Bubbles

[Vivid-Dawn]

I'm not sure if this goes here, but oh well...

Aeration is good for tanks, because the constant movement of the surface helps with oxygenating it. I've heard this quite a bit, so figure it's good advice. However... nobody really says anything about details of the bubbles themselves. So I wonder if it's better to have those little bubbles from air 'stones', or are bigger bubbles - like the kinds "active" decorations put out - the better thing? Or maybe I should just have some of both?

 

[FBF]

you know i dont think it really matters as long as you break the surface. (just moving it with the filter outlet is plenty enough) i think people put too much importance on this and over do it. if your fish dont have enough oxygen they will cling to the waters surface and will be physically panting for air.

 

[BigIan]

I`m planning to have a "wall" of bubbles down the back of my tank not solely because i want the water to be well airiated but also because i think it looks nice..

 

[tttnjfttt]

Honestly, bubbles are simply decorations and serve no real purpose in a healthy tank. The filter will stir up the water and provide all the oxygen necessary.

With that said, i do want to say that air stones are useful to help increase the oxygen in a tank when there is medicine in it or when the temperature is raised, as both decrease the oxygen in it.

Now to actually answer your quesiton, in terms of increasing oxygen in tanks that arebeing medicated, i think the small bubbles are more effective as they are constantly breaking the surface, opposed to the decoration bubble toys (like the treasure tank in Finding Nemo). Those only release bubbles periodically, so the constnant breaking of the surface isn't happening. Therefore, when a fish is sick, i woudl go for an airstone instead of a bubble toy.

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

I'm mostly just curious. In my big tank, I plan to have both a stone (which is already going), and hook up my bubble-toy soon.
But in my 20 gallon Neon Tetra tank, I dunno if I'll have enough room for both. I think I'll put a bubble wall behind the plants, mostly for looks... though my husband does have a dragon/gargoyle figurine that the wings flap as the bubbles build up & escape. I kinda wanna get one of those. I'm not much into the pirate/treasure chest theme.

Right now, I just have this. Ain't it nifty?
(bubbles come out the hood)

sorry about the bad picture quality... and that was the best take!

 

[tttnjfttt]

Looks nice. It really is for whatever you like as long as your fish are healthy. Neither is necessary and your fish are fine with or without and it.