Are larger air stone bubbles better than smaller air bubbles?

[Shovad]

Is it better to adjust the airflow to have larger bubbles coming from airstone/ornament or are finer bubbles better ?

 

[mrsjoannh13]

I don't know that it matters from an oxygenating perspective but the larger bubbles make more of a blub-blub noise whereas you don't hear anything with the smaller bubbles.

 

[Colin_T]

Course bubbles are better than fine bubbles. Very small bubbles can get on the fish's gills and cause problems with their breathing. This isn't as much an issue in freshwater tanks, but is a major issue in saltwater tanks using protein skimmers.

 

[Utar]

Never considered the size of the bubbles before, I just always turn it up and let the air flow. A big misconception is that the bubbles inject oxygen into the water which is not the case. The only place that gases exchange in water is at the surface of the water. The sole purpose of the bubbles is to break surface tension creating water movement at the surface. The more the water moves at the surface the faster gases exchange at the surface allowing faster and easier gas exchanges, like co2 out and oxygen in. Your fish need oxygen in the water to breath and they exhale co2 just like we do. Stagnate water has much slower gas exchanges at the surface.

 

[663]

Smaller bubbles work better for foam filters, because their collective lifting force is greater. In general use, I prefer medium-sized bubbles for the reasons already mentioned. and more.

 

[StevenF]

For CO2 systems smaller bubbles are better for getting the gas dissolved in water Also bigger bubbles tend to reach the surface faster than small bubbles. Small bubbles will stay submerged longer allowing for more gas to dissolve int eh water.

Now if the water is clowdy due to all the small bubbles of air in the water that is probably too many small bubbles. but if the water is mostly clear I wouldn't worry about bubbles

 

[Fishiemang]

Big stones fail faster than small ones. Get the pucks, and place them under the sub in random spots and use a valve and set them to recreate the bottom of a lake. Gives a more authentic feel.