# need air pump?



## jdm free (Feb 13, 2009)

ive got a 26 gallon tank with a bio wheel 200 filter. will that be sufficient enough to move the water to oxygenate it or will i need an air pump? i have one but it only works with an action-air ornament. i just bought a 7" wall bubble and nothing comes out of it.

thanks


----------



## noonein2 (Jan 27, 2009)

you need an oxygen pump for the air the stone is not god and can't make air by it's self.
nice filter i have a 3, 50 gallon tanks one 30 gallon one 20 and one 5 gallon tank


----------



## jdm free (Feb 13, 2009)

i have an air pump already, i said that i had one that would work with an action air ornament but not the stone. could it be the pump is to small?


----------



## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Are they both connected to the same pump and if so how?

they sell check valves that run more than one ornament off of it. If you are using one of those it is very possible that you have it turned too high on the ornament and not high enough on the bubble wall. If this is not the issue then your pump is likely too small. Can you tell us what pump you have?


----------



## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

Take the end of the airline connected to your bubble wall. Stick it in your mouth and blow as hard as you can. If you don't see any bubbles, this issue is the bubble wand and not your pump. Very frequently there are dissolved solids in tapwater than will clog up airstones in a matter of hours.


----------



## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

did you soak the airstone before trying it?


----------



## jdm free (Feb 13, 2009)

Obsidian said:


> Are they both connected to the same pump and if so how?
> 
> they sell check valves that run more than one ornament off of it. If you are using one of those it is very possible that you have it turned too high on the ornament and not high enough on the bubble wall. If this is not the issue then your pump is likely too small. Can you tell us what pump you have?


they arent connected, when i bought the tank (used) it came with a the air action thing and i didnt like it since it was loud(shark and jaws would slam shut) so i disconnected that and bought the air stone(7" wall bubble) and that doesnt work.



COM said:


> Take the end of the airline connected to your bubble wall. Stick it in your mouth and blow as hard as you can. If you don't see any bubbles, this issue is the bubble wand and not your pump. Very frequently there are dissolved solids in tapwater than will clog up airstones in a matter of hours.


just tried that, a few bubbles came out. im gonna poke some holes in it to see if that helps



itwuzhere said:


> did you soak the airstone before trying it?


yea it was in for about 15-20 mins.


----------



## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

If you only got a few bubbles, there is a problem. You should have a lot of bubbles. My bet would be on minerals in the water.


----------



## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

if the same pump works on one thing but not another, common sense tells me its not the pump.try returning the airstone and getting another one.


----------



## jdm free (Feb 13, 2009)

there was some water in the line. i took it out and blew the water out, then the tube back on the air stone before i put it in the water and then put it back in. i blew thru it and got bubbles, but i can see water in the line still.


----------



## jdm free (Feb 13, 2009)

the line filled up with water again. this is really getting annoying. what can i do to stop this? or does that naturally happen?

sorry but im a newb to this stuff. my last tank didnt need an air pump since it was an undergravel filter that produced a ton of bubbles


----------



## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

That is normal when it is turned off for water to back up into the line, that's why folks use check valves. That shouldn't cause problems though. I would disconnect the bubble wand and check to make sure the inlet is clear then try it again. If it still doesn't work then you should get a new one.


----------



## jdm free (Feb 13, 2009)

its clear, im going to get a smaller one. i think my pump isnt powerful enough. its only 4watts. could my line be too long too?


----------



## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

Your pump could be too small or your line too long... Try getting an air diffuser made from a different material and see if that is better.


----------



## jdm free (Feb 13, 2009)

going to cut the line now. hope that works/helps.

edit: cut it to pretty much the shortest i can have it, still like 5ft long since my pump is on the ground. bubbles are forming on the stone but nothing is coming off of it


----------



## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

Try holding the pump above the water... see if the pressure difference is enough to drive the air.


----------



## jdm free (Feb 13, 2009)

not a difference. ive given up on this stone and just buying a smaller one when i get a chance. thanks for ur help tho


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

get a new pump..but don't buy one of those $5 tiny ones.although i don't like tetra products ,i would suggest one of the whispers like the model 40.. bubble wands require a bit more pressure than regular diffusers.and if you don't have one already;pick up a 3 way gang valve.it will allow you more than 1 diffuser or ornament.
check online with drsfostersmith.com ...also the new fusion pumps are supposed to be pretty decent.i don't have any of these small pumps because i am running about 60 or so outlets and use a larger unit...i can only go by what other users have reported.


----------



## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

I have 4 whispers and truely enjoy them all. There is one that I am starting to have a problem with, but I cannot swear the problem is not my cat.

They are quiet and get the job done quite nicely. I use a whisper 10 on my 5 dallon and my 10 gallon. On the 10 gallon I have a medium sized bubble wand (Runs not quite the width of the tank) and have never had problems with the bubbles. 

If your tank is up high, and your pump is down low a check valve is an incredibly smart idea. You have already seen the siphoning that can happen, you don't want that to go all the way back to your pump. Gang valves are nice as well. I have one on my whisper 30 that runs 2 items in my 20 gallon. I have an airstone and a sponge filter running off of that one.


----------



## jdm free (Feb 13, 2009)

i bought a whisper earlier today. good for up to 40 gal. it was 12 bucks at the LFS

and i already have a check valve


----------



## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

I have a Whisper 60 that works fine. I also have a little pump from Wal-Mart that runs even quieter and is more powerful. From whatever they call there store brand?

Is the new pump working for your bubble wall?


----------



## jdm free (Feb 13, 2009)

before i bought the pump i got a little air stone, the little tiny ones from aqua mist and put it in a little terracotta pot and the whisper 40 works well, i like how it came with a valve so i could turn it down. im going to get a splitter so i can hook the bubble wall up to it too


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

oh..kind of a "they don't make em like they used to" thing..ibought a bunch of stuff a long time ago when i first got into the hobby.(around 1973).there was a little red metaframe airpump in the box of junk.it still functions to this day and actually puts out quite a bit of air.i may have to fix it again to quiet it down;but it is a great little pump..


----------



## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

I had a Whisper pump that I bought used in the mid-90s. It was, I think, a Whisper 900. White with a woodgrain dial on top to regulate output. Needed a new diaphragm every six months or so. Built like a tank. My mother gave it away when I was in college...


----------



## Bymer (Aug 22, 2008)

reminds me... can the diaphragm be replaced? 
because my air pump works like a diesel generator... lol...


----------

