Realistic aerator

[Hebily]

I've currently got a bubble curtain along the back wall of my aquarium, and while I kind of like that, I'm thinking about a change. I would like some form of aeration that looks realistic. I can not think of anything that could actually make that happen. Does anybody have any input? What could I do for aeration that could actually seem natural?

[Sploke]

Well, think about how it works in nature. The only time air bubbles are forcefully introduced into a watercourse, is usually either from some very fast turbulent water, or water falling into a pool or something. If you have a return pump or canister and raise the return a little bit above the surface, you should get that stream of water falling into the tank and that should bring in some air along with it.

[bazil323]

Ditto. Really all you need for good aeration is good surface movement. Those bubble curtains and such really don't do a whole lot for oxygen exchange as the bubbles are too large to really do much. But they do look cool.

[chefjamesscott]

you could cut a hole in the bottom of the tank then rig up a blender motor but make sure to cover it with a screen and you have a whirlpool look JUST KIDDING

actually the waterfall idead is best for natural , or a powerhead rigged to hose to blow just below the surface

[Hebily]

Yeah... I like the bubbles... I'm just trying to come up with a source that seems realistic... I guess what I'm going for isn't so much natural, as believably(sp?) natural... I've kinda come up with some basic ideas.... I'm thinking if I can find the right piece of driftwood, I could hollow it out, and make a pleco cave, and have airstones in holes in the top.... or maybe like a little volcano thing made out of clay pot covered in gravel... ok, so maybe I'm not even going for believably natural... just something that doesn't stand out and go "hi, I'm here to be a bubbler"....

So, let me rephrase my question... I'm looking for a bubbler that is unique, and that at first, without thought, seems like it might actually be something that you could find on the bottom of a lake, and that would produce bubbles.... also, a cave aspect of the same ornament would be good... any ideas?

[Sounguru]

I would use a valve that allows bubbles to escape into some kind of catch basin (upside down pill bottle with a notch in one side to control where the bubbles come from comes to mind.) at a slow rate. Then once the basin is full it would release one or 2 bubbles at a time. This would give you the effect you see when you have gas pockets build up in the lake or river bottom and it escapes. If you place 3 or 4 of these hidden among the decor then it would look like a real effect.

The other option is to use potting soil under sand as a substrate it produces it's own gas bubbles as it decays....:evil_lol:

[Ajordan]

I'm not sure what sort of look you are going for but you could do some steel looking mini pipe and make it look like a gas main break. That isn't natural but it isn't a bubble wand.

The other thing I was thinking was the driftwood thing. Get a drill and an airstone and get creative. Going on what you said I'd put holes lower so you can run the tube under gravel and hide the stones themselves. Even putting a airline with no stone on the end under some wood could create some neat effects of bubbles cascading upward.

[Hebily]

Yeah... i'm thinking the driftwood thing more, and more... but I just got a cool new idea, although I've never seen anything like it... a gargoyle, that bubbles come out of it's nose...

[BreezeRuehls]

You can always get the bendable bubble tubes, cover parts of the flexible bubble releasing parts in a resin, or like the stuff that you use to seal the tanks with. This way once it is buried in the sand-gravel, you have random spots of bubbles, not a wall. And also since it is flexible, they wont be along a straight line, Tel me what you think.

[Hebily]

I like the idea of random spots that have bubbles, but if I did something like that, I would want to somehow make them be larger, more randomly timed bubbles...

I need a bubble capacitor....

[Hebily]

I think my favorites, so far, are the gargoyle, or the stump... but if I could find a way to make it have apparently random, large bubbles, eminating from various places in the substrate with no visible source, and no noticeable pattern to timing, that would be awesome! I'm afraid I can't make that work, though...:confused:

[McLendon]

Having done some lake diving .they do bubble up from the bottom as the rotting matter in the mud out gases.the shape of the bubbles off a wand are to perfect,next the timing from bubble wand is all wrong.you can almost set your watch with real gas bubbles.but the bubble rate changes a lot from one bubble hole to the next. Ok I have spent way to much watchinh them and trying to do the same thing in my tank

[Slappy*McFish]

Back in the day when I used to use airstones, I normally just placed the airstones under flat rocks(slightly angled) and let the bubbles 'roll' out from under the rocks.

[SMinNC]

Using breezes idea. You could get some suction cups for some plain ol air hose. drill/cut some random holes in the hose. Use the suction cups to hold it to the bottom of the tank(under the gravel), while zig zagging alll around. And of course you could use 2 or 3 or 10 different hoses. : )

[BreezeRuehls]

Place rocks over the places you want bubbles, it will cause the little ones to combine into big ones. You can also use heavy duty plastic wrap over the open parts, burry it under you gravel, and it will cause biggest bubbles like the rock do. ALSO, you can use a air pump meant for a way smaller tank, it will cause less of a bubble frenzy, and be easier to control the placement and force your getting.




I like the idea of random spots that have bubbles, but if I did something like that, I would want to somehow make them be larger, more randomly timed bubbles...

I need a bubble capacitor....

[red_wall]

Buy some slabs of slate looking material, stack them, make an opening in the middle, and let the bubbles pour out through the opening. Kinda like a slate-cano.

[shwank005]

Spreading out the bubbles helps a lot, I have 6 airstones in my tank. The only problem for me is keeping the darn airhoses hidden.

[Hebily]

I'm thinking I'm either going to go with a big rock, and make a volcano... or try the airstone under flat rock/plastic wrap thing.... I've been thinking of switching to a sand substrate (which I've never used before), how would bubbles act coming up through the sand?

[Hebily]

I want to see one IRL, but I think I found a volcano ornament that will actually look good! Ario Deco Lighted Volcano any one have one of these?http://www.petdiscounters.com/Ario-Deco-Lighted-Volcano-Ornaments-p8105.html

[paperdragon]

Why not get a texas holey rock and stick an airline in one of the holes?

[Hebily]

If I can find the right piece of rock, that would work....

[Hebily]

oooh... If I could do a large lava rock, with an air stone in/under it, that might work! be like it's still bubbling..... :headbang2:

[red_wall]

I've been thinking of switching to a sand substrate (which I've never used before), how would bubbles act coming up through the sand?[/quote]

Eh, I don't think I'd recommend under the sand.

1. Itt'l probably disturb the sand a lot
2. Even if it doesn't disturb it to where it's in the water column, Itt'l make it to where there's a spot with no sand above the bubble-maker, thus removing all purposes for hiding it under the sand.

[Hebily]

I was wondering about that... thanks for the info...