Faq – About Plug Aerator
Donna asks…
Does an aerator need to be attached to a filtration system?
I bought 2 goldfish yesterday, and they seem to be happy. They’re in a bowl (I know this isn’t the best, but I can’t afford a tank right now and my mom probably won’t let me get one until my fish prove to be healthy for at least a week or 2) and I’ve done some research, I need to get an aerator. My question is this: does the aerator need to be attached to a filtration system (which I don’t have) or if I put it in the bowl, will it work like that? The bowl is near an area where I can plug things in if needed. Thanks!
Staff answers:
Your fish do need a bigger tank, you are correct, and they do need a filter.
An aerator is just a pump with an air pipe leading to a diffuser (air stone). The bubbles don’t oxygenate the water as they travel through it. Gas exchange happens when the bubbles break the surface tension CO2 out O2 in.
Filters such as undergravel filters use the rising bubbles to pull debris into the gravel where the beneficial bacteria will for colonies. Other filter types are self powered.
Your fish will produce a lot of ammonia, which will affect their respiratory system and also being in a bowl will need the gas exchange all the more. So even if you don’t have the filter get an aerator.
Just the fact that your fish are in a bowl means the chances of them surviving past a few weeks are low. You have a lot of maintenance to do keeping your water anywhere near survivable quality
Charles asks…
Not sure how to use this aquarium aerator?
I bought an aquarium aerator, but it makes no sense… air comes out, but there were no instructions and there is no way to make the part the air comes out of be submerged in the water without submerging the entire thing.. which would break it. I get the feeling it requires some sort of hose or tube or something plugged onto the air part. See the link below, it is an image of what I am talking about. Underneath the aerator is stands.. as if it should be sitting as it is. But there is no way to.. you know.
Any help appreciated, I really need this aerator going before my yabbies die.
Thanks
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/9985/aerz.png
Thanks guys, I thought I needed something along those lines.
Thanks for clearing that up.
Staff answers:
You need some piping! It goes on the bits that are pumping the air out. You need that (you can buy lengths of it at any aquatic shop) and an air stone. A return valve will stop it pumping water out of your tank. Stuff like this:
http://www.swelluk.com/aquarium/air-pumps-accessories-9/air-line-accessories-108/algarde-2-way-gang-valve-51.html
http://www.swelluk.com/aquarium/air-pumps-accessories-9/air-line-accessories-108/algarde-6mm-airline-55.html
http://www.swelluk.com/aquarium/air-pumps-accessories-9/air-line-accessories-108/algarde-non-return-valve-48.html
Mary asks…
Why is my air stone not working?
The air stone in my aquarium isn’t working, and the aerator itself is working fine. I checked for kinks in the hose, but it’s still not working. It looks like sediment has built up on the stone and is plugging it up. Is there a way to fix it or do I have to get a new stone?
Staff answers:
Air stones need to be replaced occasionally they get clogged. They aren’t very much you can buy a package of 4 for like $2.
Courtesy of Y!Answers
Faq – About Aerator Wine
Joseph asks…
can you aerate wine by blowing bubbles in it with a straw?
I don’t want to buy a decanter or an aerator ( more stuff I don’t really need)
Crazy Cat Lady- good point about the Carbon Dioxide, and the bubble blowing would have only been in my home in MY own glass lol. I’m not a neanderthal, just impatient
Doobi18- I am honored for the nomination!
Staff answers:
I don’t know how well that would work because I think you want to be exposing the wine to oxygen, and what you blow out of your lungs is carbon dioxide. Plus, if other people will be sharing the wine with you I don’t know how they’ll feel about you blowing your spit-mist into their wine. That’s a good way to pass the swine flu around. You don’t have to use a true decanter, just a container that will give the wine a larger surface-area. Do you have a pitcher? That’ll work just as well although it wont look as sophisticated as a decanter. But if you’re talking about blowing in your wine bottle with a straw I don’t think sophistication is your #1 priority.
Mary asks…
Drinking white wine: tips & gadgets?
My dad’s drink of choice — almost exclusively — is white wine. I am looking for Xmas gifts for him, so I’m hoping to buy him something to improve his white wine experience. He already has a top of the line corkscrew. Now I know nothing about white wine, always been a red wine sort of lass myself, but I know for red there are some “wine accessories”, like aerators, that you can get fancy with.
Is there anything out there other than a corkscrew that one can buy to improve the white wine experience? Or any brands of Chardonnay that you’d give as a gift? Thanks!
Staff answers:
You generally do not need to aerate white wine so something like that would not do him much good. If you have a lot of money to spend then you could get him a nice wine fridge. They have many different types, but they are basically like little college fridges usually with a clear front so you can see the bottles. My only other thought is a set of real nice wine glasses. Perhaps you could get some nice handmade crystal glasses or something like that.
As far as the wine preservation suggestion, those have all been tested and show to not do a single thing. They are a gimmick and anyone who is serious about their wine will know that.
George asks…
Is this a good gift for my mom?
I can get a red wine aerator for virtually nothing and i was wondering if my mom would like this for christmas? I mean, she likes red wine and has it sometimes but not too often. I was just wondering if other people maybe have this and really really like it or something. idk… feedback please…
its $40…
Staff answers:
That would be a nice gift if it’s a good one it helps flavor and take bitterness out of the wine. But it’s not a lot so maybe also a wine chiller and a nice bottle of red wine
Courtesy of Y!Answers
Faq – About Aeration Stone
Paul asks…
Trimming of Aquarium Plants?
I have a couple aquarium plants that have grown way above the water line and are bending over. It’s not really blocking the light source and it’s not preventing the growth of lower/shorter plants.
I was wondering should I trim them back to below the water line? And if so how to go about it? Should I trim above or below the leaves, do I need to take them out of the water then replant, etc?
I’ve read several articles relating to it and they only seem to mention to trim them but not how to go about it. And I don’t want to end up killing them off.
I have a regular shaped 20 gallon tank, about 15 guppies, 5 other live plants, several fake ones, and an aeration stone, if it matters any. And sorry but I have no clue what the names of the plants are that are overgrown.
There’s no other places on my plants with roots just one huge long plant lol.
Staff answers:
Trimming water plants is the same as trimming any other plant. Personally I trim just above a leaf, then replant what i just trimmed, if you cot something like wisteria then it’ll grow like there’s no tomorrow. By the time most plants get above the waterline they’ve probably got a suitable plave to trim so you can replant, if you see an more places on your plant with roots, that’s where you trim, then replant.
Donald asks…
home aeration techniques?
I have some baby guppies in a 1 gallon fish bowl, just wondering if there are some easy ways to aerate the bowl at home without having to go out and buy an air pump and air stone…
Staff answers:
Hey Greg, I know your guppies are frys but the 1 gallon fish bowl won’t provide enough space for them to grow, besides you know that no fish can live in a bowl, it’s too cruel. I suggest you go outside and buy atleast a 10 gallon to keep those babies in. I would also remove the male from the females so they won’t make any more babies.
Here’s an easy way to create an air stone.
Http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects/air-stones/77.asp
Lizzie asks…
Fish tank bubble wall making strange noises?
I recently bought a bubble wall for my fish tank, as my aeration stone would not stay put! However, I noticed that the bubble wall emits a strange sound… kind of like a buzzing vibrating noise. Is this normal? Or is it possible that too much air is being forced through the tube?
I know it is the bubble wall, because when I unplugged it, the noise stopped. How do I stop this noise? It’s driving me nuts!
Im not sure how many gallons the pump is as it was given to me by a friend who previously owned the tank. The tank is a 30 gallon though….
Staff answers:
How many gallons is your air pump? You don’t really need a powerful one. For instance, a ten gallon one for a ten gallon is over kill.
Your pump may simply be too powerful. You can’t dial down the pump, but you can get a small valve ( only a couple bucks in most pet stores) that will allow you to control the air flow.
Other than that, some pumps and bubblers are just really noisy. There’s really no way around that, they’re just loud.
Best of Luck!
Courtesy of Y!Answers
Faq – About Fish Aerator Pump
Maria asks…
Is an air pump / aerator necessary in a Tropical freshwater aquarium ?
My new aquarium is 6 weeks old and I have 12 fish so far, all fish seem to be perfectly ok. I invested in a purifier which releases ozone into the tank and has a naturally purifying effect. Do I also need to switch on my air pump / air stone ?
Staff answers:
Don’t release ozone into the tank, it burns fish gills.
Release ozone into the filter, where the ozone helps make things stick to the filter.
Once you make this change (assuming the ozone generator is actually working), you may need to aerate the water.
Jenny asks…
Is my fishtank filter a legit filter? Or simply an aerator?
I bought a starter kit tank for my betta that supposedly came with a ‘filter’. When I opened it it had a stone with an air pump. It simply creates bubbles, which I think makes it an aerator. Can this possibly filter water? It is said that betta fish find areators a bit overpowering and I don’t want it there if it does nothing, plus it freaks my fish out. What is this thing? Should I use it? Does it filter water?
Staff answers:
Is it an undergravel filter by any chance? This is an air stone and pump, tray that goes under the gravel, and a tube where the air stone goes. This is a biological filter setup, and the gravel is really going to be your “filter”. The beneficial bacteria colonizes in the gravel. The setup pulls water through the gravel, and thus the water is biologically filtered. There are sponges and carbon attachments too, that can add mechanical and chemical filtration to the undergravel filter.
They are super simple filters, and timeless. They do work, but do have many downfalls.
If it is just an air stone sitting in the water, it is no filter.
Air is also used to power sponge filters, which are a mechanical and biological filter. THere are a few other air powered filters as well.
Examples:
Undergravel fitler: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/detailed_image.cfm?pCatId=3588&large=/images/Categoryimages/larger/lg_114992_21216P.jpg
Sponge filter: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/detailed_image.cfm?pCatId=23702&large=/images/Categoryimages/larger/lg-73728-55584-fish-supply.jpg
Corner filter:http://e-aquarium.com.au/images/Small_Corner_Aquarium_Filter.JPG
Just an airline: http://www.aquariumlife.net/images/airstone-3.jpg
Mark asks…
How do I build my own box filter for the fish I caught from the river mouth?
I have a submersible pump, an aerator, silicon, perspex sheet, plastic box, sea shells, a bag of porous rock,a liquid bottle of nitro-bacter and polyester wool. Do I miss anything else? Do I need activated carbon (I do not have it)? Does it matter which filtering media that the water have to flow through first?
At the moment, I have a simple single compartment filter stuffed with polyester wool and a submersible pump pushing the water through it. Some of the fishes are doing well but the crabs are dying within a day.
Staff answers:
A bag of porous rocks? Sea Shells?
Crabs would be in direct contact with your “shells” & “rocks”.
These rocks & shells MAY be exuding a chemical or pollutant……
Eliminate any “questionable” materials in your tank that have not been sterilized.
Some shells & rocks are harmful to fish and aquatics.
Courtesy of Y!Answers
Faq – About Water Aerators Ponds
Susan asks…
what is going wrong in my pond ?
I have lost 4 fish in last 2-3 months (1 large koi & 3 comet/goldfish) Seem to be internal problems – 1 large swelling in koi on one side & bloated problems in comets, so I suspect bacteria ??
Checked water condition – Nitrites/nitrates/ammonia all OK.
PH around 6.5-7
Change in behavour shows fish idling under waterfall so put aerators on (air balls) as suspected low oxygen. Fish often seen sitting in airball flow and under fountain spray….all on surface which is unusual. Mostly concerned that most fish are hardly moving, sitting at the surface – and noticed paler colour changes on quite a few fish, also unhappy flat dorsal fins. Something is wrong but I don’t know what.
I thought I solved oxygen issue & pond condition seems ok. Help !!
FYI I’ve just made two water changes 10% plus 20%. (tested tapwater for chlorine & seems fine)
Staff answers:
It sounds like a pH problem. Koi and comets like more alkaline water, between 7.5-8.5. Lower than this can cause stress to your fish, leading to bacterial infections and dull colors. Each number on the pH scale is 10 times more alkaline or acidic than the preceding number, so having a pH of 6.5 is 10 times more acidic than where the ideal range is for koi. PH anywhere beyond 7-9 can make your fish hang around near the surface, as though there is not enough oxygen.
If you have excessive plant growth, the pH can make dangerous swings at night when lots of carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid in your water, because the plants are not photosynthesizing. PH fluctuates naturally throughout the day in a pond, but it should not fluctuate outside the limits of 7-9.
Mandy asks…
Pond Fish keep dieing!?
I have an outside pond that is about 50 gallons. I have bought several fish, cheap ones from Walmart and they keep dieing. Most die within two days. I have several plants and an aerator. I have check the water and everything is perfectly in balance. Why are they dieing?
I buy the cheap ones because I didn’t want to spend money on expensive fish if they are going to die.
I tested my water with the testing strips for ponds/fish
Staff answers:
Go to a store that sells pond fish. Those from Wal-mart are just feeder type goldfish and are not well taken care of. Cheap fish are usually not taken care of and on the road t death before you get them. Spend a little more money and get good stock. If you are sure your water is fine, its filter is running good, then its the stock.
FYI: Wal-Mart is discontinuing selling livestock at many of its stores. Hopefully at all of them in time. A store that doesn’t specialize in living creatures has no business selling them.
Linda asks…
Would just a good air pump keep an area of my 25′ x 35′ pond open in this very cold zone 4 in Michigan?
The pond only has one small area which is 5-feet deep at one end. The rest is only 2-feet deep. The entire pond holds about 18,000 gallons of water.
Would I also need a floating deicer (kind of like they use in cattle water tanks)?
I usually get winter-kill with any larger type fish or bluegills, but I have never kept an area open for the gases to escape. I now have goldfish and koi in there and would like to winter them over without harm.
I would appreciate any suggestions as to what to use, a good brand of aerator, from anyone who has delat with a pond in very cold climates.
Staff answers:
You have a tough climate. I have clients that live in Madison Wisconsin which I think is also zone 4. Its interesting that the aerator I would recommend would be the Great Lakes brand, but there are many good brands. Usually the aerators will work but on rare occasions the de-icer is needed. Sometimes just a bundle of straw works to keep a small section clear enough to help with the passage of gasses. For them in Madison they tell me its just a winter by winter thing and they use different things at different times. Here is a link to aeration systems from a company I use and like. Good luck.
Http://www.aquaticeco.com/categories/Aeration-Systems/100/0/
Courtesy of Y!Answers