# Air pump accessories



## Redwings (Dec 22, 2009)

I was digging through my fish stuff bucket looking at which plastic plants I wanted to use and I came across some air pump accessories that I have forgotten all about.

I had 4 of these air check valves and figured I should put them on seeing how it's snowing 5+ inches a night and we could have a power outage any time of the day. So I went to put one on and no air went through it, maybe it's old and doesn't work or maybe I'm doing something wrong. Can you help me?

I also came across a gang valve, I know what's it's used for, but is it only really needed if I have multiple tanks and only one air pump?


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## Guest (Jan 4, 2010)

Did you put the one-way valve on backwards? It is possible it is just stuck closed, which could have happened for several reasons.

You only need the gang valve (I assume it is one of those T pieces for splitting the airflow) if you want to run 2 or more air stones off a pump with only 1 output. If you have a tank with a separator, you could use one and put an air stone on either side... or do that anyway even if it is not separated. If your air stones have inputs on either side, and you have 2 or more connected to span the back of your tank, you can use one to have an air input on either side of the airstone chain to provide an more even diffusion across the back... if that makes sense to you.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Its not uncommon for valves to fill with crud, esp. if water ever went up the lines (what the one-way valves prevent). You can try a soak in vinegar to dissolve it. Blow through them, and you can tell if they are clogged. One-way valves (they have a cone inside a cylinder) are a great precaution if, like most of us, you don't follow directions and put the air-pump above the tank. Water going down the airline can cost you an air-pump. Plastic can break-down and metal valves corrode and both get stuck, so if you can't get air-flowing though with a soak or a needle, throw them out and buy new.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Rw:

I use air for several reasons.

I keep several Tees, back-flow preventers, connectors and valves as well as air line in the garage because it is when and not if I will need them.

TR


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## Guest (Jan 4, 2010)

did you mean keep the air pump below the tank, emc?
And I have heard of peoples entire tanks siphoning through the aim pump and draining all the water, so the filter runs dry, burns out, along with heater, and fish die depending on placement of the air stone. A one-way valve is cheap insurance against an expensive problem.


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## Redwings (Dec 22, 2009)

Ghost Knife told me if I have the air running through the aitrstone before I put it in the water it won't siphon out. But I want to be 100% so I will soak the valves in vinegar and test it out, if it doesn't work next time I'm at the LFS I'll buy one or two.

When I move my tank soon I'll try the gang valve out seeing how I'll have 3 buckets of fish and filter media I need to keep alive. I have a whisper 100 which has two ports, but I need to buy new parts for it and my LFS doesn't have them in yet so I'm using an old air pump with only one port.


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

Redwings said:


> Ghost Knife told me if I have the air running through the aitrstone before I put it in the water it won't siphon out. But I want to be 100% so I will soak the valves in vinegar and test it out, if it doesn't work next time I'm at the LFS I'll buy one or two.
> 
> When I move my tank soon I'll try the gang valve out seeing how I'll have 3 buckets of fish and filter media I need to keep alive. I have a whisper 100 which has two ports, but I need to buy new parts for it and my LFS doesn't have them in yet so I'm using an old air pump with only one port.


It works for me and I never have any backflow problems so I would think it would work for you.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

If you read the directions that come with any new pump, they tell you to put it above the water level. I have a few pumps on tank lids, but there is a risk of the pump falling off the tank or falling in the tank. Check valves make a lot of sense. But they don;t last forever, they can clog and they can fail (usually, by not letting air through).


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## Redwings (Dec 22, 2009)

emc7 said:


> If you read the directions that come with any new pump, they tell you to put it above the water level. I have a few pumps on tank lids, but there is a risk of the pump falling off the tank or falling in the tank. Check valves make a lot of sense. But they don;t last forever, they can clog and they can fail (usually, by not letting air through).


I bought some today for like 2 bucks each, pretty cheap. The ones I had didn't work after soaking them.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

cheap insurance. Its amazing how much mess 20 gallons of water can make.


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