Air stones not working?

[beckie]

hey guys! i bought an undergravel filter for my chinese fire bellies. the problem is it's not working. the air stones arent bubbling. i did get it on clearance so the whole filter may be a little old...but i wouldnt think that would make the air stones stop working...any ideas? i've never used air stones before so it may just be my error, but i put it together just like the directions said...i have no idea...

 

[james]

A simple way to see if they work is to blow through them. If you can do so, they are fine.

You may find that your airpump is not powerful enough and cant build up enough pressure to blow the air to the airstone.

The pump may also be damaged. Usually the rubber 'lungs' perish or split, so air is not being pumped at all. These are usually easily replaceable and can be obtained from your pet shop.

 

[sharon]

HAH! good luck finding the repair kits these days! I used to repair my pumps on a regular basis now I just store them (never know!! might find a repair kit online! lol) and buy a new one!

But yeah, its one of those two options, underpowered or broken pump.

 

[jennifer]

Airstones can get clogged and need replacing every few months. You can use the UG filter without an airstone if you don't mind the bubbling noise.

I really like Rena pumps, as they are quiet, and the repair kits for them are still widely available.