too much oxygen?

[colin_finlay]

Hi there, I was just wondering if I could shut off my oxygen motor at night, as I am a very light sleeper, I was a plentiful amount of plants in my tank, so I figure its safe or do I need a oxygen source at all besides all my plants??

 

[yvez9]

Plants consumer oxygen when lights are off but frankly, air pumps are pretty much useless if you have a filter running that creates agitation on the surface so I would shut it off

 

[Boggle]

I think it also depends on your stocking levels, sorry, I'm too tired to calculate yours from your sig right now ) .
I left mine off only once at night and all the fish were at the top giving me dirty looks, but my tank is at full house right now... all you can do is try it and see, you'll know if they get stressed from it or not.

 

[Discomafia]

air pumps are pretty much useless if you have a filter running that creates agitation on the surface

Really? I never knew that...

 

[Phantom Thief]

air pumps are pretty much useless if you have a filter running that creates agitation on the surface

Really? I never knew that...

The main oxygen exchange with the water and the atmosphere occurs on the surface, and happens when the surface is agitated and the surface tension is broken. Air pumps also help out, because when the bubble reaches the top, it too breaks the surface tension and agitates the water. But a running filter's outlet aimed to break the surface tension is definitely the best.



P.T.

 

[Opcn]

the more plants there are in the tank the harder it is to keep it oxygenated at night.

 

[freddyk]

As long as your filter breaks or disrupts the surface in some way I can guarantee that you do not need the air pump with your stocking levels as they are. (and you have room for more)

 

[sylvia]

That's all true but suddenly decreasing the amount of oxygen exchange (even if the difference is very slight) will not be something your fish appreciate but they'll recover and get used to it soon enough

 

[clutterydrawer]

with your stocking levels as they are. (and you have room for more)

i disagree.

and as someone already said, plants remove oxygen at night, so there will be less!

 

[Great Lakes]

Be careful however.

Your tank should operate in a consistant manner. Shutting the air pump off at night could cause a significant drop in ph.

Most tropical fish can, with success, adapt to different levels of hardness, ph, temp, etc than found in their natural habitat. The secret to success is to create a rock steady environment for them. Fluctuations cause stress.

GL

 

[Bignose]

I agree with GL, consistency is key.

But, I am curious, GL, for you to justify?

Shutting the air pump off at night could cause a significant drop in ph.

I can understand if this was CO2 injection, then an increase in pH is possible.

 

[tonydude]

Also plants dont consume oxygen. They produce it through photosynthesis, taking in carbon dioxide to do this. So it is in fact helping your oxygen levels by having the plants.

 

[jflowers]

Also plants dont consume oxygen. They produce it through photosynthesis, taking in carbon dioxide to do this. So it is in fact helping your oxygen levels by having the plants.

Yes while they have light to photosynthesise they produce oxygen, but at night they consume oxygen, thats the whole point of this thread.

Jon

 

[freddyk]

Try just not running the air-pump at all. Works for me.

 

[Discomafia]

I agree with GL, consistency is key.

But, I am curious, GL, for you to justify?

Shutting the air pump off at night could cause a significant drop in ph.

I can understand if this was CO2 injection, then an increase in pH is possible.

I didn't know about this, but I was advised against running an air pump in my tank to make up for O2 loss at night because of ph swings that might occur when you turn it off in the morning. Guess there'd be ph swings when I first on it too.