Position Of Outflow Pipe

[toffeenose_uk]

Hi All, I have 3 zebra danios and 3 black phatoms in my new tank. Cycled it without fish and water condition is fine. Howver, I read recently in a boook that the airstone I had running would not do my live plants any good as the extra oxygen wasnt required due to the plants producing oxygenand some reason I forget now why extra oxygen was bad for the plants. Therefore I have turned off the airstone and just ran the filter since. However, I notice that there is now hardly any surface movement of the water. Im worried that the gas exchange, (read about this at some Point) will not be taking place, as the gases cannot escape the surface tension of the tank. Therefore, Im thinking of lifting the outflow pipe to the surface, were it breaks the surface tension due to the surface now circulating. Is this a good idea?

Another point, My EHEIM ECO Pro only came with an outflow pipe, i would like to connect this to a pipe with lots of holes the flow out gets evenly "sprayed" out across the surface, thus ensuring uniform surface tension breaking and reducing the oxygen introduced to the tank?

Can someone remind me why an airstone creating the exrtra oxygen, is not a good idea for plants? I forget now. Im sure I read it tho

Thanks, folks, id be lost without the help of forums!!!

Ricky

 

[minnnt]

Plants need carbon dioxide rather than oxygen. But an air stone will have little or no impact on the oxygen in the water as the bubbles just go straight to the top of the tank and out. It doesn't oxygenate the water. A far better way is to use the filter pipe to create oxygen transfer by rippling the waters surface. The best place i have found is around an inch below the water surface. You don't need it to be like a wave or a washing machine, just a nice gentle flow creating some surface movement will be plenty.

 

[Mowbz]

+1, just under the water, pointing up. Providing you've got enough return pressure, its all you need.