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Couple of questions

I have an air pump that is intended to run two tubes. If I wanted to just run one, would I be damaging the pump if there is nothing hooked up to one side? Can I plug the end of the one side with something, like a piece of clay (I'd want it removable for possible future use).

Is the reptile hammocks flexiable enough to bend? I was looking at one at the store, but it was in a sealed package and I couldn't tell how much give it has. I thought if it does bend, it would make a neat set up for a Nepth. I vission using the hammock as a pot, by bending the edges in to a point, lining the whole thing with LFS and planting the Nepth inside, the suction cups on the hammock would be placed on the side of the tank. Any thoughts or ideas if it would work? Maybe to heavy, although my nepths are not very big.

Thanks for your thoughts
 
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Linda @ Oct. 24 2002,05:38)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I have an air pump that is intended to run two tubes.  If I wanted to just run one, would I be damaging the pump if there is nothing hooked up to one side?  Can I plug the end of the one side with something, like a piece of clay (I'd want it removable for possible future use).

Thanks for your thoughts[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
No, you don't have to plug two pipes in,and if you stuffed a second one into clay,you would make the air get forced back into the pump and would blow the pump up!(in a way backfire,but the air couldn't get back out)  j/k it wouln't blow it up, I hope, lol, but it would destroy it.and/or create enough pressure to pop a hole in the sec. tube.
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                                                       Hope I could help,
                                                              Spectabilis73
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Thanks Spec, I didn't think about the back pressure, that is a good thought.
 
Hi

Aquarium pumps like the one you are talking about won't explode if you block the hole. They can over heat though, and you'll definitely damage the diaphragm inside if the pressure is sustained too long. Each hole has its own mechanism which does not interfere with the other side.

What I used to do when I was only using one hole was to remove the diaphragm from the side I wasn't using. This would help keep the pump quieter. I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not though. It never seemed to harm ours, but there is a vibrating rod that attaches to each diaphragm, and I suppose the rod could become damaged if the diaphragm isn't there to take its power.

If you're curious about how it works, just unscrew the bottom and take a look. Please do this away from the aquarium (no hoses connected, no water in vicinity, unplugged) It's kind of neat how it works.

Take care!

Chris
 
Thanks for the thought Chris, I may just do that. I'm pretty good at taking things apart (only a few extra screws left over when I put them back together LOL).
 
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