Any Advantages Of Air Stones?

[Seidge]

Hi,

Was just wondering, are there any benefits of using air stones and bubble walls for the fish or are they purely ornamental?

I am considering putting one in, Are there any fish they are not compatible with?
I have balloon mollies, danios and cory catfish.

Hope you can help

 

[Rodders]

They are to produce lots of bubbles to aeriate the water.
You can use them to produce different looks too, as you suggested, bubble walls...
Some fish also like to play in them as well.
If you have a planted tank though, you dont want one as it will reduce CO2 levels in the water which is vital for plant life.

 

[wendywc]

So you can't have a bubble wall and plants? What if you added CO2?

 

[Rodders]

Basically you will be paying to add CO2 to your water then you bubble wall will be taking it back out.
Also you want to keep a steady constant level of CO2 as this affect you Ph and swinging levels of this is bad for fish.

I guess you could run it for minimal display purposes, but seems pointless to me.

 

[The-Wolf]

They are to produce lots of bubbles to aeriate the water.

sort of true.
it is not the air bubbles peray that create the oxygen but thier action on the waters surface
the bubbles create surface agitation, this increses the surface area and, because the surface tension is broken, allows a better gass exchange at the surface (CO2, CH4 etc, driven out, O2, O3 etc entering in)

Rodders is correct, if you have a CO2 injection system adding an airstone will counter act the process

 

[Rodders]

Yup, its when the bubble pops on the surface the actual gas exchange takes place.

Thought id keep it simple