How to Use an Air Stone

Oxygen is essential for life. Air stones prevent dead spots in an aquarium by creating water movement in an aquarium, which carries oxygen rich water from the surface to the bottom of the tank. Oxygen-depleted water also is brought from the bottom to the surface, where it takes on oxygen once again. Air stones can also be used in conjunction with air-driven under gravel stems and air-driven protein skimmers.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium
  • Standard air stone, 1-inch long and 0.5-inch diameter
  • 0.75-inch diameter air tubing
  • Vibrator pump
  • Plastic clamp
  • Wooden air stone or diffuser (marine aquarium)
  • Protein skimmer (marine aquarium)
  • 0.75-inch diameter air tubing (marine aquarium)
  • Small bowel (marine aquarium)
  • Under gravel filter (optional)
  • 0.75-inch diameter air tubing (optional)
  • Vibrator pump (optional)
  • Suction cups
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Instructions

    • 1

      Push one end of a 0.75-inch diameter air line over the nipple of an air stone and place the air stone into the aquarium. Hide the air stone behind a piece of driftwood or rock, if you prefer not to see it. The air stone also can be placed inside an aquarium ornament.

    • 2

      Attach the free end of the air line to a vibrator pump. Place the pump higher than the aquarium water level to prevent water siphoning back into the pump during a power outage. Turn on the pump.

    • 3

      Place a plastic aquarium clamp onto the air line and tighten it to the level you prefer to reduce the amount of bubbles. Do not let the bubbles rise so powerfully that they push water out of the aquarium.

    • 4

      Place a 0.75-inch diameter piece of air tubing over the nipple of a standard air stone. Place it into the vertical raiser stem of an under gravel filter.

    • 5

      Attach the free end of the air line to a vibrator pump. Place the pump higher than the aquarium water level to prevent water siphoning back into the pump during a power outage. Turn on the pump.

    • 6

      Use a wooden air stone to operate an air-driven protein skimmer in marine aquariums.

    • 7

      Place one end of a 0.75-inch diameter piece of air tubing into a small bowl of boiling water for 30 seconds.

    • 8

      Remove the tube and push it over the nipple of a wooden air stone.

    • 9

      Place the wooden air stone into the cylindrical body of an air-driven protein skimmer and attach the skimmer to the inside glass pane of a salt water aquarium using adhesive suction cups.

    • 10

      Push the free end of the 0.75-inch diameter air tube onto the exhaust nipple of a vibrator pump. Place the pump higher than the aquarium water level to prevent water siphoning back into the pump during a power outage. Turn on the pump.