Do i need a airstone?

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djpax

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Messages
15
Location
Massachusetts
I got a 70 gal set up with a fluval 404. This is the first time i have used a canister filter in the past always HOB filter. I thought that you needed bubbles in the water to get oxygen in it, but i read a post on this website that said you did not need a airstone with a canister filter.
Thanks in advance.
Pax the newbie!
 
Welcome to Aquarium Advice!! :mrgreen:

You do not need an airstone in the presence of adequate filtration. They are purely decorative, in most cases, though they do have their purposes in hatching tanks and fry tanks.
 
I always keep one on hand JUST IN CASE. I have a 75gal with a canister filter... and once I filled up the tank too much and I noticed my fish were at the top trying to get oxygen. I hooked up the airstone for a few days and took out some water and they did just fine
 
Great point, lyquidphyre! It is a good thing to have on hand in the case of nitrite poisoning, or if you have to isolate a sick fish in a bucket in an emergency situation.
 
thanks for the help and the welcome.

lyquidphyre you said that you filled your tank up to much? you can have to much water in the tank?
 
Sometimes you don't need an airstone/pump because they get enough air from the water surface. Once, I filled mine up WAY too much and it touched the top glass part, so there was hardly any oxygen on the surface of the water.
you can fill ur tank up to the very top as long as there is air touching the waters surface
 
cool thanks for the input. Im sure ill have a ton more questions i just found this site last week.
 
Just point the outflow nozzle or spray bar from the canister near enough to the surface so that it causes some rippling and agitation. The agitation will aid gas exchange into and out of the tank. There will still be some areas of surface calm to drop food on for surface feeders.
 
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