Airstones

[Kelly Preussner]

I am fairly new to fish keeping and have had a 20 gal tank for a couple years. I just recently upgraded to a 29 gal tank and I have all guppies and 2 black mollies. I was considering getting an airstone but not sure what to get. I decided to try a 12” bubble bar but it has big bubbles & seems to create a lot of current in the water. Is this ok or should I get a smaller airstone that produces smaller bubbles? Thanks!

 

[Colin_T]

That size bubble is better for the fish than small/ fine bubbles, which can adversely affect the fish if the bubbles are too small.

If there is too much current from the airstone, try moving it to the side rather than the back and see if it helps. If it doesn't, get a small plastic multi-coloured airstone and use that instead.

You could also add some more plants to break up the currents and provide sheltered areas for the fish to rest. A bit like trees and buildings break up the wind.

 

[MaloK]

It depends on taste, I'm not really fond of them. a smaller stone wont do smaller bubbles it will make a larger number in less space, with the same air pump the same amount of air will still flow trough.

If you have a adjustable pump you can try to lower the flow, if your pump has fixed output, you can use a 3 way control valve to lower the pressure.

All that said... I prefer using a sponge filter instead, they are easy to run from an inverter for hours during black out. It gives additional filtration as it oxygenate the water and keep the surface exempt of film.

 

[Kelly Preussner]

That size bubble is better for the fish than small/ fine bubbles, which can adversely affect the fish if the bubbles are too small.

If there is too much current from the airstone, try moving it to the side rather than the back and see if it helps. If it doesn't, get a small plastic multi-coloured airstone and use that instead.

You could also add some more plants to break up the currents and provide sheltered areas for the fish to rest. A bit like trees and buildings break up the wind.

Thank you. Should I put it closer to the filter so more water movement on one side?

 

[Colin_T]

Try it on both sides and see which one works best for the fish.