Oxygenating a heavily planted tank

[ThomasG07]

I have a 50 gallon planted tank with an aquatop canister filter. Are the plants enough to provide oxygen for the fish?

 

[Billbug68]

I don't see why you would have any problems. Does the outflow of your canister create a little surface agitation? Are you running co2?

 

[ThomasG07]

I don't see why you would have any problems. Does the outflow of your canister create a little surface agitation? Are you running co2?

No I don't run co2 but all the plants I have really don't need it. I have my spray bar facing up towards the surface so there is plenty of surface agitation but I want to point it more down or straight across to push water across my tank towards the intake

 

[Fidgetromeo]

Sounds fine to me. I think the main sign of lack of oxygen would be fish staying close to the surface

 

[Billbug68]

No I don't run co2 but all the plants I have really don't need it. I have my spray bar facing up towards the surface so there is plenty of surface agitation but I want to point it more down or straight across to push water across my tank towards the intake

You can probably do what you want with the spray bar. As long as there is some surface movement and you're not insanely overstocked, everything should be fine.

 

[Rivercats]

I run my 220g basically the same way... just filter outflows aimed towards the surface creating surface agitation.

 

[thursyanna]

Your tank looks great! I love all your plants!

 

[Hannibal the Bichir]

I cut the aerator on my planted tank. I run co2, and with just the plants and surface agitation. It can support like 12 or so fish. It's a 28 gallon and the fish are tetras.