Air Stone?

[AaronW]

So I've been a bit curious lately about air stones. Are they necessary? What benefits to the fish/environment does it have? I have a 10 gallon community tank with a HOB filter. Would this create too much current for the fish I have?


Gourami, Pictus cat, tiretrack eel, Pleco, and a goldfish.

PS they're growing out of the tank. But I'm moving them into a 50 gallon. ASAP

PPS if anyone is selling a stand for a 50 gallon that is affordable in SoCal please message me I would be forever grateful!

 

[BBradbury]

Air Stones

So I've been a bit curious lately about air stones. Are they necessary? What benefits to the fish/environment does it have? I have a 10 gallon community tank with a HOB filter. Would this create too much current for the fish I have?



Gourami, Pictus cat, tiretrack eel, Pleco, and a goldfish.

PS they're growing out of the tank. But I'm moving them into a 50 gallon. ASAP

PPS if anyone is selling a stand for a 50 gallon that is affordable in SoCal please message me I would be forever grateful!

Hello A...

Unless you really like the bubble effect the air stone provides, it's not needed. The filter will provide all the surface water movement that's needed to get oxygen into the tank water and to release carbon dioxide into the air. This is called "gas exchange". It's necessary for the health of the fish.

Your tank filtration doesn't have to be too strong. A filter with a gallon per hour (gph) rating of 6 times the volume of your tank in gallons is sufficient. Do your weekly, large water changes and you'll have a healthy tank.

Good idea to get your fish into a larger tank. Keeping any fish in such a small tank is like keeping your dog or cat in the bathroom.

Just an opinion though. You're the boss.

B

 

[jcolon]

Are they necessary? What benefits to the fish/environment does it have? I have a 10 gallon community tank with a HOB filter. Would this create too much current for the fish I have?

Yes and No .... Opinions on this are varied and has had some debate.

Personally ... I find it a valuable part of an aquarium in helping promote gas exchange. Filter that provides surface agitation will be your primary gas exchange. The issue is when your filter dies on you while your on a long vacation and there's nothing to agitate the surface. In this case, I think the sensible thing is to have one on hand since it's not an expensive investment ... and put it in your tank during those vacations / long weekends or as an emergency backup.

I've honestly considered removing mine since the look of the bubbles are starting to getting a bit annoying, but one of my Bamboo has decided to park itself on the tubing or the air-stone itself so it stays.

 

[Annakhil]

i have a planted tank with pressurized co2 so to have a bubbler working during the time my co2 is on is not good, it would be defeating the purpose. but i have my bubbler turn on when lights go out so the extra co2 released by the plants at night dont make the water too toxic for the fish.
it really just depends on if and when you want more gas exchange to happen or how much extra oxygen in the water

 

[BBradbury]

Using Airstones

Hello again...

You can increase gas exchange, but an airstone isn't an efficient way to do it. The reason is the small bubbles created by the airstone don't create much surface movement. Even a lot of small bubbles don't.

The process of gas exchange is done by strong wave movement at the water's surface. If you have a series of very large bubbles that break the surface of the water, then you'll have much better aeration.

So, use an air pump and tubing without the airstone. Disguise the tube at the bottom of the tank. Turn the pump to maxmum and you'll have strong waves at the surface and greater aeration.

Just a thought.

B

 

[AaronW]

Thank you everyone! I appreciate it

 

[BozziniINC]

I use these underwater fans that my uncle gave me and they work great for a current for my fish