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Thread: Which Air Line for bottom drain.
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21-01-2021, 11:37 AM #1
Which Air Line for bottom drain.
Hi all. I've just acquired an air stone lid to fit onto my standard 4" bottom drain as pictured below, I should have bought a aerated bottom drain to start with, but as the standard bottom drain is now fitted I don't want to rip it all out again so decided to buy this air stone and lid to convert it, It's second hand and will need a good clean before it goes into the pond when the time comes, and for £35 posted I couldn't refuse.
My question is, should I use Evolution aqua black weighted air line to go through the 4" from the drain or just use standard clear plastic air line. ATM I'm favouring the Evolution Aqua black weighted air line as it won't be able to raise in the pipe as the standard air line will. What's your thinking.
Atb, Steve.
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21-01-2021, 11:42 AM #2Freddyboy the legend
"we are water keepers first"
Johnathan
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21-01-2021, 11:53 AM #3
I'd personally look for unbranded airline rather than EA, as I'm sure you can get the same stuff off eBay for much cheaper.
I don't know how much the EA stuff is, but I got 5 meters of 8mm reinforced black pvc braided hose (off eBay) for £6.51. I use it for air stones in my bio filter and it does the job fine.
Ajm makes a good point. If its in your bottom drain pipe, you'll need to have the airline exit your bottom drain pipework before any ball valves.
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21-01-2021, 11:57 AM #4
There was a thread a few months back looking at different types of tubing have a search
Sent from my F5121 using TapatalkFreddyboy the legend
"we are water keepers first"
Johnathan
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21-01-2021, 12:00 PM #5
Yeah I realize that, that's why I was thinking off using the weighted air line, at least that should stay at the bottom. and I thought the standard air line will be floating all over the place and would catch more debris. I really don't want to dig out the bottom drain now everything is in, just thought this would be the best way out.
I thought about that already, I'll tap into the 4" below the ball valve with a waterproof connector and pull the air line through there, similar sort of threaded fitting like they use coming out of a water proof electrical box. Or just drill a hole, pull the air line through and seal it with Gold label pond seal.
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21-01-2021, 12:19 PM #6
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21-01-2021, 12:21 PM #7
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21-01-2021, 01:53 PM #8
Fair enough. The description on eBay says pvc, and says for air, oil, food etc ... which I'm guessing is ok if pvc pipe is.
Although eBay descriptions are not exactly reliable so understand why you want to read up on it.
In terms of your bottom drain pipe, where it comes up vertically, and I'm guessing then bends 90 degrees (to horizontal) to your filters via a ball valve, I know others have replaced the elbow with a T and then run some 4"pipe from the T vertically until just above the water level.
If you did this it would give you an access point for the airline to exit. Plus it means you can shove a brush/air stone/ hose down it to help clear any crud sat in the vertical section of the pipe. It would also make it much easier to remove the airline if you ever needed to in the future.
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21-01-2021, 03:35 PM #9
Yeah, ebay are not the most reliable for telling the truth lol. But If it's safe for food it should be safe for the fish.
The only thing is, my ball valve is on the vertical as there wasn't enough room to fit it horizontally in the filter bay due to the space between the vortex and the filter, otherwise I could change the elbow for a tee, hence the air pipe will need to come out below the ball valve on the vertical. But I might still change the elbow for a tee for cleaning as you say. Good food for thought there twns thanks mate.
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21-01-2021, 03:54 PM #10
No problem, just sharing stuff that I've learnt from others on here.
I had the same issue finding a suitable spot for the ball valve. They're so bloody big it is a nightmare trying to work out where they can fit in - where you can still access them - if you are tight for space - which I am on my set up.
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21-01-2021, 04:06 PM #11
I was just going to fit my votex and connect that to my 8 bay kockney koi filter and back to pond.
But now thinking of converting the 8 bay into static and moving bed filter from the vortex.
I've also fitted a skimmer which is now going to go to an eazy pod or something and then pumped to a shower.of some kind. Will it ever stop lol.
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21-01-2021, 04:51 PM #12Freddyboy the legend
"we are water keepers first"
Johnathan
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Steve's koi, Twhitenosugar Thanked / Liked this Post
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21-01-2021, 06:04 PM #13
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23-01-2021, 03:47 PM #14
I had a cowboy builder build my second pond and put the airline in the 4 inch pipe when I asked for an aerated drain do not not do that!
The airline traps so much crap its a joke.
In the end before my rebuild I got in my scuba gear and put in a 6mm airline using pond tape down the side and then along the bottom. Drilled two small holes in the bottom drain lid then cable tied on the airstone.
Was great for a few years until i rebuilt.
hope that helps
jim
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24-01-2021, 12:37 AM #15
Thanks for that Jim, I'm thinking of ripping out the bottom drain and starting again as the pond isn't built yet. Might just break away the concrete one side of the BD and fit an overflow connector into the BD and some overflow pipe and run it next to the 4" and run some 8mm airline through that back to the filter house. Last thing I need is the 4" collecting crap.
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25-01-2021, 02:45 PM #16
No worries happy to help.
If your pond is not yet filled etc. All I can say with hindsight experience is do everything right and get it spot on. There is nothing worse than everyday for several years looking at something that you don't like that could of easily been fixed having it been done correctly.
Might be all ball ache now but your long term wellbeing and mental health wont suffer !
all the best mate and good luck.
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25-01-2021, 03:01 PM #17
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26-01-2021, 01:35 PM #18
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The Daily pond temp thread
Yep , forecast snow here ! Hoping so more money to be made gritting lol Sent from my SM-S918B...