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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

Airstones and externals

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16 Nov 2010 14:17 - 16 Nov 2010 14:18 #1 by Jim (Jim Lawlor)
Hi folks,
I started using two large airstones a while ago, in a tank using an external filter.

I've noticed that the filter now gets a lot of air in it and regularly rattles and pumps out a load of bubbles .

Would this do it any harm, especially the impeller?

Thanks,

Jim
Last edit: 16 Nov 2010 14:18 by Jim (Jim Lawlor).

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16 Nov 2010 18:25 #2 by igmillichip (ian millichip)
I would treat this as something to look into. It could (I say could) shorten the life of the pump.
However, depending on whether you have a suck-in or push-out type filter, the efficiency of the filter could be compromised and may even have a potential to be effectively running on 'dry' (eg having an air-pocket in a push-out system may mean that you'll be running on 'dry' for a good few cycles).

You can run air into an impellar....but it should be designed to do that rather than by accident.

ian

Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.

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16 Nov 2010 18:31 #3 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re:Airstones and externals
The Magnetic part of an impellor is designed in such a way that it is always away from the chamber in which it is contained, it should never touch the sides, i would imagine the air will cause a wobble and wear on the ceramic rod leading to uneven wear and possible damage to the chamber/impellor, not certain but guessing.

Kev.

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16 Nov 2010 21:01 #4 by joey (joe watson)
i know this is kinda "is it plugged in" comment, but make sure the in pipe for the filter is not near the airstone bubbles, you could even put the stones above the pipe, just to make sure air is not getting in from this. if nothing changes, make sure you prime you filter well. if its still got problems, get in touch with the place you got it from, if its not too old

Location: Portlaoise, Midlands

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17 Nov 2010 00:50 #5 by Rolly (Ruaidri Hegarty)
It might be worth looking at the connections on the return pipe too. what your describing was happening to my external also, except i dont have airstones! turns out the hard plastic U-bend connection was cracked and the filter was sucking in small quantities of air, which were then getting trapped causing rattling and air to be pumped into the tank..

Rolly

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27 Nov 2010 22:15 #6 by Jim (Jim Lawlor)
Thanks for the advice folks. The airstone is way too close to the intake - so its sucking the bubbles in. Clearly not good for the impeller - not visible signs of wear yet, but its getting moved.

I'll see if the external gets quieter now!

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27 Nov 2010 22:36 #7 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re:Airstones and externals
Unless you are using the Airstone for aesthetic purposes, why are you using it? surely the return of the External is agitating the Water sufficiently?

Kev.

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27 Nov 2010 22:49 #8 by Jim (Jim Lawlor)
I added the air after a post-white spot medication problem, where all fish were gasping at the surface.

Since then, my flash plecs & other fish are more active, confident and if I can use the word seem "happier" !

Theres good flow from the external, its kept clean, not too much media and the tank is understocked - but the air does seem to make a difference.

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27 Nov 2010 22:53 - 27 Nov 2010 22:55 #9 by Ma (mm mm)
Hi Jim



What filter is it, obviously as answered above, move the defuser\stone away. I did have one close but not too close to a defuser, the impellor speeds up but it shouldnt wobble at all in a TT1200, i was trying to run a little ait through a tetratec 1200 to benefit bacteria in the filter cos of stockin levels, it was a bit noisy so after a couple of months I moved the stone, no damage to the filter at all. An airstone right under the intake I would say would maybe end up stress fracture the impellor shaft eventually or damage the motor in the pump



Mark

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Last edit: 27 Nov 2010 22:55 by Ma (mm mm).

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27 Nov 2010 23:01 #10 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re:Airstones and externals
If I was you, I'd get hold of a small internal and run it along side your return tube it will be accesible for maintenence and it will cause great exchange of Gases at the surface, I always use a small internal in any Tank I have. You could try a Fluval 2u, an Eheim internal, what it really is, is a small powerhead but without the risk of anything getting shredded to pieces. For me, it works a treat and has a very low wattage and are cheap.

It will alleviate Bubbles and aid your filtration, I have actually used them to put charcoal or other media in when trying to remove meds etc instead of having to remove the External and go through the hassle of detaching and refilling etc.


Kev.

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28 Nov 2010 00:01 - 28 Nov 2010 00:07 #11 by Jim (Jim Lawlor)
@Mark - its a Fluval 305.

@ Kev - actually that's probably a better idea. The tank is a Venczo 260 - with the external plumbed through the bottom of the tank - so the outlet isn't too close to the surface. (I cant remember if I can extend it). I've a spare U2 - I might give it a go.

Thanks again guys!
Last edit: 28 Nov 2010 00:07 by Jim (Jim Lawlor).

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