Air pump question...

[cowgirluntamed]

Don't use wooden airstones because of the very fine bubbles they produce. They were designed for marine tank protein skimmers but should not be used due the fine bubbles they produce. The bubbles can get inside the fish and kill them. This is more of an issue in marine tanks but can also be an issue in freshwater. They also put more back pressure on the airpump and cause the diaphragms to pop sooner.

The best airstones are the multi-coloured plastic ones you can take apart (see link below). They produce courser bubbles and cause less back pressure on the pumps, and you can take them apart and clean them. Most of them have a lead weight in the bottom section to hold them down, and you can join several together to make a bigger airstone.

If you want a long thin airstone/ bubbler, get a piece of airline that you use on the air pump and poke a heap of holes in the plastic airline. Use a thick sewing needle to poke holes in the airline. Then fold the end over and use a rubber band to hold the bent end in place. Use a couple of plant anchors or rocks to hold the airline down. You can make the airline diffuser as long as you like and even have bubbles every couple of inches instead of the entire length.

Is the lead that weighs them down actually safe though? Saw a video where someone took the bottom off and put the weight in water and it started to rust in one week. And how many of these can you actually stick together? Can they lay flat?

 

[Colin_T]

lead doesn't rust so if the weight went a rusty red colour, then the weight is iron/ steel and is harmless in water. Any iron that it releases would be used by plants.

If they have actual lead in them, it will oxidise within a few weeks and turn from a shiny silver to a dull grey. When lead has turned a dull grey it is harmless to the fish because the oxide covering the main piece of lead stops the lead leaching into the water.

The pieces screw together so you can join as many as you like together and lay them flat. If you join several together you only use 1 top bit and 1 bottom bit and simply add more middle bits.

One of the advantages of these airstones is they can be taken apart and cleaned and put back together. So if you look after them they last forever and you never have to buy another airstone

 

[cowgirluntamed]

lead doesn't rust so if the weight went a rusty red colour, then the weight is iron/ steel and is harmless in water. Any iron that it releases would be used by plants.

If they have actual lead in them, it will oxidise within a few weeks and turn from a shiny silver to a dull grey. When lead has turned a dull grey it is harmless to the fish because the oxide covering the main piece of lead stops the lead leaching into the water.

The pieces screw together so you can join as many as you like together and lay them flat. If you join several together you only use 1 top bit and 1 bottom bit and simply add more middle bits.

One of the advantages of these airstones is they can be taken apart and cleaned and put back together. So if you look after them they last forever and you never have to buy another airstone

Cool! Thanks again Colin!