battery air pumps/ sponge filters

[JeninOK]

Are these always so noisy? Thank goodness I bought one since our power has been out since about noon but it is miserably loud.

Also how do I use an air pump to make a sponge filter, I tried various ways with the tube off a gravel Vac and the sponge I keep on the intake of my power head to try to keep the water somewhat filtered and the beneficial bacteria on the spnge alive...but it didnt work.

 

[James B.]

As far as I know you just take a piece of tube like pvc pipe, insert it so it is in the middle of the sponge but not out the other side (you will need a base to keep the filter off the bottom like a little more pvc and a tuper wear container top) sick the air stone down the pvc to the sponge and it should make a vacuum in side the pvc drawing water in through the sponge. I think thats how they work anyway from just looking at them.
I have 2 battery operated air pumps and they are very load but in a time of need they are very handy to have around.

 

[chesterthehero]

get a glass/bucket.. put yer tube (pvc or whatever) in the glass/bucket.. stick media from yer filter in the glass/bucket around the tube... stick the air hose down the tube.. put the whole thing in the tank and turn it on...

the air bubbles push/pull water through the tube which in turn pulls water through your filter media...

since most of us have "bigger" tanks using a glass/bucket allowes you to be sure that water is moving around your media .. maybe overkill.. but overkill is better than dead fish


also thats glass/bucket... as in glass or bucket... or soda bottle or whatever else... i save the 64oz cups from 7-11

 

[JeninOK]

Im glad they are noisy, I was worried something was wrong with mine!!

This was for my 90 and 55 so I was in a bit of a panic! The smaller tanks are all really lightly stocked so I just did a water change when the power went off and a smaller one when it came back on

Ok, so I wasnt way off base then with the sponge filter concept. I couldnt see what I was doing very well so I will mess with it again tomorow when the lights are working.

How do you get the airstone to stay down in the tube?
it kept pushing itself out when i tried to do it.

I ended up clothespinning the biobeads and sponge above the airstone to keep air circulating

 

[Frostyone]

Best way to keep the air stone down is a notch just a little smaller than the air tube o.d. on the top of the PVC and stick the tube in there. Friction will take care of the rest.

 

[chesterthehero]

zipties