Bubble Wands

[Archiediamond]

I've got a ten-gallon tank with half a dozen diamond tetras and two sterbai corys in it. The corys were just introduced from quarantine yesterday and one of them had slightly pink gills so I was advised to get a bubble wand so as to increase the aeration of the tank (the ammonia levels etc were all fine). Anyway, I got the bubble wand today and, even with the smallest available pump, there's a hell of a lot of bubbles and the fish don't seem too keen on it at all!! Are wands really necessary in a tank this size? Is there anything actually WRONG with having a bubble wand? Or should I be patient and see if the fish warm to it? Thanks guys!!

 

[gizmo001i]

If you want to use the bubble wand, then invest in an airline check valve. They cost a few pence and will allow you to control the amount of air flowing to the stone. That way you can control the bubble stream, from a few bubbles to a full on bubble curtain. Hope this helps.

 

[Archiediamond]

Thank you! Any idea where I can get them and what I should do with them once I've got them? I ended up switching off my bubble wand as it was so noisy and was terrifying my corys so much I thought they'd died.

 

[SamUK]

you only need it if your fish are gasping quite fast cos that means theres not enough 02 in the water.


having your filter quite high up so the output is breaking the surface of the water does the job jus fine tho.

 

[MasterP]

i'm with samUk get your fiter to break the water surface and you could put a bubble wand in but if you have plants than it reduces the amount of CO2 in the water and will eventually kill your plants.

 

[Kesaph]

How does having a bubble producer reduce the amount of CO2?

If you have plants wouldn't it make sense to run the bubble filter during the day and turn it off at night when plants naturally produce O2?

 

[andywg]

the bubble wand will increase (though not greatly) the surface area for gas exchange, thus forcing out any added CO2 for planted tanks.

If you were to run a bubble wand in a planted tank you would want to run it at night. During the day the plants photosynthesize (a product of which is the absorbption of CO2 and the expulsion of Oxygen). At night plants aerobically respire. Just like humans they take in oxygen and expel CO2. This is why you should not rely on plants for added oxygen.

 

[steelhealr]

Bubble wands work like any type of airstone: they increase water movement from the bottom of the tank to the surface. In so doing, they bring water from lower areas of oxygen concentration to higher(ie, the surface). This constant water movement can help 'blow off' CO2, lower CO2 concentration and and raise pH.

Plants respire at night. They take in 02 and give off CO2 just like humans. SH

 

[Kesaph]

Doh! I can't believe i got that the wrong way round.
Thanks.

 

[Seidge]

i have bubble wand in my tank and my corys love it they play in the bubbles together with the danios taking it in tunrs to rush through, YES they actually line up, this is the weirdest thing i have ever seen, polite fish.

A note to you though, fit the tube with a non return valve ( around 99p) to stop the water being siphoned of or sucked into your air pump when you turn it off. I learnt the hard way, i turned the air pump off went to bed and the next morning my tank has nearly emptied itself and of course destroyed the pump.

 

[samyboy]

ive got a bubbler on a timer, 15mins on 15mins off 15 mins on 15 mins off............and so on

 

[Iron Man]

ive got a bubbler on a timer, 15mins on 15mins off 15 mins on 15 mins off............and so on

I would never have thought of that.....timed bubbles....that's a great idea!

A check valve (non return valve) would definately be a must for that.

 

[jpedersen024]

i have bubble wand in my tank and my corys love it they play in the bubbles together with the danios taking it in tunrs to rush through, YES they actually line up, this is the weirdest thing i have ever seen, polite fish.

A note to you though, fit the tube with a non return valve ( around 99p) to stop the water being siphoned of or sucked into your air pump when you turn it off. I learnt the hard way, i turned the air pump off went to bed and the next morning my tank has nearly emptied itself and of course destroyed the pump.

DOH!!

THANK YOU for this!!! And to think I have been wondering where in the world that (small - thank goodness!!) puddle of water has been coming from all week!!!!!

Pass the dunce cap please.

Thankfully my pump is placed on top of my hood, probably preventing it from continuing to siphon out the rest of the day!! Eegads. 55g would be a lot on my carpet.

The things you learn while surfing on here!!