Plant Question
- Thread starter danis5000
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
astroguy
Aquarium Advice Activist
If your tank is well planted, in principle, there is no need for an airstone. On the other hand, it is a nice addition to the tank (bubbles), and oxygenates the water even more. However, this will not make your plants happier since they use carbon dioxide! But it should not hurt them.
Fruitbat
Aquarium Advice Addict
danis5000...
There are those who keep heavily planted, high-light tanks with carbon dioxide injection that don't put airstones in their tanks because they MAY cause a loss of dissolved carbon dioxide gas through surface agitation. If your tank doesn't fall into the heavily planted, high-light category then you probably won't have anything to worry about if you put in an airstone.
Just so you know....an airstone is NOT required for the fish as long as you have adequate surface area for your fish load. Plenty of oxygen will be dissolved simply at the contact point between the water and the air. Airstones DO look nice though!
There are those who keep heavily planted, high-light tanks with carbon dioxide injection that don't put airstones in their tanks because they MAY cause a loss of dissolved carbon dioxide gas through surface agitation. If your tank doesn't fall into the heavily planted, high-light category then you probably won't have anything to worry about if you put in an airstone.
Just so you know....an airstone is NOT required for the fish as long as you have adequate surface area for your fish load. Plenty of oxygen will be dissolved simply at the contact point between the water and the air. Airstones DO look nice though!
mgkaelen
Aquarium Advice Freak
fruitbat - not sure if i've asked this question before, but i'm planning to turn my 30 gallon into a live planted tank myself. i have a hillstream loach which LOVES the airstones/ current --- any suggestions as to what i should do once the plants are put into the tank ?
Raimeiken
Aquarium Advice Activist
This topic is in the wrong board
malkore
Aquarium Advice Addict
MG...you can add a power head under the water to provide more current. this way you won't outgas CO2, and the loach will feel like he's in his natural surroundings.
madasafish
Aquarium Advice Addict
Moved to "Planted Tanks."
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
In my heavily planted tank I have my spray bar well underneath the surface, pointed towards the opposite tank wall, and there is a pretty decent current there where I have my bolbitis. The surface is not disturbed, and the fish who like the current will swim through it.
mgkaelen
Aquarium Advice Freak
can i attach a spray bar to any filter? or do i need something like a fluval that has a canister filter ?
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
You would need a canister filter to employ a spray bar. If you have a HOB then you just need to keep the water level up to keep splashing to a minimum. I prefer a canister filter for a serious planted tank for this reason (among others.. 
)
)mgkaelen
Aquarium Advice Freak
okay! i'll have to start looking into smaller ones..... i know fluvals and stuch don't talk about how many gallons are sufficient for what kind of tank... they usually talk about how many gallons it can filter per hour.. how can i figure out what size my tank will need? i have a 30gallon and will need a filter for a 125 gallon in a few months !!
betowess
Aquarium Advice Freak
mgkaelen,
A Rena XP2 is a really nice cannister for a 29 gallon planted. (lots of media room and comes with a spraybar and valve to turn down current during feeding or to just lower it). I think most the new can filters come with a spraybar and media/hoses etc.
After I switched to a can filter from my Aquaclear HOB, I'll never go back. Its alot easier to clean and NO junk ever gets in the tank, though more money upfront ($59 online if memory serves me correctly). Bob
A Rena XP2 is a really nice cannister for a 29 gallon planted. (lots of media room and comes with a spraybar and valve to turn down current during feeding or to just lower it). I think most the new can filters come with a spraybar and media/hoses etc.
After I switched to a can filter from my Aquaclear HOB, I'll never go back. Its alot easier to clean and NO junk ever gets in the tank, though more money upfront ($59 online if memory serves me correctly). Bob
mgkaelen
Aquarium Advice Freak
thanks for the suggestion, beto ... i'll look into getting one!
betowess
Aquarium Advice Freak
Oh yeah mg,
if you need one for a future 125 gallon, you'd prolly want two xp2s or at least one xp3 for a 125 gallon. Rex turned me onto Rena Filstars and they're a terrific can filter made in France (I think), but marketed in the US by Aquarium Phamaceuticals which is also a good company.
I think the XP2 is for up to 75 gallons, but folks use them on 29 gallon tanks and I use one on my 26 Bow... I think most planted folk like to over filter for who knows why exactly. I already bought another XP3 for a future 80 gallon in the planning- wishing stage. The XPs have this super easy disconnect setup for cleaning. First you pull the electrical plug, then just flip one lever to shut off and pull out the two hoses all in one step . Then carry it to a sink to clean. Its too easy!
if you need one for a future 125 gallon, you'd prolly want two xp2s or at least one xp3 for a 125 gallon. Rex turned me onto Rena Filstars and they're a terrific can filter made in France (I think), but marketed in the US by Aquarium Phamaceuticals which is also a good company.
I think the XP2 is for up to 75 gallons, but folks use them on 29 gallon tanks and I use one on my 26 Bow... I think most planted folk like to over filter for who knows why exactly. I already bought another XP3 for a future 80 gallon in the planning- wishing stage. The XPs have this super easy disconnect setup for cleaning. First you pull the electrical plug, then just flip one lever to shut off and pull out the two hoses all in one step . Then carry it to a sink to clean. Its too easy!
G
Guest
Guest
For a 125 I would suggest two XP-3 filters for the water movement. I have a 46 gallon BF sitting here that I am going to set up this summer. I will more than likely just get an XP-3 for that too. It's going to be a Rainbow tank and they can handle a bit of water movement.
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have an XP-3 on my 55 and am extremely pleased.
Similar threads
