# Emergency airstone lifespan?



## mclaren880 (May 20, 2012)

I'm looking to get an emergency system set up on my tanks, and i'd like to run the battery powered pump to some airstones in the tank. I don't use airstones normally so i don't know much about them. My concern is that if we don't get a power outage for several months, when we do get one the airstones won't be running smoothly when the power goes out because they've been sitting in the water for so long. We're entering the windy season so i probably need to get one set up here, but i don't want to find out that while i was away they didn't do anything.

I can't really count on knowing when the power will go out. Colorado gets likes 3 months of off and on heavy winds in the spring, so it's not something i really want to be keeping up on.

Has anyone tried this? any suggestions? Or am I worrying about nothing and the airstones will be fine sitting in the water for several months? How long can they go before they need a cleaning? I do have a little sponge filter i could as well, but it's not the most attractive thing...

Thanks!


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

Not quite sure but just don't leave the airstones in the water?


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## mclaren880 (May 20, 2012)

Yeah ideally i'd like to leave them in, as i may not be home when the power goes out.


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

But who will turn on the air pump?


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## mclaren880 (May 20, 2012)

I have an air pump that plugs into the wall, and when the power goes out it automatically turns on.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

If your just gone for the day while at work i wouldn't worry about the air issue much. I'd be more worried about heat. You'd be surprised how much oxygen is in the water. Where i live we have our winters as well for sure, and living on the beach winds knock power out a lot, hasn't happened yet thankfully, but a generator is always to have around for tank emergency's, or a cheap used battery power unit for computers.

There are some air pump units like the Silent Air B11 that will turn on when theres a AC power interruption.


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## mclaren880 (May 20, 2012)

CrypticLifeStyle said:


> If your just gone for the day while at work i wouldn't worry about the air issue much. I'd be more worried about heat. You'd be surprised how much oxygen is in the water. Where i live we have our winters as well for sure, and living on the beach winds knock power out a lot, hasn't happened yet thankfully, but a generator is always to have around for tank emergency's, or a cheap used battery power unit for computers.
> 
> There are some air pump units like the Silent Air B11 that will turn on when theres a AC power interruption.


Yeah I have the B11, although I suppose silent is a subjective term Haha. My tanks are heavily stocked I'd why I worry. Do those batter backups last a reasonable amount of time? I've heard even the pricey ones last at most a few hours.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

I have a generator so not sure what the battery life is like on that pump, just read about them. If your curious cut the ac power to one, and see how long it lasts, and report haha. Depending how long that is, you can grab a 4 pack of eneloop battery's with charger for around $25 via amazon i believe, and grab a cheap inverter to plug it into a car plug to recharge them, and get a secondary pair to rotate between charges, and use.


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## mclaren880 (May 20, 2012)

They list the pump at 40 hours and Amazon reviews back that up. It's the actualbair stone I'm wondering about. Sounds like trial and error is my best bet here.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

The airstone dosn't come with it right? I think as long as the airstone of choice isn't of the corkwood variety, dosn't do a fine mist of bubbles, but large bubbles you'll be ok. Fine mist of bubbles can actually cause a health condition which i forget, and wont agitate the surface as much as larger bubbles. When i used bubble wands many years ago i would poke a line of big holes down them for big bubbles, and since it's easier for the air to escape that way, you don't get the fine mist, and the material used for them is easier to work with then hard packed stones. You can always run it without a stone, just be sure to put a check valve somewhere down the line to be safe either way. My brother had a instance where the power went off while he was at work, and the water siphoned back on his 75g, and half the tank water was on his floor by the time he got home lol.


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## Ronzo (Sep 8, 2013)

Fearing a siphon disaster also, I did install a check-valve in my airline...but it acted like a reed on a clarinet and continuously howled like a banshee!...unacceptable!...I wound up removing the valve because of this, but still wanted to avoid a possible siphon disaster...after thinking about it for a while, I figured that it couldn't siphon it the pump was _above _the water level...

...one of my favorite natural resources (coat-hanger wire) to the rescue!...I bent up a support which hangs off the back upper edge of the tank, and located the airpump up there...a HOB airpump if you will!...I figure relocating pump like this will prevent a siphon situation...as an added advantage, raising it off the floor also means airpump has to work a little less hard, because it is not pumping against a three foot head (up from the floor to bottom of 55g tank), but a two foot head (depth of tank only)...final advantage is that relocating pump like this decreases under tank clutter...I have an open stand (I'll see if I can post a pic), so very limited hiding places for equipment. All equipment must be located behind tank for a clean look...the only thing visible below is the power strip...I should make that go away too, but it has the switch for the filter power which needs to be easily accessible at maintenance time...










Cheers from Connecticut!


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## mclaren880 (May 20, 2012)

Looks awesome! Do you have any of those plants growing out of the tank? I actually planted some pothos in a refugium filled with gravel tonight.


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## Ronzo (Sep 8, 2013)

Thanks for the compliment...I need to post some better pix...when the fishies are out and about, and not hiding because the big, bad monster (me!) is standing in front of tank.

No plants are growing out of tank...yet, but all houseplants get watered with tank water...this gives a mini WC every 3-4 days, in between major changes...plants are only draped over tank at this time to visually blur the distinction of inside and outside of tank (and rather unite the two for a "living corner of the room" effect), but my long-term plan is to use either pothos or spider plant roots in a hob filter/refugium for nitrate removal much like you...please let us know how your setup works...I'd be very interested in your technique and result!

Cheers from Connecticut!


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## mclaren880 (May 20, 2012)

will do! I'll update in a month or so.


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## iridextr (Feb 8, 2013)

I'm spoiled and I got some battery backup surge protectors from my work for free  when my power went out this winter, I went 13 hours with that batter backup for two heaters (turned down to 75) and my air pump. These are by far the safest way to go, they're not cheap though.. So what happens is the power goes out and the other pieces (filter, lights, powerhead etc) shut off, mine is set up so the heaters and air pump stay on. Worked great! I have the second backup set up for my reef tank, keeps the powerhead and heater on.


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