PVC Airline Tubing

PVC Airline Tubing, either sold by the metre or as a complete 100 metre roll (maximum continuous length - 30 metres)

• PVC - Tough material
• Flexible
• Fits straight onto Air pump outlets and Airstone inlets
• Excellent value-for-money
• Sold off the roll by the metre or a full roll of 100 metres
• 4mm inside diameter
• 6mm outside diameter

How to Use PVC Airline Tubing

With your air pump switched off, gently push the end of the PVC Airline Tubing onto your air pump outlet. Dipping the end into warm water for a few moments will help soften the pvc slightly to make the job easier. Never apply too much pressure to inlets or outlets when fitting airline tubing as this may cause them to break. Ensure that the airline has been pushed on far enough to create a good air-tight seal and that the air-line won't fall off.

Run the airline to where your airstone / venturi system will be. Try to make the run as short as possible because the longer the airline, the lower the pressure will be at the end. If you have a multi-outlet air pump, the length of the runs of airline from each outlet need to be the same. If the lengths of the runs of airline are different then the shorter runs will have a much higher pressure at the ends and the longer runs will have much less air pressure at the ends. It is generally wise to allow the airline to be a little slack so that there is a bit to play about with.

Carefully cut the end of the airline neatly with sharp scissors in the appropriate place. Push the end of the airline onto the inlet of your airstone or into the venturi system. Ensure that the airline has been pushed on far enough to create a good air-tight seal and that the air-line won't fall off. Again, dip the end of the airline into warm water for a few moments to make the job easier and to reduce the chance of damage to the airstone inlet.

"Back-siphoning" can occur if your air-pump is at a lower height than the highest water-line in your reservoir/system. The risk of this is greatest if the air pump is accidentally switched off or there is a power outage. If water back-siphons from your reservoir and into your air pump then it will almost certainly cause damage. For this reason, your air pump should be placed on a surface which is higher than the highest waterline in your reservoir system. We recommend putting a non-return / check valve into the airline to make doubly sure that back-siphoning cannot occur.

Once everything has been put in place, your air-pump can be switched back on.