Lift Tube: Used as a source of water movement for under gravel filters and some other filters, such as sponge filters. Large bubbles are released in a tube about 1 inch wide. As they rush upwards, they pull the water in the tube up as well.
Lift tube - Mainly used with under gravel type filters. Bubbles are produced at the bottom of the tube and as the bubbles rush upward they act like a pump on the water pushing it up the tube thereby creating a recirculation flow of water.
An airlift tube attached to sponge with an air stone and airline attached. When air is pumped into uplift tube water is drawn through the sponge.
If you have an undergravel filter and it came with little carbon-filled chambers that attach to the top of the air lift tubes, throw them away.
air pump A pump which supplies air for lift tubes, skimmers, bubblers, etc. The most common type are diaphragm pumps, though cylinder pumps are available for large installations. algae Plant-like organisms which grow in water.
I origionally had four angels, about 4" tall- when I noticed that two of them continously spent their time cleaning an undergravel filter lift tube. The eggs were laid, fertilized, and we were off.
Air Pump - An electro-mechanical pump used to supply air to air stones, lift tubes, and decorations.
Place the lift tubes in their sockets. For most smaller tanks one lift tube will be plenty if you are using a power head to run the filter. If you are using an air pump to run the filter, you will probably need two.
Making the uplift tube:
Cut the PVC pipe into 8 inch lengths. On the bottom of the uplift tube drill a few holes to allow the entrance of water into the pipe from the sides. You can either drill holes or use a hacksaw to cut slits, either way is fine.
They typically attach to the ``lift tubes'' associated with UGF filters, pulling water through the lift tube.
Do not use air stones for the lift tubes, just plain bubbles will do fine and you won't have to worry about clogged air stones. Then put some pea sized gravel or river rock down, this you can get from a home depot type place.
What I did was to put a small undergravel filter plate with lift tubes under the gravel at one end of the aquarium only. In a long aquarium this plate typically covers about 1/4 or less of the tank bottom.
One style of sponge filter uses two sponges attached to one lift tube. These have the advantage that the sponges can be cleaned one at a time, reducing bacterial loss.
An air stone bubbles air through an air lift tube, which forces water through a bed of filter floss or other media. mechanically filtering the water. Colonies of bacteria build up on the media, providing excellent biological filtration.
The gravel in an aquarium is suspended above one or more plastic plates, which are equipped with "lift tubes" that extend vertically from the bottom to the water surface.
These are plastic boxes fitted with a perforated lid and a lift tube. The lift tube connects to an air hose, and the bubbles rise up the tube from the bottom of the box. Filtration media are packed around the lift tube, filling the box.
They replace the air stone at the bottom of each lift tube and mount to the top, greatly increasing the water flow through the gravel. Some can be used as "reverse flow" pumps which force water through the gravel from the bottom to the top.
sponge filter - A large foam rubber block connected to an air lift tube. Water is drawn through the sponge, which acts as a mechanical filter and a bacteria colony. Especially useful in breeding or fry tanks.
Water is drawn thru the gravel, thru the plate, up thru lift tubes,
and finally sprayed back on top the aquarium water.
Wet/Dry Filter - This is a biological type filter with plastic media exposed to the air ...
Sponge filters are simple and inexpensive units that contain an airlift tube or a powerhead that forces water through a porous sponge that collects debris and bacteria. This simple set-up makes them excellent mechanical and biological filters.
Perforated plates rest on the aquarium bottom and support the gravel substrate. Using lift tubes and power heads, water is pulled down through the gravel, up into the tube, and returned to the water column. Not usually recommended.
 See also: Fish, Filter, Water, Aquarium, Gravel
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