air curtains

[sheloudre]

My hubby and i both like the look of the 'air curtain' on the back of a few aquariums we've seen. Any ideas what company makes them, and if so, where would we get them from, name of product, etc? We live in a small town, so likely would have to go out-of-town, but what store carries them?

Also, would like any feedback on them, from others who've used them - either good or bad, so we can make the right choice.

We now have the following tanks:
20 gallon - 4 small fantails, 2 dwarf frogs, 2 whiptail plecos
18 gallon (i know, OS) - 5 tetras, 4 mollies, 4 swords, 3 guppies, pleco, 2 zebra danios - all get along right now
12 gallon - 2 feeder gf, 3 fantails
5 gallon - 4 feeder gf
2.5 gallon - 6 -1/2" white clouds

I do plan on getting another tank to separate some from the 18 gallon asap.
(And, yeah, i expect to hear the usual OS comments.)

Also, how do you feel about using second hand equipment? I clean all of it very well, prior to use, with AQ salt, and making sure it works. We do buy new filters and such though.

[Weezer]

Nice tanks, we have an 18" bubble stick running along the back, some people call that a curtain, is that what you ment.The fish swim back and forth quite often, it must feel good on there fins.....:)

[J double R]

i would be more concerned with the goldfish than the tropicals when it comes to OS.. those 'small' and 'feeder' fish are going to get BIG, and quickly.

but there are a number of different places you can go to find bubble wands,

Big Al's aquarium supply
thatfishplace.com
petsolutions.com
drsfosterandsmith.com


etc etc.. as well as your local LFS. theyre pretty standard and generic, and ive not had problems with any of them that stood out.

also, i prefer to buy my equipt new, tanks secondhand.. but that's a preference. i DO have a filter that was secondhand, as well as a couple hoods and lights and whatnot.. as long as it works and you clean it well, go for it!

[DarkSoul]

penn plaxx i think makes a bubble wand.... which i think is what your looking for.

[J double R]

nice looking setups btw! :)

[jptsr1]

dont know if this is the same thing you are talking about but before i got into cichlids i used to use a bubble wand connected to an air pump to give the effect of a wall of bubbles across the back of the tank. its just a long green tube (sometimes blue) that you connect to the end of an air hose instead of an air stone. it has suction cups if you want to stick it to the side of the tank but i used to just bury mine under the gravel along the back. they sell them at most fish stores or walmart. they are about $3 and sometimes come with the tubing to connect to your pump.

J.

[jptsr1]

wow, all those answers in the time it took me to type mine. guess i type 2 slow?

J.

[sheloudre]

Part of the reason we have so many gf, is that we are going to have a pond in the yard. In process of figuring out where, how big, etc. But ALL the gf will be going in it, once it's done. Then we can use tanks for other types, or babies :).

Perhaps it is the bubble wands being used as air curtains. Not sure. It was all pics we've seen, not actual tanks.

[didy]

My goldie tank has a mirror background and a buble wall across the back. Goldies love the extra air flow.

An air pump and wands can be purchased at general "stuff-mart" places and general pet stores. Easy to find. Make sure you get enoough tubing so that the pump can be places away from the tank. The tubing is cheap, and if the fish can feel the vibrations of the air pump, it can cause them stress.

[ashley_wv2005]

I love the bubble wands. I have one in all 3 of my tanks.. I got mine from Wal-Mart. it was only like $5.. :)

[J double R]

:topic:

welcome to AC ashley! :D

[ashley_wv2005]

Thank ya!

[Marinemom]

If you get an air wand attached to some airline tubing and using an air pump make sure that you use a check valve with it if the air pump is placed below the surface of the water such as inside the stand. If there is a power outage or loss of power in any way, the check valve will prevent the water from the tank backing up into the pump or worse siphoning the water out of the aquarium and on to the floor. That is the pitts!

Marinemom

[-KT-]

I love the bubble wands. I have one in all 3 of my tanks.. I got mine from Wal-Mart. it was only like $5.. :)
I saw them at walmart too, they had all different sizes.

[gmh]

petco has them for a few bucks depending on the length. A decent pump with two air outlets, one for each tank would run 10 to 15 bucks.
Would look cool with your tanks. I like the clean look, and no plants to complicate things.

[mee-mee]

We have 2 flexible bubble wands in the 80. And you can shape them to anything you want....bubble wands are awesome...we even have a little in our 29 gallon also...and the betta loves to swim through it...and our albino cory likes to sit on top of it most of the time...:)and we have a check valve on each pump air line, too...that is important to have just like marinemom said...
is this what you are talking about...an air curtain is just basically a bubble wand...just like everyone said...

http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/acatalog/HagenA995.jpg

[mellowvision]

they makem with built in led's too, if you want a glowing curtain.

[HYLA WALDRON]

Bubble wands at Walmart. You should seperate the goldfish and the tropicals. The tropicals need a heater and goldfish need cold water. They also create a lot of waste and need large tanks with really good filters. The pleco, if it is a common or gibby, will grow quickly if fed properly and will need at least a 75G in one year or less

[sheloudre]

Thanks for the help from everyone. We bought a air curtain (bubble wand) and have installed it in the one tank so far. Fish/frogs love it!

Eventually might put one in each tank, but waiting on that.

I know pleco will outgrow tank - neighbor has big pond for him once he outgrows tank. Goldfish are NOT in tanks with tropicals - sorry if there was confusion.

[Sammie7]

Where do you live? Pleco are tropical fish, and if you live in a place where it gets really cold in the winter, the pleco might not survive. Just a thought.

[Rbishop]

Nice tanks.

[jm1212]

very nice job on your tanks. keep up the good work!

[Marinemom]

Same here. I think the tanks look awesome.

Marinemom