Are Airstones A Necessity?

[Dogson]

Can I have your opinions please?
Dogson

 

[minxfishy]

Well I dont run any on my tanks, used to on one tank, long time ago, doesnt make a difference IMO, just looks nice if you like that kind of thing.

 

[Dogson]

Just what I wanted to hear

 

[Ally555]

doesnt make a difference IMO, just looks nice if you like that kind of thing.

Agree

 

[waterdrop]

Agree, its all about surface movement. That big top surface area is one of the most important things in your tank. Plenty of surface movement there will mean enough oxygen exchanges into the water. People who practice the "planted tank" hobby also know that its a balance, in that greater surface movement will also mean less of the precious CO2 available for plants!

Bubbles, airstones and all of that are all about looks and are completely your own choice.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[OldMan47]

In order to get a good gas exchange at the surface of the tank, you need to avoid having water become stratified in the tank. By mixing the water vertically, an air stone or a well adjusted filter flow can prevent that happening. As long as the water is disturbed enough to prevent a stagnant layer of water at the surface, there is very little more you can do to make sure the water has enough oxygen in it. People talk about seeing the water disturbed at the surface of the tank but even that is not needed if you get a good circulation going by some method.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Agree, its all about surface movement. That big top surface area is one of the most important things in your tank. Plenty of surface movement there will mean enough oxygen exchanges into the water. People who practice the "planted tank" hobby also know that its a balance, in that greater surface movement will also mean less of the precious CO2 available for plants!

Bubbles, airstones and all of that are all about looks and are completely your own choice.

~~waterdrop~~

Well said Waterdrop!!!

 

[Dogson]

Agree, its all about surface movement. That big top surface area is one of the most important things in your tank. Plenty of surface movement there will mean enough oxygen exchanges into the water. People who practice the "planted tank" hobby also know that its a balance, in that greater surface movement will also mean less of the precious CO2 available for plants!

Bubbles, airstones and all of that are all about looks and are completely your own choice.

~~waterdrop~~

Well said Waterdrop!!!

Thanks Guys for all your comments Sounds like I have all bases covered! Just have to finish my cycle, I'm down to 24 hrs with processing ammonia so hoping by the end of next week to start stocking! Can't wait!

 

[chesterscot]

i bet you cant i know what i was like now the fun beggins
regards scot

 

[waterdrop]

Agree, its all about surface movement. That big top surface area is one of the most important things in your tank. Plenty of surface movement there will mean enough oxygen exchanges into the water. People who practice the "planted tank" hobby also know that its a balance, in that greater surface movement will also mean less of the precious CO2 available for plants!

Bubbles, airstones and all of that are all about looks and are completely your own choice.

~~waterdrop~~

Well said Waterdrop!!!

Thanks Ludwig. I think the planted guys have some important things to impart to us about paying more attention to the *combination* of surface movement and vertical movement (lets say... aka circulation) in that they feel that the reality of most beginner (or non-optimized) tanks is not enough overall movement... leading to algae problems.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[joncairns]

I believe they are unnecessary but I like the effect they have on the overall appearance of the aquarium. I have a 50L tank with a couple of Topaz puffers in and never used an airstone in it all. I do have good surface water movement fom the river reef filter though, and as you can see from the other comments, that is important.

My main aquarium has two running all the time and I intend to keep it that way.

Best wishes,

Jon

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Agree, its all about surface movement. That big top surface area is one of the most important things in your tank. Plenty of surface movement there will mean enough oxygen exchanges into the water. People who practice the "planted tank" hobby also know that its a balance, in that greater surface movement will also mean less of the precious CO2 available for plants!

Bubbles, airstones and all of that are all about looks and are completely your own choice.

~~waterdrop~~

Well said Waterdrop!!!

Thanks Ludwig. I think the planted guys have some important things to impart to us about paying more attention to the *combination* of surface movement and vertical movement (lets say... aka circulation) in that they feel that the reality of most beginner (or non-optimized) tanks is not enough overall movement... leading to algae problems.

~~waterdrop~~

To more or less illustrate this, I daresay that you'll be able to keep more fish in a half full round fishbowl than in a full round fishbowl.... allthough your water volume will be more in the full bowl, the exposed surface area in your half full bowl will be more.....

 

[Fisses]

i used to have an airstone mainly for looks, but now i cant use one as now i have sand, so i cant bury it under the sand as it just send sand flying all over the tank and i cant weight it down. but now i also have a venturi thing on my fluval filter which produces plenty of bubbles for 100% surface aggitation...also i have tank in my bedroom so cant be doing with an air pump buzzing away!!!

 

[Dogson]

Ahh I have a fluval u3 filter and that has a two valves on it. one to control the spray bar and the other you slot in yourself and has a dial in it but appears to do nothing i'm sure it is for some kind af addition/ adaptation can anyone tell me what it is for?

 

[Fisses]

if you have a U3 then it'll be the same as mine.

ontop you have a dial. i dont know which letter does which but for example, the letter A will be the top outlet, the letter B will be the bottom outlet, and then the letter C will be the spray bar.

on the top outlet you will see a hole on the top of the outlet to which a little attachment with a rubber bit goes into, then you lower the filter just enough so the attachment is just above the water then what that does is as the filter spits the water out of the outlet it drags air in from the attachment and causes bubbles in tank. then as the bubbles are coming out of the outlet if you turn the rubber bit on the attachment the bubbles will slow down and then you can turn them completely off.