Air Stones

[gowing238]

Hi,

I have recently placed an airstone in my tank. Some articles i have read have said they are not particually beneficial to the fish. If anyone has any information i woul gladly take your advice onboard.

do they need to b on all the time?

Cheers

 

[Straydum]

it basically just allows easier diffusion of bubbles, oxygen the target, into the water. its better than seeing your air bubbles go bulp bulp bulp one by one

 

[idlefingers]

Apparently the actual bubbles do nothing to increase oxygen in the water.. it's the surface agitation they create which does. So, if you can create that agitation by filter outlets, it's not needed at all.

And with regards to whether you need to run it all the time or not, if it's not on and your fish aren't gasping for air at the surface, you're fine without it.

 

[evilchild]

i have read that air stones and things like that work quite well if your tank has a lot of fish it, more oxygen you can put in the water the better i beleave?

 

[Rooster]

Now then people.... write out a hundred times:

AIRSTONES DO NOT ADD OXYGEN TO WATER
AIRSTONES DO NOT ADD OXYGEN TO WATER
AIRSTONES DO NOT ADD OXYGEN TO WATER
AIRSTONES DO NOT ADD OXYGEN TO WATER
AIRSTONES DO NOT ADD OXYGEN TO WATER
AIRSTONES DO NOT ADD OXYGEN TO WATER
AIRSTONES DO NOT ADD OXYGEN TO WATER
AIRSTONES DO NOT ADD OXYGEN TO WATER
AIRSTONES DO NOT ADD OXYGEN TO WATER
AIRSTONES DO NOT ADD OXYGEN TO WATER


All they do is create water movement at the surface, where gas exchange DOES happen (CO2 swaps with oxygen ... there are other gasses moving about, but these two are all we need to know about)

 

[mcdanielnc89]

lol, it agistated the surface, and gives it more of a chance to put O2 into the tank...

 

[ICEEGRL]

Air stones help surface movement so there is more oxygen in the water...
Depending on what fish you have... some of them really like playing in the bubbles...
They also (when strategically placed) can help move debris toward the filter so it can be removed.
They are good for egg layers. When placed under the eggs, they reduce egg loss to some degree.
And... they just look cool... If you like them.

If you aren't after the actual bubbles, you can get the same thing from a good filter system.