Caper Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Hi folks! What do you recommend for placing a bubble wand? They said at the store that I could place it under the gravel, can I? Since they have sent me in the wrong directions before, I wanted to check with you. Water change tonight...so would appreciate your help on this since I want to put it in tonight. Thanks I then submerged these under the gravel found this...so this would be for all kinds then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted July 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 ANYBODY...suggestions please...getting ready to do water change. Putting bubble wall in tropical tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 You can place some of them under the gravel, just under, not totally buried. How well they work depends on the power of the pump supplying the air. If you have somewhere in the tank you can put it without it being seen (behind a log or plants for instance) and without having to bury it, it will go better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faran Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Some bubblers are designed to go at gravel surface level (flat with lower edges wider to provide anchorage) or it could be designed to go on the substrate or even attached to the glass. Hard to tell unless we know more, but generally recommend not having it below or at substrate surface level as it causes a bit of stirring up of the waste and such that should be settling down. As Caryl says above, if you can find someplace to put it where it's above gravel level and still unseen, do that. Otherwise, try different things and see what you like. It's a preference thing, overall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted July 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Thanks Caryl and BlueandKim I've placed it under the gravel. But I may change it as you recommended Caryl so that it is just above the gravel. It's called a Penn Plex bubble wall. It has the suction cups. The air pump I've attached to it is the original one that I bought when I got my first tank (Hi-Grade Z Air Pump 503) which has 2 outlets. When I bought it (pet store), it was recommended but I found it too loud and strong for the 10 gallon so I bought one that was for a 10 gallon tank. But the wall doesn't look like I thought. Maybe the pump is too strong? Although, when I first turned it on it took awhile before the water started to come through. I don't know if you can see very good in the pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faran Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 As the wand is under the gravel the air is collecting into larger bubbles before getting enough floatation to break through the gravel. Try putting it above the gravel and you should get a wall of smaller bubbles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted July 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Thanks again Do you think the air pump could be too strong as well? Yes, I was hoping for a wall of smaller bubbles. I will move it but I'm going to wait till the next water change which maybe before next week since: I did my water changes tonight and my ammonia was .5 and nitrites were a tad over .1. I changed the water last week and tests were fine. The tank has been up and running since June 3rd so could this possibly been the ammonia spike that is part of the cycling process? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted July 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 Okay...pulled the plug on the bubble wand tonight. Soon as I shut it off...the fishies were everywhere. Is it possible it was too strong. I'm going to remove it from under the gravel & may try it just on the wall of the tank to see if I can get a smaller stream of bubbles. I still don't know if the pump was too big for it either...may try a smaller one...I only want a wall of tiny bubbles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkeymaster Posted July 16, 2005 Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 the pump shouldn't of been too strong but do try lifting the wand to just above the gravel and you should get more but smaller bubbles, iv got one of these bubble wall thingees in my HEX and it looks great and the bubbler is just above the gravel, as soon as i cover it up in gravel the bubbles become bigger and there is less of them. Hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted July 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 Thanks Clarkeymaster That's all I ever want was a small wall of bubbles not BIG ones. Do you have a pic of yours? Since I've turned it off...fishies are more "all" over the tank...so to speak. If I can get the look I'm trying to get and the fish seem okay with it...after all it is there home :lol: I'll keep it or else it will be gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretal Posted July 16, 2005 Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 I put a bubble wall in my octagonal tank, but think the air thingy is too strong for it, as it seems quite loud lol. Or maybe I just bought a noisy one? Tho I also have the same sort on one of my under gravel filters and it isnt as loud? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted July 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 Hi Gretal I don't know if you read previous thread on this...so sorry if repeat. This pump was the original air pump I bought. At the time, I had it for my 10 gallon. Really noisey...but it had 2 outlets, so I put a piece of hose on the 1 that wasn't going to the tank and it did cut down on the noise somewhat. There was nothing on it or the box to indicate if it was for a particular size tank or not and the lady at pet store said it would be fine. In my opinion it was just too powerful for my tank. So, I bought a pump that was for a 10 gallon. Where I have it, you can hardly hear it at all and that's only if your right next to it. I used the all blue background on the 29 gallon tank. So, I thought the bubble wall would just take the "plain" away, plus I want a little extra water movement at top of tank, the key word here is LITTLE not create the "perfect storm"! Do you have a pic of your bubble wall Gretal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 Have you tried putting a valve on it? There are a few types available, from a screw type to a simple tap. They allow you adjust the pressure going to your bubble wall and should sort out any presure problems. They are available in 1, 2, 3 or more outlets so you can run several things off one pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretal Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 I don't have a photo at the moment but I'll go take a photo soon It's a 2 outlet pump, and I have one of these on another tank of similar size and its fine. But this tank it makes a racket. I did have to cut the bubble wall stick thing shorter than it was originally, because it was too long to go straight across a pane of my octagonal tank (and also because my partner interfered and cracked it lol, so I had to cut the cracked piece off) I might try buying another bubble wall and seeing if that helps. I did try putting another hose on one of the outlets to try to cut down pressure but it sounded the same. At the moment I have 2 pieces of hose connected to the outlets, then a connector to make them into one hose which is attached to the bubble wall. I tried using my very weak one outlet pump, but that didnt have enough power to work the bubble wall. (well, only half of it had bubbles and they were pretty pathetic.) I've used the knob on the side of the pump to turn the power right down, but it doesnt help at all. There were two black rubber ......um..... 'things' lol in with the pump but I have no idea what they are or what they are for. I'll try to get a photo of everything and see if I can show you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretal Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 Bubble walls are hard to take photo's of! Even though it looks like it should in real life, in the photos it just looks like scratched glass lol Okay, trying this for the first time so please be patient Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretal Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 Woohoo it worked! I'm not so blonde after all :lol: And now for the rubber bungy things: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misnoma Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 I have one of those rubber bungy things too... so I'm also interested to know what it's for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 mis they go inside your air pump have i missed something? ant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shilo Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 Diaphragms. The motor in the pump pulls them in and out to produce the air flow. These wear out over time thus the ones you have will be spares. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 If you have an air pump that is noisier than it used to be - check the diaphragms . Bound to have a split in them somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misnoma Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 Ah cool, I was wondering if it was a spare for something shall put it somewhere safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 arrrrgh yea might be a good idea misnoma Ant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 Remember where you put them misnomer as they can be expensive to replace. Sometimes cheaper to buy a new pump instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted July 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 Can't see you pics Gretal...I've clicked on the red x & show picture but it wouldn't work...any ideas how I can see them??? Okay...previous thread here shows the bubble wall when I had it placed under gravel...now on wall above gravel: That is what I was looking for tiny bubbles...big difference from when it was under gravel. Now just have to wait and see if fishies like it, although, I think the sailfin mollie likes it he swims through it so I'm guessing he's okay with it...what do you think? Thanks for the help on this folks! Dolorosa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faran Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 Hey, looking great! Your other fish will get used to it soon enough. I have a 36" bubble wand for our AR980 that I plan on using someday. Glad you finally got the desired effect from it, and I think it really does liven up the back of a tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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