Do I NEED an air stone?

[corylover5]

I have a 29 gallon with lots of live plants. I have 3 mollies, 1 platy, 10 cories, 3 upside down cats, and snails. Do I absoloutley need an air stone? I have a HOB filter already creating surface agitation. I got Red Root floaters today and the air stone keeps pushing them into a little corner. Could I leave the air stone off? Thanks!

 

[WhistlingBadger]

No, between the plants and the HOB you should have plenty of O2 in the water.

 

[corylover5]

Awesome! Thank you! I do feel slightly bad taking it out as my cories love swimming through it

 

[Sgooosh]

Awesome! Thank you! I do feel slightly bad taking it out as my cories love swimming through it

if they like it you should keep it. its not bad for them lol

 

[corylover5]

if they like it you should keep it. its not bad for them lol

I know it's not bad for them but it's causing my floating plants to get pushed in a corner where they keep clumping up. Poor little cories

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I'm sure, with counseling, they'll come to forgive you.

 

[Sgooosh]

I know it's not bad for them but it's causing my floating plants to get pushed in a corner where they keep clumping up. Poor little cories

aww try connecting straws by folding a straw and inserting it into another straw to create shapes(bendable plastic) it helps keeps the floaters in place. i call my creation "the floater pen". and then tape it to a side of the tank

 

[corylover5]

aww try connecting straws by folding a straw and inserting it into another straw to create shapes(bendable plastic) it helps keeps the floaters in place. i call my creation "the floater pen". and then tape it to a side of the tank

yep! I had done that but sadly the floating plants clumped in a corner of the straw floating area

 

[FroFro]

You can purchase air flow valves at most big box pet stores, I use one with two openings for my one air pump that powers two sponge filters in my 65 gallon. So that the air flow between both is even, with a small turn I can change the flow for each one. Single ones exist as well, I see these at my local petco all the time

 

[Sgooosh]

You can purchase air flow valves at most big box pet stores, I use one with two openings for my one air pump that powers two sponge filters in my 65 gallon. So that the air flow between both is even, with a small turn I can change the flow for each one. Single ones exist as well, I see these at my local petco all the time

View attachment 126187

wait how did you get "mostly new member"

 

[corylover5]

You can purchase air flow valves at most big box pet stores, I use one with two openings for my one air pump that powers two sponge filters in my 65 gallon. So that the air flow between both is even, with a small turn I can change the flow for each one. Single ones exist as well, I see these at my local petco all the time

View attachment 126187

thanks! I have an air pump that attatchs to it with something similar. It has a control nob but even when turned to the lowest setting it still pushes the plants

 

[Sgooosh]

thanks! I have an air pump that attatchs to it with something similar. It has a control nob but even when turned to the lowest setting it still pushes the plants

move the air stone? or put it under a lily pad or something

 

[corylover5]

move the air stone? or put it under a lily pad or something

I can't move it to the other side of my tank because I have duckweed on that side and duckweed plus an airstone pushing it around my tank would not end well

 

[Sgooosh]

move the air stone? or put it under a lily pad or something

wait... put it under some sorta platform! or put a cloth over it so it is more dispersed

 

[corylover5]

wait... put it under some sorta platform! or put a cloth over it so it is more dispersed

I'm not sure how a cloth would work. what kind of platform could I use?