We have grown carbon nanotubes by thermal chemical vapor deposition of $C_{2}H_{2}$ on catalytic metal deposited on silicon oxide substrates. Highly purified carbon nanotubes are uniformly grown on a large area of the silicon oxide substrates. It is observed that surface modification of catalytic metals deposited on substrates by either etching with dipping in a HF solution and/or $NH_{3}$ pretreatment is a crucial step for the nanotube growth prior to the reaction of $C_{2}H_{2}$ gas. The diameters of carbon naotubes could be controlled by applying the different catalytic metals.