Setting Up Air Pump

Hey all, I wasn't sure where to post this question, so if it needs to be moved feel free to move it to the correct location. Anyways I am working on setting up a 5.5 gallon betta tank and need some help setting the air pump up. I have the air pump, tubing, check valve, air control, and sponge filter. I have never used a pump before and I trying to figure out how to set the pump up correctly. Right now I have the air pump sitting behind the tank, and am trying to figure out the order that the air control and check valve go on and where they should be placed in the tubing. Thank you all in advance for the help.

 

I have an airstone for my 10 gallon tank. I put mine in the following order:

Air Pump - Air Control Knob - Check Valve - Airstone

 

Check valve as close to the tank as possible I place them

 

Check valve as close to the tank as possible I place them

Yeah I would say there is only about 6 inches between my air pump and check valve.

 

Thanks for the information guys. So place the check valve just outside the tank near the lid? Then how far back from the check valve and pump should the air control knob be placed or does it really matter? I am also at a lost of where the place the heater since normally I place it near the filter intake tube. I have thought about placing it directly behind the sponge filter or placing it on the opposite side of the tank. Here are a couple pictures of my ideas.

 

I would make sure the check valve is not extremely close to the lid. I would put it even closer to the pump itself. I say this because if the check valve is actually in contact with the tank then it might make a rattling noise since the pump causes the whole line to vibrate. When it comes to the check valve... yeah, it's up to you so long as it's between the pump and valve. I would choose a spot that is easiest for you to access.

 

One uses a check valve to keep water from being drawn into the air pump if you lose electricity. I have always put the check valve about 6 inches from the pump. On some of my tanks I run more than one sponge filter and/or air stone so I put a short length of tubing on the other side of the check valve and attach a splitter on the end of the tubing I have attached to the check valve. I then attach a length of tubing long enough to reach close to the top of the tank to each side of the splitter. I put the control valves on the other end of this length of tubing. All that is left to do is attaching a length of tubing long enough to go from the control valve to the sponge filter or air stone to the other side of the control valve.

If you are only going to run one filter or air stone the splitter isn't necessary and you can run one piece of tubing from check valve to control valve. I like to run a piece of tubing long enough to put the control valve at the top of the tank and within easy reach.

Be sure the check valve is placed so air will travel to the tank. You can check it by blowing through it. You will be able to blow through it from one end but not the other. If put in backwards air can't travel through it.

Hopefully this was clearer than a cloudy tank

 

Thank you all for the suggestions. I ended up placing the check valve near the top of the tank to where it isn't touching anything. Then I placed the air control knob about 10 inches before the check valve. I ended up moving the air pump to the floor since it was to loud when placed on my nightstand behind the tank. It is a lot quieter now that it is placed on the floor. I also decided to place the heater behind the sponge filter. Now to start cleaning the sand and looking for plants and a light to buy.