Two helpful tips - spread the word. Update!
 

From: Daniel Morrow )
Subject: Two helpful tips - spread the word.
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria.freshwater.misc
Date: 2000/06/15


Tired of replacing clogged air stones with brand new ones? Tired of
scrubbing clogged air stones until they work? A simple solution to
these
questions is to buy a presta (not the schrader/normal valve type)
valve
hand operated bicycle tire air pump and plug in some airline tubing
into
it, lock the tubing snuggly in with the lever, plug the clogged air
stone into the other end, and pump it back into shape a little (start
off slow to prevent shattering the clogged air stone but don't worry
it
is hard to shatter an air stone this way), it is quick and easy. If
the
airline tubing won't fit into the hand pump because it was recently
attached to something else like the electric air pump or whatever then
either flatten the end of the airline tubing and fold it in on itself
to
make it small enough to go into the hand pump, air pressure (air
leakage
will be noticeable but should easily be acceptable) will be lower this
way but it still should be enough, or cut off about 3/4 inch of the
airline tubing and/or dedicate a foot long or whatever length of
airline
tubing to the hand pump and either leave it always snuggly connected
to
the hand pump or mark the hand pump end of the airline tubing with
tape
(about 1 inch from the end of the airline tubing) or something and
don't
use it for anything else so you can just plug it snuggly into the hand
pump (airline tubing is easily cheap enough for this purpose). I have
used toy air pumps in the past for this purpose and used a presta
valve
hand air pump for this purpose for over a year with the same air
stones
and those air stones operate and look like brand new still. So no more
excuses - get out those air stones and ENJOY your aquarium! I've found
that by doing this once every two weeks my air stones are always in
top
condition and I have restored old clogged ancient air stones to brand
new operation this way easily. This tip should also work for
sal****er/marine air stones as well. The next tip is - instead of
using
rocks to lift or keep something else near or above the waterline use
empty rubbermaid or tupperware boxes, this way you can avoid breaking
the aquarium's bottom or whatever and you can have a combination
terrarium/aquarium this way (a dry land island surrounded by water for
example). I had a 15 gallon aquarium filled over half of the way with
water and a dry island using this method, for a newt, and the water
contained mosquito fish, a very nice setup that I very much miss now.
Good luck everyone and later!


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Just as an update I would recommend a 2 inch piece of rigid (can be
had from most dealers via the perfecto brand of products, commonly
accociated with the undergravel filters and spare parts) airline
tubing inserted and locked into the presta valve airpump' connector
and the regular flexible airline tubing connected to the rigid tubing
and the airstone. If you want to experiment with a schrader valve air
pump you may try putting a quarter inch of flexible tubing over the
end of the rigid tubing (all of the way) that connects to the schrader
valve airpump' connector and try locking it into place. Have fun
everyone - and no longer worry about continuously having to buy new
airstones - just reuse what you already have with this method.

Two helpful tips - spread the word. Update!
 

"Daniel Morrow" wrote in message
om...
From: Daniel Morrow )
Subject: Two helpful tips - spread the word.
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria.freshwater.misc
Date: 2000/06/15


Tired of replacing clogged air stones with brand new ones? Tired of
scrubbing clogged air stones until they work? A simple solution to
these
questions is to buy a presta (not the schrader/normal valve type)
valve
hand operated bicycle tire air pump and plug in some airline tubing
into
it, lock the tubing snuggly in with the lever, plug the clogged air
stone into the other end, and pump it back into shape a little (start
off slow to prevent shattering the clogged air stone but don't worry
it
is hard to shatter an air stone this way), it is quick and easy. If
the
airline tubing won't fit into the hand pump because it was recently
attached to something else like the electric air pump or whatever then
either flatten the end of the airline tubing and fold it in on itself
to
make it small enough to go into the hand pump, air pressure (air
leakage
will be noticeable but should easily be acceptable) will be lower this
way but it still should be enough, or cut off about 3/4 inch of the
airline tubing and/or dedicate a foot long or whatever length of
airline
tubing to the hand pump and either leave it always snuggly connected
to
the hand pump or mark the hand pump end of the airline tubing with
tape
(about 1 inch from the end of the airline tubing) or something and
don't
use it for anything else so you can just plug it snuggly into the hand
pump (airline tubing is easily cheap enough for this purpose). I have
used toy air pumps in the past for this purpose and used a presta
valve
hand air pump for this purpose for over a year with the same air
stones
and those air stones operate and look like brand new still. So no more
excuses - get out those air stones and ENJOY your aquarium! I've found
that by doing this once every two weeks my air stones are always in
top
condition and I have restored old clogged ancient air stones to brand
new operation this way easily. This tip should also work for
sal****er/marine air stones as well. The next tip is - instead of
using
rocks to lift or keep something else near or above the waterline use
empty rubbermaid or tupperware boxes, this way you can avoid breaking
the aquarium's bottom or whatever and you can have a combination
terrarium/aquarium this way (a dry land island surrounded by water for
example). I had a 15 gallon aquarium filled over half of the way with
water and a dry island using this method, for a newt, and the water
contained mosquito fish, a very nice setup that I very much miss now.
Good luck everyone and later!

or you could spend a few more cents and buy ceramic airstones and use them
for years without problem. If and when they did clog up you simply soak them
in peroxide overnight.

Rick