Air Stones

[just_doitman]

Are air stone necessary or a decoration? Not really sure. What's your opinion/ experience


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[Marty.h]

If you have good surface agitation from the return on a pump then air stones will be purely decorative

 

[Delapool]

Mainly decoration for my tank. A bit dull without them.

This comes up regularly and I wonder if it goes back to the old days when air stones ran everything?

 

[skylane]

I don't use them as much since I have planted tanks, but in breeders, and tanks that require oxygen , hospital tanks...I know they are used for in decor , but they provided circulation in tanks as well !!

Clem

 

[Odin]

I use a large one in my community tank for gas exchange, the shrimp and bulldog pleco I have are happier for it.


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[ImACoolguy]

Unless it's a tank for like a Hillstream loach (likes very oxygenated water) then air stones are purely decorative or used for gas off of co2 in planted tanks during lights off.


Caleb

 

[just_doitman]

Unless it's a tank for like a Hillstream loach (likes very oxygenated water) then air stones are purely decorative or used for gas off of co2 in planted tanks during lights off.


Caleb

Elaborate on the planted tanks what do they do?


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[Fresh2o]

Elaborate on the planted tanks what do they do?


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If you are injecting CO2, after lights out there really is no need for CO2 in the water (no photosynthesis occurring). An air stone (typically put on a timer) creates surface agitation and helps drive out extra CO2.


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[just_doitman]

If you are injecting CO2, after lights out there really is no need for CO2 in the water (no photosynthesis occurring). An air stone (typically put on a timer) creates surface agitation and helps drive out extra CO2.


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Do you think it would hurt at all if I had one in my tank even though it's planted. I use root tabs and liquid co2 but that's it?


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[Fresh2o]

Do you think it would hurt at all if I had one in my tank even though it's planted. I use root tabs and liquid co2 but that's it?


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Should not be a problem. You are not injecting CO2 so there is nothing to drive out.


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[just_doitman]

Should not be a problem. You are not injecting CO2 so there is nothing to drive out.


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Would it drive out naturally existing CO2?


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[ImACoolguy]

Would it drive out naturally existing CO2?


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No need to worry about that.

It would just be cosmetic.


Caleb

 

[Fresh2o]

Would it drive out naturally existing CO2?


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Not really. Only if it is in excess (as with injected or DIY CO2) surface agitation will drive it out of the water column.
IMO if plants remove CO2 from the water and CO2 is not being supplemented, then it will be absorbed from the surface to resolve the CO2 deficit. In this case, an air stone might help.


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