Do I Need An Airstone?

[Conners]

I recently bought myself a Cayman 80 aquarium from a local department store.
The tank comes complete with stand, lights, pump and filter (The filter is a Bluewave05)

I am planning on plenty of planting, but would I also need to install an airstone?

I can’t see anywhere I could attach it to the existing pump, so I would probably need a second pump, so don’t want to got to the expense if it is not required.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have read the pinned post about fishless cycling and have a question.
Do add the decoration and plants while you run the cycle or afterwards?

Thanks

Conners

 

[diet]

Feel free to correct me if im wrong guys.

You dont need an airstone at all for tanks the tank is mostly oxygenated by the movement of the water on the surface so if u have a small ripple etc on the surface from the exit end of the filter/pump that should be ok and seeing as you are having plants in the tank too this will also help to airate the tank.

I would add everything to the tank first before adding the fish this was u can have ur tank set up correctly with everything added first without the risk of adding decorations etc later and contaminating the tank. make sure u soak any decorations first in boiling water to kill of any germs and nasty bacteria etc and soak any wood in tap water till it sinks and stops turning the water brown etc (usually takes a few weeks)


Daniel

 

[khenghock]

I am no expert, but if you're going to go for heavy planting and also inject co2, then do not use an airstone as the agitation will cause a lot of co2 to be 'released' back to the air. I suggest you check out the planted section and read the pinned articles before deciding on what and how much plants you want.

On the other hand, should you choose to go without co2, adding an airstone might improve your water's co2 level, as your water's co2 level might be lower than air's. I am unsure about this though.

Hope this helps.

 

[Conners]

Thanks for the rapid replys.

I had not thought of using a CO2 kit, but I will read up on it.

Thanks again

Conners

 

[puddle_inc]

the only reason i even use an airstone for my guppies is just to keep the water circulating for my freshwater flat clams.

you don't really need an airstone, there usually just a waste of money and space. especially if your tank is highly planted.

good luck, and get us some pics for when ur tank is finished!

 

[Conners]

I will post some pictures, but it may do quite some time!

I bought the tank last Sunday. When I got home I washed my gravel thoroughly and put it in the tank, I then filled the tank up only to find in leaked
So I drained the tank down again

I called the shop who said that it could be my pump output nozzle splashing water out of the tank. So I filled it up again without the pump running, and it leaked again!

I then called the shop back who sent someone out the next day to see the leak in action, so yet another fill and drain (not bad, 3 complete fills in two days – lol)

They then took my tank away and have arranged a replacement tank from the manufactures, which should arrive tomorrow (Friday)

So I shall be starting to fill the tank again Then onto the cycling!

Conners

 

[jayling]

it would be awesome to see some pics of your tank...???/

 

[Torrean]

an airstone is usually a good (not necessary) addition to a tank. I'm no expert by the way, and as always triple check everything before you believe anything.

1. it will circulate the water bringing deoxygenated water to the surface to exchange gases.

2. it will greatly increase surface agitation again increasing gas exchange at the surface

3. if you have more fish than plants (in terms of co2 and o2 consumption and release) then the airstone will help keep the water oxygenated.

4. if you have more plants than fish (again in terms of co2 and o2 consumption and release) then the airstone will help keep the water "carbonated???" (is that the right term)

5. if you medicate it is often recommended that you run an airstone while you treat. So even if you do not use it all the time you will have it if you need it

6. if you are using a co2 injection system then it is probably a good idea to have an airstone in the tank too. See plants only consume co2 during the day. When the lights go out they switch to normal respiration just like you me and your fishy's. This means that you will have more co2 at night, which is why running an airstone at night is a good idea in a heavily planted tank.

7. You can use your airstone to create a few kinds of filters.
A. If you do not have a magnetic driven impeller on your filter you can put the airstone under a layer of sand which will airate the sand causeing aerobic bacteria to colonize the infinite surface area of each sand grain.
B. If you do have a magnetic driven impeller then you can use other things like ceramic chunks of gravel to get the same effect.
C. You can also make a sponge filter. I'll let you look that one up on your own if your interested

(magnetic driven impellers can (but usually are not) be damaged by sand grains floating in the water column...especially silica sand)

That's all I can think of for now.