Air Stones & How to Use Them

[HopeGR]

I have a heated 20 galloon tank. Long story short, the 50 w thermometer was overheating water and tank was lacking oxygen. Two fish died. It was suggested I buy this or something similar....

I bought this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081ZQMB28/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And this pump:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YHU6Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Now, I only use one. Here are my questions:

1. I place it horizontally and it creates more bubbling than vertically. Is that how it should be?

2. I run it predominately during the day, 10 - 12 hours, only because I feel the guppies & mollies I have get annoyed - could this be true? Does it need to run continuously?

3. Is the pump I bought good?

 

[charliebankston]

I use this pumps on almost all my tanks. Never had issues. They run quiet, really strong, and cheap. I love them. Your really not adding O2 to the water with an air pump, your causing surface agitation that breaks the surface tension allowing an easier exchange of CO2 out and O2 in. Either way it would work to do that. More is better

 

[HopeGR]

Thanks for the clarification. So placing them horizontally and running it 10 - 12 hrs daily is okay?

 

[charliebankston]

Sure. I run sponge filters in mine on air pumps 24/7

 

[Caliban07]

Thanks for the clarification. So placing them horizontally and running it 10 - 12 hrs daily is okay?

Run 24/7

Check to see how much water the air wall moves. The one thing the guppies will get annoyed about is been blown around 24/7.