Filter - bubbles or no bubbles?

[henry1245]

Hi,

My Fluval U2 filter has an option which blows bubbles. I was told this option was preferred as it puts oxygen into the water.

However, I have a male betta and was told they don't like bubbles as they breath from the surface.

Will putting the filter on normal mode (i.e. with no bubbles) affect the other fish (do they need the additional oxygen provided by the bubbles)?

Thanks
Henry

 

[Batt4Christ]

Filter pumps are more efficient w/o bubbles. Also, it isn't so much the bubbles that get oxygen into the water, it is the surface disruption they create. It's about gas exchange.

 

[henry1245]

Ah so I'm actually better off switching to non-bubbled filtration?

 

[Nubster]

As long as the surface of the water is being broken then there should be adequate oxygen transfer taking place so you don't need the bubbles.

 

[henry1245]

Surely breaking the surface is only achived by bubbles?

 

[librarygirl]

Good question. I have the same filter. I find that with the bubbles it creates a lot of current (I also have an AquaClear 20 HOB that creates bubbles when it hits the water too) so I turned the bubbles off and put my hand in front of the outtake to make sure water is coming out. I wonder if it's less efficient though to be on a lower setting; would the water be filtered better/faster if it were on a higher setting (and therefore creating the bubbles)?