How to culture without Ridgid air line?

[twintrades]

I cannot seem to find any around me anymore. And i threw mine out for some strange reason ...... So is there a way to Culture Nanno and Tetra with out using the clear ridgid tubing. Anyone find a way to use anything from homedepot or manards ?

I need to get some rolling. Going to get some copapods going and rots. Hoping my clownfish rack gets my pairs spawning soon!

[shorty]

I read someone on a forum mention using balloon 'straws' from a party store. The ones that you tie to balloons for kids to hold. I've never tried it or looked for them, but you might take a look.

[Luis A M]

I use bobine insemination pipettes.You can also tie your airline with cable ties to any rigid rod,like plastic kneeting needles Use your ingenuity.

[twintrades]

Hmm...... But i liked being able to serlilize my tubes... Oh well unless i buy over ebay im gonna have to try somthing. I cant belive Fosterandsmith dosnt carry them !

[shorty]

I got mine from kensfish. they are better pricing than fosterandsmith on most items as well. free shipping, however, is 75 instead of 50 at f&s. Why can't you still sterilize your tubes using either alternative method previously posted?

[Amie]

I got really tired of cleaning the rigid airline hose, so I started using regular drinking straws, the ones that have that accordian-type bend on one end. Since the straws don't quite fit around, or inside, the tubing, I use 1/4" barbed connectors from drip irrigation sprinkler system to connect the straws to the tubing It works great...I'll never go back to the rigid airline.

[twintrades]

Well ill have to try that Amie! Thanks for the tip. And Shorty i tossed all mine 2 yrs ago and dont have any! But i found a whole one in the basment so ill use that after i sterilize ! Yay!

I just set up my Breeding rack now. Testing it out with a pair of sanjays i just got. Then ill be moving everyone into there tanks after i am happy with the way it runs. Cant wait to get some floor space back. And to be able to use my desk thats in there. LOL (its my workstation for the fish)

[shorty]

I got really tired of cleaning the rigid airline hose, so I started using regular drinking straws, the ones that have that accordian-type bend on one end. Since the straws don't quite fit around, or inside, the tubing, I use 1/4" barbed connectors from drip irrigation sprinkler system to connect the straws to the tubing It works great...I'll never go back to the rigid airline.

What was your method for cleaning the tubing? I'm curious, because I'm only just starting to get into culturing. So far, I am using rigid airline, and when I acid wash my bottles, I attach a foot or two of regular airline, and carefully suck up the acid wash through the rigid tubing then blow it back out several times. I do the same thing when I rinse with water afterwards. It's not been too difficult, but I also don't know how much bacteria I may be introducing by using my mouth...

[twintrades]

Acid wash ??? I just used bleach. 5 gallon bucket with a couple caps full. Soak for a bit. THen take them out rinse with rodi. Air dry. Bottles are soaked and rinsed. Then Dechlorinated with rodi and what ever dechlorinator i have. Then Air dry with the Air pump. I set it up like normal and turn the air on. with the caps loose. Takes only a couple min to do it all.

But with straws Just tossem ! LOL

[Amie]

I've never used anything but bleach.

[shorty]

My methods are far from proven. It's only what I've gathered from my research and tried so far... I'm only getting started, and have split my TET strain once so far, and still on my first batch of NANO. So, I won't comment much more on my methods until they are more tested.

[Luis A M]

I use bobine insemination pipettes.You can also tie your airline with cable ties to any rigid rod,like plastic kneeting needles Use your ingenuity.

It´s weird that you don´t find them.I´ve seen different sizes of rigid airlines being sold at virtually every LFS in south FL
But they don´t exist here.Insemination pipettes are convenient and cheap,and they fit the airline tubing.But aren´t straws wider than that?