Air stone changes?

[663]

My understanding is that an air stone's utility is based on breaking up surface tension allowing atmospheric oxygen to permeate tank water more readily. My problem since adding a stone (3-days ago) is that all of a sudden the most powerful of my two filters is picking up air, seemingly from nowhere, and fizzing every few hours, . I've verified all connections, retightened all compression rings and the intake for said filter is fully 3ft from the stone. The are no visible bubbles. The smaller filters intake is on the opposite wall of the tank. This filter has no detectable issues yet.

The filter has been inline for 19-days and WAS quiet as a mouse after the first 4-days, after I physically burped it. The unit has lots of foam mats, including two trays of brightwater H-series, carbon impregnated foam prefilter rings and 3 trays of issue foam. I rinsed it all in hopes that it would release air more quickly as the unit came online.

For the record, I'm concerned that too much fizzing will damage the filter. Any ideas or opinions about why this is happening and how I can fix it are appreciated.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I think it needs to be replaced - I had a similar issue with a couple of really cheap ones I bough off of Walmart.com.

 

[663]

I think it needs to be replaced - I had a similar issue with a couple of really cheap ones I bough off of Walmart.com.

Thanks for responding PK, but what needs to be replaced?

 

[FFGuest6357]

What types of filters are you running?

Edit: My first thought would be to rinse all media as well, my second thought would be to service the intake hoses/pipes, give them a thorough cleaning and make sure there’s nothing in there impeding water flow.

next you need to check the impeller, make sure there is nothing obstructing it’s ability to spin.

Those potential issues would seem more likely than an air stone with oxygen exchange.

It sounds more like a mechanical failure or maintenance issue to me, and I would check those things first, because if there is a blockage, you can correct that before it causes damage to the motor.

If it is a mechanical failure due to manufacturer defect, you need to look into a warranty claim. Hope that helps. If it doesn’t hopefully someone else has better suggestions or experiences. But I have never had air stones mess with my filters

 

[663]

OASE 600 and a fluval 406.

 

[FFGuest6357]

So canisters... yea I made an edit to my post above ^^^

I would check hoses and impellers first. Keep us posted on how it goes.

 

[FFGuest6357]

Can you take and post a picture of the fizz as well?

 

[663]

Can you take and post a picture of the fizz as well?

Do you mean the output of the stone or the air expelled from the filter?

 

[FFGuest6357]

Do you mean the output of the stone or the air expelled from the filter?

mind as well do both, maybe a picture of the full tank as well so we can a clearer picture of the proximity of the equipment

 

[663]

By "fizz" I mean the noise my filter makes when it's about to clear itself of air. Since this effect is unpredictable I wouldn't be able to photograph it, unless I just sat there and waited for it to happen with my phone focused on my spray bar. As I mentioned, the tank water has no sign of a cloud of tiny bubble's. The air stone is +/- a yard away from the filter's intake.

Another observation, my fish seem more "bright eyed" and active. The cool thing about the situation is that I'm prepared to add another stone to the opposite end of my tank if I can lick the filter problem.

 

[663]

I would check hoses and impellers first. Keep us posted on how it goes.

Good suggestion! Since I'm going to clean the pre-filter, I'll take a look at the impeller and pray. I've already verified all the connections and compression rings.

 

[Gypsum]

I'm running an Oase 200 and a Fluval U2 in a tank with an airstone and three powerheads, one of which is pointed upwards so it creates a little rapid. It's the most well-oxygenated tank in the world. None of that stuff affects the functioning of the filters.

This is where my understanding of the science of oxygenation gets very fuzzy, but I don't think air can enter the filter intake if it is submerged in the water, regardless of what's happening in said water. If you're kayaking whitewater and you get pinned, the fact that water in a Grade IV rapid is very well oxygenated does not improve your situation. It's pretty great if you're a loricariid, though. In other words, dissolved oxygen is not the same thing as air. If air is getting into a filter, it will be coming from a bit of it that isn't under water. Or there's something else going wrong with the filter. But I'd be surprised if it's the airstone, unless you're blasting the bubbles straight into the intake, and even then, I don't think that would cause a problem.

 

[FFGuest6357]

Good suggestion! Since I'm going to clean the pre-filter, I'll take a look at the impeller and pray. I've already verified all the connections and compression rings.

Yep, if there’s a partially blockage that’s moving around with the current of the intake, it could probably account for the the random chugging or fizzing or the filter.

I think @Gypsum hit the nail on the head. I don’t see the air stone as being a cause of any air gaps in the filtration, more likely that something is impeding the filter performance. As I mentioned above, either a blockage that occasionally interrupts water flow, or mechanical failure. Either way, find the source, and if need be, file an eligible warranty claim.

 

[663]

Yep, if there’s a partially blockage that’s moving around with the current of the intake, it could probably account for the the random chugging or fizzing or the filter.

I think @Gypsum hit the nail on the head. I don’t see the air stone as being a cause of any air gaps in the filtration, more likely that something is impeding the filter performance. As I mentioned above, either a blockage that occasionally interrupts water flow, or mechanical failure. Either way, find the source, and if need be, file an eligible warranty claim.

Based on what I see and opinions here, I'm going to reset both of the big connectors on top of the unit (the intake\exhaust and the pre-filter ports) early tomorrow to see if that works. Right now I'm popped from installing and configuring a very complex router. I'm way ahead of you on the warranty front. I've been running around that particular treadmill for about 40-years.

 

[663]

Fixed! The port that holds the pre-filter wasn't completely sealed and sucking air into the filter. This sort of mess up isn't supposed to be possible due to the way the mounting hardware works. Well, I'll observe and hope this was a one-off. Thank you all for your opinion's.