Biorb Air Pump Problem

[scarty10]

Hi there - I am hoping someone can help us!
We recently bought a new 30 litre Tropical Biorb with LED light - not cheap, but nice looking and whilst I know it doesn't hold many fish, we only want to keep around a dozen or so little guppys/tertras etc - it's mainly for the little kids.
Anyway, for the first couple/few days, everything was working no problem, then all of a sudden the bubbles stopped. AFter a bit of playing around with it, the bubbles were back, but a day or so later, they went again. We were able to blow into the hose to create bubbles ourselves, so suspected a pump problem and got a replacement. New pump came (from retailer who sold us the original kit) but that didn't make any difference - still no bubbles at all. Called Reef One who again, said if we could blow through the hose and create bubbles, then we must have been extremely unlucky and had 2 faulty pumps, so they sent a replacement. Have now tried 4 pumps in total (all same standard model) and still no bubbles whatsoever.
Obviously can't be a pump problem, so what else can it be? Removing the air stone doesn't make a difference so can it be a problem with the hose?
Like I say, we can get bubbles by blowing through it, but you do have to blow bl**dy hard to get them - should it really be that difficult?
Any suggestions gratefully received - our poor little fishes are suffering through hardly being fed while we try and sort it - currently we are using some of those oxygen tablets to try and get them some air!!
Please help!!

 

[diademhill]

Hi there - I am hoping someone can help us!
We recently bought a new 30 litre Tropical Biorb with LED light - not cheap, but nice looking and whilst I know it doesn't hold many fish, we only want to keep around a dozen or so little guppys/tertras etc - it's mainly for the little kids.
Anyway, for the first couple/few days, everything was working no problem, then all of a sudden the bubbles stopped. AFter a bit of playing around with it, the bubbles were back, but a day or so later, they went again. We were able to blow into the hose to create bubbles ourselves, so suspected a pump problem and got a replacement. New pump came (from retailer who sold us the original kit) but that didn't make any difference - still no bubbles at all. Called Reef One who again, said if we could blow through the hose and create bubbles, then we must have been extremely unlucky and had 2 faulty pumps, so they sent a replacement. Have now tried 4 pumps in total (all same standard model) and still no bubbles whatsoever.
Obviously can't be a pump problem, so what else can it be? Removing the air stone doesn't make a difference so can it be a problem with the hose?
Like I say, we can get bubbles by blowing through it, but you do have to blow bl**dy hard to get them - should it really be that difficult?
Any suggestions gratefully received - our poor little fishes are suffering through hardly being fed while we try and sort it - currently we are using some of those oxygen tablets to try and get them some air!!
Please help!!

Several possibilities.
If you can blow through the line there isn't a blockage.
Is it much easier to blow through with the airstone off?
If it is then replace the airstone.
Are you using a non return valve? (you should be) Is it the correct way round?
If the airpump can't pump through wothout the airstone on it is useless - & BTW the filter will work without using an airstone , not quite as well but better than no filter.

Forget the oxygen tablets - ammonia is the problem your fish are facing & 6 small fish is a full load for one of these tanks IMO.

You need to be doing daily 30% water changes and you'll need to continue daily (about15%) changes for a couple of weeks at least even once you've bought a new pump - not a biorb one which are acknowledged to be poor.