airstones

[focus]

ok need help been given some info from my lfs and i'm
do you need airstones in the water to give the fish oxgyen?
lfs said no
been reading on here peeps say yes
i have real plants so i no that helps

 

[Ob1]

Air stone will help increase oxygen in a tank; it is not an instant boast to oxygen levels. The extra turbulence coursed by the bubbles coming to the top of the tank – increase the tanks surface area and thus increases the tanks ability to absorb oxygen, I also believer it help to circulate CO2 and that also help the water. CO2 is produced by both Fish and plants


I always assumed the air stone actual put oxygen into the water directly, this is not the case.

 

[kev]

As long as your filter is moving the surface of the water an airstone is not going to make that much of a difference. The amount of O2 that can be absorbed by the water is dependant on the surface area. Movement on the surface increases this.

An airstone IMO does not benifet the tank dramtically - as if a tank had a problem with absorbing Oxygen adding an air stone wouldn't be the best cure.

However fish appear to enjoy playing in airstones and they are nice feature to look at in a tank

 

[Nik]

Not a clear cut answer but here is what I know.

The water in your aquarium absorbs oxygen through the surface. If a tank is not over stocked then this oxygen intank is usually fine.
The higher the temperature within the tank the lower the content of oxygen in the water.
To increase oxygen in the water a pump (Fluval etc...) can be used. The pump will irratate the surface thus allowing more oxygen to be absorbed into the tank. Fluval style internal pumps also have a "snorkel type" air in take adaption which will also increase oxygen levels.
Planting an aquarium will also increase oxygen. Oxygen is a by product of the process called photosynthesis (where plants turn sunlight into energy using carbon dioxide).

Hope some of that helps.

 

[AquaNut]

I think the main points of oxygenation have been covered here. (I only use airstones at night when my live plants are consuming oxygen and giving off CO2). Anyway, I just wanted to add that you should investigate what kind of water conditions your fish prefer. Some fish like to be in highly agitated water, as it mimics the fast moving rivers they originated from. Other fish prefer very still water, as it mimics their natural habitat. If you have lots of guppies or danios who love to swim in the current, by all means, turn up your air pump. However, if you have something like gouramis, they'll spend most of their time trying to find refuge from the current.

 

[rosie T.]

Hey everyone... Quick question... If you have an airstone, do you have to keep it on a good majority of the time? Or only we you feel the need to?

 

[Great Lakes]

It is correct that the reoxygenation, (That can't possibly be a word?), of your tank occurs at the surface due to gas exchange with the atmosphere. What fails to be taken into account is new building practices that create extremely airtight homes. This tends to raise indoor CO2 levels to a point where the exchange rate is not as efficient as one would want.

I have heard of people opening a window next to their tank and raising ph a half to a full point. This happens because dissolved CO2 tends to reduce ph.

GL

 

[Dubby]

Rosie T,

If you are using the airstone to aerate the tank then you will need to keep it on for atleast a few hours so it can do its job. If not, you can keep it as long as you want