"G Pearce" wrote in message
...

I would think that would make it hard to check if the stone is getting
clogged, causing backpressure on the pump. Here the water is so hard the
airstones clog and must be replaced regularly.

Hi Carol - what is 'regularly' ?

They can clog here, when outdoors, in a month. Minerals and I assume,
algae. Indoors they last a little longer, maybe 2 months. I wish I could
find real coarse ones. I'm sure they'd be less likely to clog, but all the
stores here carry the same ones.

- mine only runs for 3 - 4 months, without
a problem - I have used the same airstone for up to 4 yrs, after I soak it
in bleach to kill the algae, then rinse it thoroughly for next year - if
it will make a whole winter, maybe CLR ?,

I have a similar product called Lime-Away but was afraid it may not rinse
out completely. Have you ever tried one of those products on airstones? I
do use it on the hoods and filters. May I'll give it a try since I'm going
through a lot of airstones. I always have several running in the aquariums
in the house year 'round.

but at the cost of an airstone, you
only lose 1/2" of airline when you cut the stone off - I am still using
the same airline from 10 yrs ago and have cut 5 or 6 'stones ' off it
Gale :~)

I don't have a problem with my airstones falling off the airline and I have
a bunch of them running in the tubs and pools behind the house in winter.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Zone 6. USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö