# Air stone



## darkphoenix (Jan 21, 2009)

Hi
I now have my tank, and it is to be left on for a week to 'run through' before I start the water testing cycle. (the man in the shop told me to do this.)

My tank has a filter, heater and light which are all perfectly fine. The pump for the airstone is a lot louder, and since the tank is in my bedroom, kept me awake until 2.30 am.

Is it alright to turn the airstone off at night? Obviously the filter and heater (if i get tropicals) will stay on. If I cant turn it off, what ways are there to muffle it without causing a fire hazard?

Thanks for all your advice so far, I think I am going to go for some tropical fish, and am trying to decide what ones (my tank has now been properly measured and it is 63 litre, which i converted to around 15 US gallons).

Thanks


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

If you have a good filter, you can do without the airstone, day or night. If you do turn if on and off make sure the pump is higher than the tank or you have a one-way check valve in the air-line or you will siphon tank water into the pump (not a good thing).


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## darkphoenix (Jan 21, 2009)

Hi

Thanks for the tip. I have a valve fitted, but to make double sure I will move the pump up higher when I turn it off. That is such a relief!


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

also....if you are only running 1 airstone there could be some back pressure that is causing the pump to be noisy.get a 2 or 3 way gang valve and bleed off some of the air.
most pumps are designed to drive more than airstone.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

darkphoenix said:


> I now have my tank, and it is to be left on for a week to 'run through' before I start the water testing cycle. (the man in the shop told me to do this.)


dp:

Many folks on the Forum will not lead you astray as the "man in the shop" may with advice.

What you will be doing is not a "water testing cycle" but a filter preparation cycle in anticipation of placing fish in your tank* and this cycle will probably take like 28 days.

*You can use very hardy fish with very light feeding to cycle your tank.




darkphoenix said:


> ... Is it alright to turn the airstone off at night? ...


This issue has been previously addressed but my two cents are:

The real question is do you need an air pump and air stone?

The answer is no if the outflow from your filter is producing a mild turbulence on the water's surface.

TR


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