Is a HOB enough?

Hi guys,
On another post I have been talking about a couple of poorly Corydora Habrosus and someone had talked about oxygen in the tank

Now my Fluval is tall, but its not usual. I currently have a AC30 with AC50 impeller and the rate of water disturbs the surface seems ok to me...But it got me thinking about powerheads, and maybe adding one to go alongside the HOB filter? Would this be necessary? Im new to fish keeping so bare with when my mind goes off on one lol

Ive actually decided to drop the water on the tank by a 1cm (I hate the look because its supposed to be top viewing) to help my Corys when they come up for air and it also is disturbing the top of the tank more.

Prob a question for @Byron and @PheonixKingZ , they usually set me straight on these matters haha

An air stone with an air pump sounds better, than an entire new filter to me.

I was going to keep HOB and run it in tandem. Which is cheaper? Powerhead or airstone?

Nemo2182 said:

I was going to keep HOB and run it in tandem. Which is cheaper? Powerhead or airstone?

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You do not need either, and it will likely be more trouble than benefit anyway. An HOB creates more than enough surface disturbance...usually too much actually, which is why I stopped using them in the 1990's. But some surface disturbance from the filter return will be adequate. After the tank lights are on, and assuming I remember, I will take a short video of my cory tank filter to illustrate what you aim for with surface disturbance.

Is your tank particulalry warm at the moment? This can reduce oxygen. A HOB is perfectly adequate, ven more so if you have dropped the water level.

seangee said:

Is your tank particulalry warm at the moment? This can reduce oxygen. A HOB is perfectly adequate, ven more so if you have dropped the water level.

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Not at mo. I have it set to 77. Is this too much? Baring the live bearers and shrimp? The tank got up to 82 over past couple of days when we had the hot weather, but its bsck down as normal today.guessing im just clutching at straws because it looks like im going to lose two corydoras habrosus one after the other, even though the other one is hanging in there. Saying that it was feeding time just a min ago and he didnt move. Anyone will Corys will know how mental they go at dinner time!! On a positive note, the other 6 seem in good health...for now...maybe the gravel bottom has been the culprit, sods law before im just about to go to sand on thursday...

77 is not to much.

Nemo2182 said:

im just about to go to sand on thursday...

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Very good. That should help a lot.

I intended doing/posting this video yesterday, but my phone needed recharging which takes a few hours, so here it is one day delayed. This was to illustrate the sort of surface disturbance you want in most tanks.

It would not allow me to access it... although, I bet it was a great video.

PheonixKingZ said:

It would not allow me to access it... although, I bet it was a great video.

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Just do a single click on the square, should play.