Im frustrated. :)

[tyrel]

well, ive finally got water in my new tank. It went fairly smoothly. Anyway, the air pump and air stone aren't working as planed. Will my hang on back filter provide enough surface disturbance to airiate the 20 gallon tank enough, without the air pump? Its rippling the entire surface of water, but not sending down bubbles or anything. What do you guys think?

PS: sorry for filling up the fourms with a bunch of silly questions, but you guys are so helpful, and i want to do this right!

 

[Jchillin]

The HOB does provide enough surface agitation...the air stone is just supplemental. You can adjust the amount by lowering the water level in the tank.

Note - There is no such thing as a silly question in this hobby.

 

[tyrel]

I would have had less water, But the heater need a very high level. oh well

 

[Devilishturtles]

I agree. An HOB Filter provides the neccesary filtration for your tank, and everything else is supplemental.

Best of luck.

 

[vero]

Hi,

I have a silly question (I'm very probably misunderstanding you). What did you really mean by "sending bubbles down"? Do you mean you have the air stone just under the surface of the water and it's just making bubbles at the surface? If yes that is normal. Put the air stone near the bottom of the tank. Or did you mean that the air from the pump is not getting to the air stone? If so, I had that problem with an air stick (the long green type that looks like it's made of foam). Very few bubbles were coming out from it. I just changes it for a different kind (a plastic tube with holes in it). I guess I could have tried to make some holes with a needle. Maybe it's just that your air stone is not porous enough to let air out. Or that the tube is too long and the pump not powerful enough?

Anyhow, I think too that the HOB is enough. I have a 20gal with a HOB and didn't have an air stone for quite a while. The fish didn't seem to suffer.

HTH

 

[tyrel]

By "sending bubbles down" I mean that the water level is too high for the waterall to make bubbles. It justs ripples the water. (Id rather avoid the air pump for now. It might make for a risky electrical situation.)