Need help. How do i hold doen my airstones?

I love my revised setup but my airstones aren't staying on the bottom of the tank since I'm running a big pump and the airstones they kinda float around every which way. I need to hold them down. I was thinking of a real thick chain that I could lay over the top of them and that wouldn't impeed airflow. I was wondering if it would leach metals into the water and what kind I could get that would be safe to use? At WAL-MART I found one of zink and I think one that looks kind of brassy - I don't know whatit is made of?.

My tank: 6 gal w/drain.



My airpump: Sunleaves 35w950 gph:

I am running 6 - 4" airstones like this with a 6 way splitter:



I thought I could overlay a 5' chain like this to hold down the airstones:

WHAT MATERIAL IS SAFE TO USE?????
PLEASE POST! Other ideas welcomse as well.

i had this same problem after making my own DIYair stones what worked for me was putting a shish kabob stick in side the air hose simply take off the air stone stick one up the hose put back on the air stone and the stick will keep the air hose straight and down the only problem would be the stick being to long in which case u can just break off a piece kinda simple and cheap i had a pack of like 50 or some thing for 1.99 from the dollar store here's a link to the sticks if you don't know what im talking about http://www.preparedpantry.com/shish-kabob-barbecue-skewers-bamboo.aspx

oh and i wouldn't go with any chains in the water more then likely they will rust

Thanks for your reply. I wasnt to clear about my problem. I want to keep the airstones from floating around, not the air lines. That would be an idea for the tubes tho, but mine air really small, like for a small aquarium. I was hoping I could find a heavy enough chain, maybe like they use in salt water (boat chains) that wouldnt oxidize at least til my grow is done. I have used fishing weights in the past, but the stones still crawl on the bottom.

suggestions, please!!!!

I was having the same problem. I tried suction cups, liquid nails, pvc cement. And now I found that taking 1-2 oz fishing weights and string and tying one to each end. I have a 14 in airstone that i have one on each end and one in the middle. make sure you tie them kinda tight to the stone so it doesnt float hardly at all. laying a heavy chain will only block air bluubles from coming out of the stones. the more air the better. with the round air stones i tied string and weight around the hose valve then put the air hose on the nipple and on the other side I bent my string first then fished it thru one hole and out the other one. and with the long stones i tied my weight to the string then ran the string thru the gap in the stone at each end. stick them on the bottom and works like a charm and u have no air restriction. hope that helps. took me two weeks to figure that out lol

The simple solution is to buy airstones that themselves are heavy enough to stay down. This should be a criteria you look for when purchasing stones. Alternatively it's ok to use hot glue, or a bag of glass marbles. Metals may or may not be okay, some ppl use lead fishing weights and have no problems, but it doesn't seem prudent.

I have your same pump and these stones will stay down. I use two per bucket.

Do you have a brand name for those heave airstones? Sounds like the ticket. I have used lead weights in the past with no problems but with a 36w pump now, they walk around the bottom.

The brand escapes me but I have some coming in a few days so I'll report back. My local pet store has some but not at that price. They are just a triangular stone, no plastic parts, so heavier than the kind you get at walmart. The important effect you get from areation is the circulation of the water and the increased surface area from the bubbles. This is what puts oxygen into the water. So you see, although it is ideal to have some bubbles coming up through the root mass, there really isn't a problem if your air stone moves around a little and goes off to the side.

fill a film canister with quarters or weights and zip tie it to the hose,it worked for me,best bet go get the heavy stones from stealth hydro problem solved,and they cost about the same good luck!

I buy the fat cylinder air stones they stay down in water .. I know a couple guys that post on here that just used some fishing line and fishing weights to hold the air stones down.. If not look for a non toxic hot glue..

Heisenberg said:

The simple solution is to buy airstones that themselves are heavy enough to stay down. This should be a criteria you look for when purchasing stones. Alternatively it's ok to use hot glue, or a bag of glass marbles. Metals may or may not be okay, some ppl use lead fishing weights and have no problems, but it doesn't seem prudent.

I have your same pump and these stones will stay down. I use two per bucket.

Click to expand...

Yeah dude I run three of these air stones per 5 gallon cooler.. They work great !

http://www.oraclegardensupply.com/air-stone.html

Heisenberg said:

The brand escapes me but I have some coming in a few days so I'll report back. My local pet store has some but not at that price. They are just a triangular stone, no plastic parts, so heavier than the kind you get at walmart. The important effect you get from areation is the circulation of the water and the increased surface area from the bubbles. This is what puts oxygen into the water. So you see, although it is ideal to have some bubbles coming up through the root mass, there really isn't a problem if your air stone moves around a little and goes off to the side.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'd appreciate the brand name...

I'll check those out too!
thx

i used the fishing line but after reading meds post. zip ties woulda been alot easier. ill know next time if i need to do it if i dont get the heavier ones before then

BluBerry said:

i used the fishing line but after reading meds post. zip ties woulda been alot easier. ill know next time if i need to do it if i dont get the heavier ones before then

Click to expand...

Yeah Zip ties are easier as long as they are polyethylene they shouldn't harm your reservoir.

med4u said:

fill a film canister with quarters or weights and zip tie it to the hose,it worked for me,best bet go get the heavy stones from stealth hydro problem solved,and they cost about the same good luck!

Click to expand...

lol... I have 6 of those 4" round airstones I just bought from Stealth Hydro and all of them are floating upside down on the top of my res. The 950gph pump makes them rise like a hot air balloon.

I put in some older round air stones I had. Two are 8" dia and 2 are 5" diameter and they are much heavier than the new 4" ones I bought from Stealth Hydro and they do stay on the bottom. Went back to 4 fish stores, including Wal-Mart and couldn't find big round airstones. I still would like to get 2 more 8" ones....I'll keep searching..thx

HomeGrownHairy said:

Thanks for your reply. I wasnt to clear about my problem. I want to keep the airstones from floating around, not the air lines. That would be an idea for the tubes tho, but mine air really small, like for a small aquarium. I was hoping I could find a heavy enough chain, maybe like they use in salt water (boat chains) that wouldnt oxidize at least til my grow is done. I have used fishing weights in the past, but the stones still crawl on the bottom.

Click to expand...

yea i understand what your problem was the solution i gave will work to keep the air stones down not just the lines i guess you would have to do it to understand how it works but the guy that said suction cups that's a good one i didn't think of that u should be able to find a small one at a pet shop or some thing just hook your stone or line to it and problem solved

Hi - Did you ever get the brand name of those airstones OR an you tewll me where to get them. I have been to 3 pet/fish stores in the area and the biggest they have are 4" and they are pretty light. I found 3 - old 6" ones and they stay down okay. I just cant find them locally anymore.

You can use some stiff airline tubing, along with some zip ties.