C294%3A50"]http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/AQUARIUM-AIR-CURTAIN...%3A1%7C294%3A50[/URL]

Hey Matalan,

The pipey bubbler jobs arrived today, I have bought 2.

I lopped the end off one and thrust a little pipe onto the input end of the other one. I then inserted the pipe into the hole I had created at the end of the other one.

The increase in diameter made by slipping a little pipe on the end makes it a perfect, fast fit with no glue.

I then put the whole 24 inch length at the back of my tank, and it looks great.

The bubbles took a few hours of running before they looked their best.

Thanks for your suggestion, Iam really pleased with them!

doris

 

[NaughtyT]

some of my tanks have stones some have pipe and i much prefer pipe

 

[Infidel_Uk]

i dont think its a case of of one or the other ? its more a case of try both ! and decide for yourself in this instance.....its all part of the fun !

 

[matalan]

Get One of these, Excellent at creating an airbubble wall, And you can curve it to your desired shape, around wood and stones etc looks beautiful.

<a href="http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/AQUARIUM-AIR-CURTAIN...%3A1%7C294%3A50" target="_blank">http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/AQUARIUM-AIR-CURTAIN...%3A1%7C294%3A50</a>

Hey Matalan,

The pipey bubbler jobs arrived today, I have bought 2.

I lopped the end off one and thrust a little pipe onto the input end of the other one. I then inserted the pipe into the hole I had created at the end of the other one.

The increase in diameter made by slipping a little pipe on the end makes it a perfect, fast fit with no glue.

I then put the whole 24 inch length at the back of my tank, and it looks great.

The bubbles took a few hours of running before they looked their best.

Thanks for your suggestion, Iam really pleased with them!

doris

Glad you like it, they are a real bargain i thought, Even if one does break its only a few quid. The one i had in my main tropical tank a few years ago, i set it to go around a large rock/bogwood centrepiece and it looked great how the bubbles tried to fiond the surface. Experiment and it will look ace