Here are 7 easy methods to clean aquarium air stones at home. We have also added air stone types and required tools for this process.
How to Clean Air Stones for an Aquarium? Yes, You can clean air stone with boiling, bleaching, vinegar, simple water, and cleaning tablets. It takes 1 to 2 days to properly clean the air stones.
Air stones are used to dissolve oxygen or put air in fish tank water. It helps to enhance the water circulation in an aquarium. In this way, it moves all the debris, dirt from the top of the aquarium.
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How to Clean Air Stones for an Aquarium?
You should regularly maintain the air stones in your aquarium and clean them. Airstones helps to provide oxygen to the tank water and, they also use it to diffuse air. They look too beautiful and charming so, people use them for decoration. They create bubbles in the water from bottom to top.
Air stones in the aquarium help to circulate the entire water. They use to clear dirt, dead spots, and debris from the upper surface of the water. You must clean them after blocked up or when they get dirty. You can realize it when their functions distract.
Without air stones, your water seems undisturbed or not circulated. It produces bubbles and aids to oxygenate the water. The tiny bubbles look more beautiful. Fish also enjoy to see them.
Types of air stones for a fish tank
There are various types of air stones for a fish tank and, their cost and features differ from others.
Hygger air stone
These type of air stones are heavy and appears like they have good quality. They are thick enough that it is an unable push or move by invertebrates or fish. Immerse it in a tank and connect the air stone with its pump.
Keep it in your mind that you can not join it with another airline. When you switch it, it will create microbubbles and act very well. It helps to prevent the dirt and debris from accumulating in one place. Its flow volume is 1 L/min for 2″/5 cm dimension and flow volume is 3 L /min for 4″/ 10.2cm dimension.
Bubble diffuser air stone
They generate various bubbles stream, hence why people love them the most. They are heavy, so they can not move in the tank with a suction cup connection.
Before using, you should immerse it in water for some time to get enough air pump. Its flow time is 1.3 L /min, diameter tube is 0.16″ / 4mm, for dimension 4.5″ × 0.8″ × 0.5″/ 11.4 ×2 × 1.3cm.
Ceramic Air stones
It is also another good option that use to create impressive bubbles. They are sturdy and made nontoxic. They are flat and round. Ceramic aquarium air stone requires 2L jetting volume for 2 minutes and need 2 to 5W pump for good outcomes. Ceramic airstones are creating with high-quality material.
Disc air diffuser
They are best to use when you need wide stream bubbles. It generates tiny, small bubbles that help to oxygenate the water in the fish tank. It also increases the interest and movement in your tank. It requires three suction cups to place the stone.
It helps to produce a broader bubble stream. It also helps to decrease friction and graze. It needs 3/6 inch tubing and 4W for fitting. It is 4 1/2 inches extensive.
Classic air diffuser
It is old, ceramic, wood, or rock air stone. It has a hole in the center and a resonating connector that connects with air tubing. The natural hole creates a cascade of bubbles in an aquarium. These types of air stones are small in size, about an inch in length.
They are easy to connect and easy to find and replace because of the low cost. They are not durable. It is hard to wash or clean them. They look not too good but can be used for marine or nano fish tanks and manufacture with natural supplies.
They are come in limited size and require various pumps for a large aquarium. They do not look too beautiful or less attractive and take enough time for cleaning.
Bubble rods
Bubble rods are also called bubble wands and diffuser style aerators and have a rigid frame and create a good stream of bubbles. Bubble rods are mostly less costly than other air stones. They are upright for a large tank.
They place at the behind or back another scheme. It is not always an operative option. It is cheap and generates inconstant sized bubbles, and does not produce steady streams of microbubbles. They might be hard to clean and need a replacement for about 3 to 6 months per year.
Elastic bubble walls
They are best to use for a larger tank and whenever you want high-level efficacy for oxygenating the aquarium. They create with porous plastic similar to the hydroponic diffuser. It can create a stable stream of bubbles.
An elastic bubble diffuser allows you to place the tube around the scheme and make a bubble circle in the tank’s corner. They are best and durable that lasts longer than wood, stone, or natural stone. They are best to produce uniform microbubbles.
They have come with a flexible frame that gives protection as nd support to the bubble tube. You can also get it without a protected frame at a low cost because it depends on your budget. It is easy and humble to wash or clean. It is a must to replace it after six months per year.
Bubble streamers and ornaments
It is a good option when you focus or want just appearance and not performance. They look too beautiful and attractive. They are available in multiple themes and styles, such as the bubbling skull, rock, pirate chests, bubbling log, or flower.
They are unable to create a good stream of tiny bubbles and fail to oxygenate the water. They are expensive and can give you only beauty rather than functions. They are less efficient and generate a varied size of bubbles.
Easy Methods to clean air stones for an aquarium
Airstone cleaning will help to increase its life. It prevents to purchase of a new one when the stone loses its functionality. There are multiple methods to clean the air stone.
Rinsing out
The first and most informal method is to immerse the air stone in simple, clean, and freshwater. Uninstall the pipes and dip them in clean water. This process helps the water to reach internal parts to open the blockage.
Firstly rinse out the air stone with simple water and gently scrub it with a soft toothbrush to clean dirt or debris. Make sure not to use a rigid brush as it may damage or break easily. Let it for 10 minutes to dry totally.
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is another method you have to immerse the stone in hydrogen peroxide solution for the whole night. Rinse out or wash the stone in the morning thoroughly. Now let it dry completely.
Boiling
Boiling is also an easy method you, not require any substance or chemical and, it is free of cost method. You may need a saucepan only and place the stone carefully. Now boil the stone water for 10 minutes on low flame. The procedure helps to remove internal grease or gunk and disinfect the stone.
Bleaching
When you fail to clean with the earlier methods, then you should use bleaching. Bleaching can kill microorganisms, exists deep inside. You only need a small container and bleach. Take one one part bleach and 1/3 parts of water.
Mix them well, soak the stone for one day or 24 hours, or you can extend the time too. It depends on the airstone, how dirty it is. It is the most crucial step because bleaching needs thorough washing.
After soaking, rinse out finally to clean bleach traces or dirt remaining. When you entirely wash it from the solution, reinstall it with two pipes and attach it into more fresh or clean H2O.
Now run air stone for 5 minutes in the tank. It will assist dissolve any remaining buildup. After trial, remove it and left air stone for drying for at least one day.
Using vinegar to clean air stones
It is just like the bleaching process and works decently. It is abundant for cleaning calcium lime that clogging inside the stone. This will also prevent calcium build up in the fish tank.
You should take one part of the vinegar and 1/2 quantity of water, immerse it for 24 hours. Now rinse out the pump or stone carefully. It is the best, mainly where the water contains heavy mineral content.
Use cleaning tablets
You can find the cleaning tablets from drug stores. Take a few quantities of water in a bowl and several dentures. Mix them well until tablets get resolved fully, soak the stone in this water for the night.
Wash it with clean water and left it to dry. These cleaning tablets are a weak kind of sodium hypochlorite bleach. These tablets are more tranquil or convenient to utilize than liquid bleach.
Airstone cost
It differs from brand or brand or depends upon the quality, accessories, features, and power output. The expectancy cost is about 5 USD for air stone. They mostly sold in two or more bundles. Bubble rods are more costly nearby 15 USD.
Are air stones essential for the aquarium?
No, air stones are not always required in a fish tank. In cool temperature areas, there is enough oxygen in the water.
Your fish will be well here and can dissolve the oxygen into the water by moving. If you are living in a too-warm area, there is less oxygen in the water. You need to place air stone in the fish tank to provide oxygen and healthy life.
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