HagenKB

Air Stone Agitation

When I setup an airstone in my aquarium, I noticed that there was a considerable amount of water spray onto the overhead light. Is this a safety issue.

When I setup an airstone in my aquarium, I noticed that there was a considerable amount of water spray onto the overhead light. Is this a safety issue.
The best thing to do is move the air stone as far away from any light fixture as possible. Sometimes by using a valve and running a couple of airstones somewhat slower instead of a single one that is running full blast, the look of the aquarium might be enhanced and the amount of surface agitation will be more spread out but just as effective at allowing carbon dioxide to escape and oxygen to enter.

Although most light fixtures are quite watertight in normal cases, they are not made to be run submersed. Over time, powerful spray directed on the light fixture may cause the unit to become waterlogged and eventually soak electrical connections not meant to be operated wet. It is always best to run any airstone away from other operating systems such as lights, heaters and filters. Also, if the ends of a fluorescent tube are capped, ensure the cap is properly threaded and watertight as designed. If water is allowed to contact live electrical connections, serious problems can arise. Wherever possible, ensure that any spray is created as far away from any electrical connections as possible.

Back To Results