Are air stones beneficial?

[Mr Miagi]

Yes, sounds like your systems are great, with alot of surface aggitation, like mine! BUT! ( ) I still am of the opinion that an air stone is not complete waste of time. It does help with oxygenation and therefore (NOt in all systems i know) they are som what beneficial.

 

[Lateral Line]

CO2 is a lot less soluable in water then Oxygen. If you have a lot of surface movement, CO2 leaves solution into the atmosphere. In planted tanks this is a real issue. CO2 is added, and filters arranged such there is just enough surface movement to get Oxygen dissolving and distributed.

Airstones do not add Oxygen to the water directly, (or at least, very little), they create a lot of surface agitation which promotes gas exchange.

I haven't used an airstone in a regular tank for 20+years.

 

[fishwatcher]

Can I put my airstone (it's a 5" long bar) directly under the filter? I don't know if the air will mess up the filter, I guess is the question. I have 10-gal, and the fish love the extra bubbles, but it makes it have no real calm area if the bubbler is at the other end of the tank. (Make sense?)