Airstones - Needed Or Not?

[Etrigan]

Are airstones needed or can an aquarium environment do well enough without one?


I have a 10 gallon aquarium with 1 approx 4 inch airstone. Would a smaller one work just as well in my tank? It is taking up space that I would like to use for more plants or decorations.

 

[Katty]

Airstones and bubbler things are not required at all if you already have some sort of filter in the tank that agitates the water surface. They're mostly just for looks.

 

[JoshuaA]

I've wanted an answer for this one for a long time here...

People claim air bubbles via air stones aren't in the water sufficiently long enough to introduce oxygen into the water.

People use CO2 system where CO2 bubbles are injected in the water through a diffuser/ladder in which the aim is to keep the bubbles of gas in the water for as long as possible.

So the question is... how long does it take for these bubbles to be dissolved in the water? I've noticed whilst using a Venturi value the air bubbles stay in the water for an extremely long amount of time compared to an air stone in which the bubbles surface almost immediately after being introduced. The air bubbles from my venturi flow downwards to the bottom of the tank and slowly float around sometimes clasping onto an piece of bogwood or ornament. Some do in fact surface and disappear within seconds however there is a large quantity of smaller bubbles which do appear to stay submerged or anchored to an object until they disappear.

Now considering CO2 is injected into the water using the method of bubbles of gas, this must be plausible with Venturi/Air stone assuming the bubbles are submerged long enough also.

It must work both ways, correct?

Furthermore, I was informed using the venturi valve or air stones whilst plants are in the tank is a bad idea. Currently I am using Seachem Excel and Seachem Flourish for my plants. As I am not injecting CO2. The CO2 levels will stay in equilibrium with the atmosphere around the tank/water level correct? If so injecting air using the Venturi valve is in fact just injecting the same consistency of air that is sitting in the atmosphere so what different would it make? Did the person who mention this to me fail to inform me it only effects CO2 injected tanks or?

If one was so concerned would it be plausible to use the same CO2 ladders that CO2 injection systems use and inject a small amount of air perhaps a small air pump into multiple ladders using one of those small plastic regulators to prevent and over powering flow of air and for that to achieve a similar effect? I mean 21% of our air is oxygen on average and only like .04% CO2 if I remember correctly.

Sorry for hijacking your thread but I thought rather than making my own to ask this question which I have seen contradicted, and thrown back and forth over my few month stay here. I am thinking this could be a good learning curve for all of us.

Edit: Of course surface agitation is important, though ignore that point when replying to the above questions.

 

[LondonguyJ]

In my experience the short answer would be yes, you need one!

My reasoning...

When I first got into this as a hobby like most I relied on my lfs for information. I had a 60L with an internal filter and after about a week or so noticed my fish were always trawling the surface of the water. Unless it was feeding time they'd be there with the very top part of their lips breaking the surface. Sadly I thought this was just natural

It wasn't until I saw a video on youtube and read the comment below where someone pointed out that the fish were gasping for air and that the new owner oxygenate the water without delay.

And that was my first foray into using the net for aquarium advice. I quickly found that the fish were indeed gasping. Bought a pump and airstone and once installed after about 30 minutes/an hour my fish were no longer at the top of the aquarium gasping.

Bottom line, I personally wouldn't keep an aquarium without a pump and airstone.

*Edit*

@ JoshuaA

I have no experience in co2 systems but I want to stress that I seen pictures of stunning planted aquariums which use no co2 injection system. Just the seachem products you mentioned above.

Not sure if that helps any

J

 

[Twinklecaz]

Gah the troble is pumps are so loud! That's what put me off. Also, I dunno if it would be a good thing with sand?

 

[Etrigan]

OK, so it's good to have one. Would the smaller cylinder type be sufficient or should I continue with the 4 inch strip in my 10 gallon tank? Could be 5 or 6 inches, not sure.

In my experience the short answer would be yes, you need one!

My reasoning...

When I first got into this as a hobby like most I relied on my lfs for information. I had a 60L with an internal filter and after about a week or so noticed my fish were always trawling the surface of the water. Unless it was feeding time they'd be there with the very top part of their lips breaking the surface. Sadly I thought this was just natural

It wasn't until I saw a video on youtube and read the comment below where someone pointed out that the fish were gasping for air and that the new owner oxygenate the water without delay.

And that was my first foray into using the net for aquarium advice. I quickly found that the fish were indeed gasping. Bought a pump and airstone and once installed after about 30 minutes/an hour my fish were no longer at the top of the aquarium gasping.

Bottom line, I personally wouldn't keep an aquarium without a pump and airstone.

*Edit*

@ JoshuaA

I have no experience in co2 systems but I want to stress that I seen pictures of stunning planted aquariums which use no co2 injection system. Just the seachem products you mentioned above.

Not sure if that helps any

J

 

[LondonguyJ]

Gah the troble is pumps are so loud! That's what put me off. Also, I dunno if it would be a good thing with sand?

Yeah

I have tried the tetratec air pumps, rena, and fluval and they are all loud so i had to return them all. I minimize the noise by sitting the pump on a cushion inside my aquarium cabinet and still use the chap non branded one I found on amazon

But I can still hear it. As it stands I'm looking into hagen under gravel system...

 

[KAISER]

No you dont need one, bubbles are only for aesthetics. As long as your filter flow is causing surface agitation, this will oxygenate your tank. As Twinklecaz pointed out, they are apparently very noisy. There are plenty of us who dont have one or see the need for one.

 

[OldMan47]

There is a balance here. I use an air stone for two different things. In some tanks it is decoration only. In other tanks, it runs my filter for the tank and without it the water would become stagnant. Water circulation is a must to keep adequate oxygen levels in the water. If you do not force the circulation with a pump, you must find another way to move the water. An air stone is quite good at causing the water to move around in a tank.

I have killed everything in a tank by having a CO2 system run away with itself and suffocate the fish. Most CO2 setups are a balance between having enough CO2 for the plants while not having so much it affects the fish badly. Unfortunately, we are not always able to strike the right balance and it is the fish that suffer for it.

Anything that gives good water circulation can be used in an emergency to deal with excess CO2 in the water. A good pumping action can probably make a killing CO2 concentration into a safe one in 30 minutes or less by promoting good gas exchange at the water's surface.

 

[Gilli]

Agree with Kaiser - no need for an air pump. I have a 250L tank with a hood and I dont have one! As long as your filter outlet is near the top of the water and causing aggitation then that should be sufficent. Its the movement of the water that oxygenates it not the actual bubbles. Try it and see!

 

[karin]

I personally agree with LondonguyJ. I too had a new tank, completely cycled in March, added my first fish and after 3-4 days had fish gasping for air. I lost a young angel before I popped an airstone in the thank and in 30 minutes everyone swimming normally. Now over time I was able to stop using the airstone and just rely on the filter, but something happened in the beginning and the airstone saved my fish. Second, I'm now dealing with an ich outbreak and using the heat method. In this case raising the heat increases the need for more aeration. The standard advice is to insert an airstone to increase aeration.

I think the controversy is whether the bubbles really work or if the bubble-caused surface agitation is doing the job. Either way there are times when it is nice, if not critical, to have an airstone, bubble wand etc and pump on hand.

 

[Shelby]

I have my filter at one end and my bubbler at the other and get great circulation. Personally I think as much oxygen in the tank as you can get is a great idea. Not to mention I get some great circulation going.

If it takes up too much space get a smaller one.

Oh and I never hear my air pumps unless it is against something. I have a little one at home and a larger two hose one at my bosses house.

 

[Gilli]

Well we all seem to agree to disagree! I would say try it without one first. It will be extra expense to buy one and of course extra electricity to run it - fishkeeping is expensive enough already!

 

[heygetsmart]

I've either used the airstones in the tank for sponge filters or for UGF's... OR I use them to give a little bit of circulation and movement in the tanks that don't have very much water movement. The movement keeps certain places in the tank to keep from being stagnant.

 

[Tolak]

The airstone diffuses the air a bit, the large majority of O2 transfer occurs at the surface, friction between water & air. The air bubbling up causes surface motion, thus friction. You will get the same effect, and the same circulation with a rock rubberbanded to an air line, or any such weight to keep an air line down in the water. The airstone just creates smaller, more visually appealing bubbles.