Newbie question about aeration

[C.A. Duncan]

I have a newbie question about aeration. I purchased two six-inch
airstones, some silicon tubing, a T-connector, and an air pump from my
local PetSmart. I ran the hose from the air pump into the tank and
into the base of the T-connector. Off of each arm of the T-connector
is about six inches of silicon hose, at the end of each of which is an
airstone. When I power the airpump, only one airstone comes alive
(and boy does it!), the other just barely even fizzles at all.
Changing the airstones to the opposite arms of the T-connector, I find
that the same airstone bubbles, and the same one doesn't. I figure
maybe my air pump isn't powerful enough to push two six-inch stones,
so I return the pump for a larger one (more power! *grunt grunt*).
Much to my surprise, the same thing happens, just the bubbles coming
from the one that activates are more forceful than before; the other
airstone still sits silently. I can only conclude that the airstone
that doesn't "work" has more "resistance" than the one that does, and
the air escapes through the path of least resistance. Is this the
situation an adjustable gang valve is designed for? Should I use a
gang valve and "dial back" the pressure to the "least resistant" one
until I get fairly equal activity from them both? I assumed a simple
T-connector would be fine, but something obviously doesn't work the
way I assumed. I apologize if these questions seem naive. What is
the proper way to do what I'm trying to do?

Thanks for any insight or advice provided!

CD

[skozzy]

You got it.. Use adjustable valves. Or separate pumps. Some air stines are a
pain for this.

I have an air sone about the same size that starts good and very quickly
stops working, possible bacteria keeps clogging it up. I rubbed my stone
back with sandpaper to make it thinner untill it worked roughly the way I
wanted.

Now I have given up on air stones, I just use power heads with the air hose
added, it airates the water better and gives better circulation.


"C.A. Duncan" > wrote in message
m...
> I have a newbie question about aeration. I purchased two six-inch
> airstones, some silicon tubing, a T-connector, and an air pump from my
> local PetSmart. I ran the hose from the air pump into the tank and
> into the base of the T-connector. Off of each arm of the T-connector
> is about six inches of silicon hose, at the end of each of which is an
> airstone. When I power the airpump, only one airstone comes alive
> (and boy does it!), the other just barely even fizzles at all.
> Changing the airstones to the opposite arms of the T-connector, I find
> that the same airstone bubbles, and the same one doesn't. I figure
> maybe my air pump isn't powerful enough to push two six-inch stones,
> so I return the pump for a larger one (more power! *grunt grunt*).
> Much to my surprise, the same thing happens, just the bubbles coming
> from the one that activates are more forceful than before; the other
> airstone still sits silently. I can only conclude that the airstone
> that doesn't "work" has more "resistance" than the one that does, and
> the air escapes through the path of least resistance. Is this the
> situation an adjustable gang valve is designed for? Should I use a
> gang valve and "dial back" the pressure to the "least resistant" one
> until I get fairly equal activity from them both? I assumed a simple
> T-connector would be fine, but something obviously doesn't work the
> way I assumed. I apologize if these questions seem naive. What is
> the proper way to do what I'm trying to do?
>
> Thanks for any insight or advice provided!
>
> CD

[NaCl]

You don't need to use the aeration function on the powerhead if the outflow
is directed toward the water's surface.

The aquarium water receives air from the room via the interface between the
water and air (the waters surface). The most efficient way to facilitate
room air moving into (and for that matter extra nitrogen gas moving out of)
the tank is to agitate this interface.

Airstones only aerate the water by doing just this, usually right above the
bubble stream. The bubbles themselves are not doing anything. If they were
adding air to the aquarium you wouldn't see them as discrete, whole bubbles.
The water pressure keeps them whole and essentially unreactive with the
surrounding water until they pop at the surface.

If you like how airstones look, fine, but they are essentially decorative,
not functional.


"skozzy" > wrote in message
...
> You got it.. Use adjustable valves. Or separate pumps. Some air stines are
a
> pain for this.
>
> I have an air sone about the same size that starts good and very quickly
> stops working, possible bacteria keeps clogging it up. I rubbed my stone
> back with sandpaper to make it thinner untill it worked roughly the way I
> wanted.
>
> Now I have given up on air stones, I just use power heads with the air
hose
> added, it airates the water better and gives better circulation.
>
>
> "C.A. Duncan" > wrote in message
> m...
> > I have a newbie question about aeration. I purchased two six-inch
> > airstones, some silicon tubing, a T-connector, and an air pump from my
> > local PetSmart. I ran the hose from the air pump into the tank and
> > into the base of the T-connector. Off of each arm of the T-connector
> > is about six inches of silicon hose, at the end of each of which is an
> > airstone. When I power the airpump, only one airstone comes alive
> > (and boy does it!), the other just barely even fizzles at all.
> > Changing the airstones to the opposite arms of the T-connector, I find
> > that the same airstone bubbles, and the same one doesn't. I figure
> > maybe my air pump isn't powerful enough to push two six-inch stones,
> > so I return the pump for a larger one (more power! *grunt grunt*).
> > Much to my surprise, the same thing happens, just the bubbles coming
> > from the one that activates are more forceful than before; the other
> > airstone still sits silently. I can only conclude that the airstone
> > that doesn't "work" has more "resistance" than the one that does, and
> > the air escapes through the path of least resistance. Is this the
> > situation an adjustable gang valve is designed for? Should I use a
> > gang valve and "dial back" the pressure to the "least resistant" one
> > until I get fairly equal activity from them both? I assumed a simple
> > T-connector would be fine, but something obviously doesn't work the
> > way I assumed. I apologize if these questions seem naive. What is
> > the proper way to do what I'm trying to do?
> >
> > Thanks for any insight or advice provided!
> >
> > CD
>
>