Airstone under filter pump inlet?

[Joshi83]

Hey everyone,
I'm looking at getting an air pump for my little (by comparison to you guys) pond.
Most likely one with multiple outlets so I can have a large ring style in the middle of the body of water (for decoration and air supply) and I was thinking it would be a good idea to feed some oxygen to the biofilter, but short of pulling all the media out of it to put a stone at the base, could I put a stone under the pump that feeds the filter?
Would the oxygen bubbles cause any damage to the pump? Would the oxygen even go through the connecting pipes? (gravity fed filter, I think this is my downfall).

What are your thoughts?

 

[addy1]

Hey everyone,
I'm looking at getting an air pump for my little (by comparison to you guys) pond.
Most likely one with multiple outlets so I can have a large ring style in the middle of the body of water (for decoration and air supply) and I was thinking it would be a good idea to feed some oxygen to the biofilter, but short of pulling all the media out of it to put a stone at the base, could I put a stone under the pump that feeds the filter?
Would the oxygen bubbles cause any damage to the pump? Would the oxygen even go through the connecting pipes? (gravity fed filter, I think this is my downfall).

What are your thoughts?

I put an airstone near my pump with the air that got sucked up into the leaf basket it was like having an air leak, the basket started filling with air displacing the water. so I just have the air going into the pond via a air stone.


i have one similar to this one, it works great.
http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item27bc4d74e3

 

[fishin4cars]

I would think that could be a little risky to have the pump sucking up the air bubbles. exspecailly if the pump is submersible and on the small side. This might cause a air lock and casue the pump to freeze up. I doubt it but it is possible, In the bio-filter would work but you'll want to do this when your already cleaning the filter media. As long as you have the air stones in the water and are increasing the dissolved oxygen overall in the water you'll greatly benefit the bio- even if the bubbles are only in the pond itself.

 

[koiguy1969]

you could always venturi the input to the filter if its a gravity return filter. like one of our upflow designs inthe diy section.
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/topic/6797-diy-simple-venturi-t-style/

 

[sissy]

In my filter I just put the air line in there no airstone just the hose.I just loosely tied it to a small piece of pvc pipe and it holds it down .

 

[addy1]

I would think that could be a little risky to have the pump sucking up the air bubbles. exspecailly if the pump is submersible and on the small side. This might cause a air lock and casue the pump to freeze up. I doubt it but it is possible, In the bio-filter would work but you'll want to do this when your already cleaning the filter media. As long as you have the air stones in the water and are increasing the dissolved oxygen overall in the water you'll greatly benefit the bio- even if the bubbles are only in the pond itself.

My pump is external and it bothered me that the leaf basket was slowly becoming air instead of water.........decided that was a bad idea.

 

[Joshi83]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
Will skip on putting a stone under the pump, as fishin suggested, airlock is a bad thing!

I looked into the Venturi but I don't think my pump will have enough power to suck in the air.

might have to bite the bullet and plumb a air pipe down into the filter for added benefit.

Thanks everyone!

 

[HQJohn]

Hope this help..

 

[addy1]

That would work, but would not want to use that much electricity, but it sure moves the water, maybe a smaller pump would do a decent job also

 

[HQJohn]

Take a look at his diy 5 in 1 pond filter..

 

[addy1]

Pretty creative person!

 

[jagan314]

I was thinking about this.. as I have my air stone near but not too near the intake to my biomechanical filter.
I think the freshly OXYGENATED water that is made via the airstone is what is good for the beneficial bacteria in your filter.
(am I following you?) I don't think its necessary to actually put AIR into your filter... correct me if I'm wrong. I don't have the same filtering device.
Initially I thought I could aerate the inside of the filter.. to benefit the bacteria... but that would affect the suction into my filter via my pump.

So my air stone is near, but not bubbling into the intake valve. I use it to create an oxygenated current from the bottom of the deepest part of the pond on up.. It keeps the water moving and reduces "dead" spots (areas of no oxygen) in the pond... (though at 4000g, I don't think my pond is big enough to have dead spots.)

 

[DrDave]

I have never used an airstone in my ponds. I do have cascading waterfalls that oxygenate the water however. Putting one inside the Doc Bio Filter I think would disturb the vortex that traps the nasty stuff the filter removes from the pond.

 

[fishin4cars]

I have a airstone in the bio-filter of the filter falls, but i's not run through the pump, i also have one in front of the skimmer to increase oxygen but primarily to keep food from being sucked into the skimmer. airflow into a filter will increase bacteria growth, but as in daves case ( Or even my filter on the stock pond) I don't think if t would benefit teh overall effectivness if them due to the vortex being such a vital part of the filter. In that pond I have a small mushroom fountain and the oytflow of the filter so there is still pretty good oxygen exchange going on, and that pond is really pretty low stocked anyway.

 

[Joshi83]

Wow HQjohn, I think your filter holds more water than my entire pond volume!!

And Jagan, I believe your right, I think I'm over thinking the oxygen.
Iv got a smooth flow water fall into the pond now, I just have no idea if it's enough oxygen being created for the pond (200gal)
The pump for the filter has a low volume second output which is slowly swirling the whole pond, so hopefully the oxygen created is making it to the filter...