Re: Bubbler pumps

[John Hines]

(Mosfunland) wrote:

>I went to the store and looked at all of the little bubbler pumps for
>aquariums....I had one years ago, that worked well, but I can't remember how
>"strong" it was... I have a small D shaped pond, 5 X 12 at the longest points
>about 30" deep. Any suggestions?

Tetra makes a "deep water" line of pumps, of which the smallest one
should work fine. By deep water, they mean a bit higher pressure for
tall tanks.

Use straight plastic tubing, running straight down so no water collects
(and freezes) in it. A straight pipe, straight down is the only thing
that has worked for me.

[Gale Pearce]

"> so I was thinking about using the harder clear plastic this year. Any
input?
> Maureen

Hi Maureen - I am using the clear, less flexible line and have for ~8 yrs -
I have seen the more flexible latex line and decided the stiff line running
at a downward slope with no sagging loops was better as no moisture will
collect in the line - I have not had a freeze up yet, except for not
keeping the the ice dome build up broke open in ~15 F extended periods -
now I tap the ice dome to break it daily in real cold periods
Gale :~)

[Benign Vanilla]

"Mosfunland" > wrote in message
...
> I went to the store and looked at all of the little bubbler pumps for
> aquariums....I had one years ago, that worked well, but I can't remember
how
> "strong" it was... I have a small D shaped pond, 5 X 12 at the longest
points
> about 30" deep. Any suggestions? I live in PA, so just want to keep a
> breathing spot for the 7 goldies... I also used the blue flexible tubing
and
> that got frozen down one year, the pond froze over and everything was
lost....
> so I was thinking about using the harder clear plastic this year. Any
input?

I don't use a bubbler at all. I use a smallish 100gph or so pump sitting in
the shallows of the pond. It moves the water in a small area just enough to
keep a nice hole in the ice.

BV.

[John Bachman]

On Fri, 03 Dec 2004 13:25:53 -0600, John Hines >
wrote:

(Mosfunland) wrote:
>
>>I went to the store and looked at all of the little bubbler pumps for
>>aquariums....I had one years ago, that worked well, but I can't remember how
>>"strong" it was... I have a small D shaped pond, 5 X 12 at the longest points
>>about 30" deep. Any suggestions?
>
>Tetra makes a "deep water" line of pumps, of which the smallest one
>should work fine. By deep water, they mean a bit higher pressure for
>tall tanks.
>
>Use straight plastic tubing, running straight down so no water collects
>(and freezes) in it. A straight pipe, straight down is the only thing
>that has worked for me.

If you are in a cold zone, like me, you may have trouble with any of
the aquarium pumps. The problem is that they are all diaphragm pumps
and when the diaphragm gets cold it stiffens and can not push the air
as deep as before.

I solved my problem by making my own PVC bubbler and connecting it to
my air compressor. The compressor is in the garage (detached) so the
noise is not an issue. Some think that running the compressor is more
costly than an aquarium pumps but I cranked the numbers and found it
to be cheaper to operate.

John

[John Hines]

John Bachman > wrote:

>On Fri, 03 Dec 2004 13:25:53 -0600, John Hines >
>wrote:
>
(Mosfunland) wrote:
>>
>>>I went to the store and looked at all of the little bubbler pumps for
>>>aquariums....I had one years ago, that worked well, but I can't remember how
>>>"strong" it was... I have a small D shaped pond, 5 X 12 at the longest points
>>>about 30" deep. Any suggestions?
>>
>>Tetra makes a "deep water" line of pumps, of which the smallest one
>>should work fine. By deep water, they mean a bit higher pressure for
>>tall tanks.
>>
>>Use straight plastic tubing, running straight down so no water collects
>>(and freezes) in it. A straight pipe, straight down is the only thing
>>that has worked for me.
>
>If you are in a cold zone, like me, you may have trouble with any of
>the aquarium pumps. The problem is that they are all diaphragm pumps
>and when the diaphragm gets cold it stiffens and can not push the air
>as deep as before.

You don't need depth to keep the surface open.

>I solved my problem by making my own PVC bubbler and connecting it to
>my air compressor. The compressor is in the garage (detached) so the
>noise is not an issue. Some think that running the compressor is more
>costly than an aquarium pumps but I cranked the numbers and found it
>to be cheaper to operate.

Yeah I tried that one as well, but the air line freezes up along the
way.

[John Bachman]

On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 09:29:47 -0600, John Hines >
wrote:

>John Bachman > wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 03 Dec 2004 13:25:53 -0600, John Hines >
>>wrote:
>>
(Mosfunland) wrote:
>>>
>>>>I went to the store and looked at all of the little bubbler pumps for
>>>>aquariums....I had one years ago, that worked well, but I can't remember how
>>>>"strong" it was... I have a small D shaped pond, 5 X 12 at the longest points
>>>>about 30" deep. Any suggestions?
>>>
>>>Tetra makes a "deep water" line of pumps, of which the smallest one
>>>should work fine. By deep water, they mean a bit higher pressure for
>>>tall tanks.
>>>
>>>Use straight plastic tubing, running straight down so no water collects
>>>(and freezes) in it. A straight pipe, straight down is the only thing
>>>that has worked for me.
>>
>>If you are in a cold zone, like me, you may have trouble with any of
>>the aquarium pumps. The problem is that they are all diaphragm pumps
>>and when the diaphragm gets cold it stiffens and can not push the air
>>as deep as before.
>
>You don't need depth to keep the surface open.

I have had ice 18" thick and want my bubbler below that. Even with
the bubbler there has been a thin sheet of ice form in the hole during
really cold nights. I break that out by hand.
>
>>I solved my problem by making my own PVC bubbler and connecting it to
>>my air compressor. The compressor is in the garage (detached) so the
>>noise is not an issue. Some think that running the compressor is more
>>costly than an aquarium pumps but I cranked the numbers and found it
>>to be cheaper to operate.
>
>Yeah I tried that one as well, but the air line freezes up along the
>way.

Have not had that problem yet. Do you have a moisture collector on
the output of your compressor?

John

[John Hines]

John Bachman > wrote:

>On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 09:29:47 -0600, John Hines >
>wrote:
>
>>John Bachman > wrote:
>>
>>>On Fri, 03 Dec 2004 13:25:53 -0600, John Hines >
>>>wrote:
>>>
(Mosfunland) wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>I went to the store and looked at all of the little bubbler pumps for
>>>>>aquariums....I had one years ago, that worked well, but I can't remember how
>>>>>"strong" it was... I have a small D shaped pond, 5 X 12 at the longest points
>>>>>about 30" deep. Any suggestions?
>>>>
>>>>Tetra makes a "deep water" line of pumps, of which the smallest one
>>>>should work fine. By deep water, they mean a bit higher pressure for
>>>>tall tanks.
>>>>
>>>>Use straight plastic tubing, running straight down so no water collects
>>>>(and freezes) in it. A straight pipe, straight down is the only thing
>>>>that has worked for me.
>>>
>>>If you are in a cold zone, like me, you may have trouble with any of
>>>the aquarium pumps. The problem is that they are all diaphragm pumps
>>>and when the diaphragm gets cold it stiffens and can not push the air
>>>as deep as before.
>>
>>You don't need depth to keep the surface open.
>
>I have had ice 18" thick and want my bubbler below that. Even with
>the bubbler there has been a thin sheet of ice form in the hole during
>really cold nights. I break that out by hand.

I would take a watering can with hot tap water out to the pond, and use
that to un-freeze the opening. If there is open water, it will
evaporate, or be splashed out, so there is a need to fill up the pond.

>>>I solved my problem by making my own PVC bubbler and connecting it to
>>>my air compressor. The compressor is in the garage (detached) so the
>>>noise is not an issue. Some think that running the compressor is more
>>>costly than an aquarium pumps but I cranked the numbers and found it
>>>to be cheaper to operate.
>>
>>Yeah I tried that one as well, but the air line freezes up along the
>>way.
>
>Have not had that problem yet. Do you have a moisture collector on
>the output of your compressor?

No, they are not cheap.