How Important Are Airstones / Air Columns?

[Geekborg]

I sometimes wonder just how useful / beneficial airstones / air columns are in aquaria?

Do they actually help to aerate the water or is it more for display rather than anything else?

Sometimes I think my fish seem more frightened of the air columns than anything else.

 

[Teelie]

Mostly they're a display though if you have poor surface agitation (some internal filters or underwater filter return not near the surface) then they can be useful. They don't add air directly to the water but break the surface of the water where gas exchange takes place.

The more surface breaking going on, the better the gas exchange and the better oxygenated the water. There is of course a point where there's too much. Like when water starts splashing out of the tank.

Usually a good filter or anything that constantly breaks the surface of the water is adequate though.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Geekborg

I posted on your other thread before I saw this one, but my first thought when I saw the pictures is that you might have too much water movement.

As long as there is some movement at the surface, you will be getting an oxygen in the water. A normal filter will usually be enough to do the job. I suggest turning them off for a few days and see if it makes a difference.

If you like their looks, but want to reduce the amount of water movement, you can get a gang valve and bleed off some of the excess air coming from the pump. This is what you would be looking for:

http/www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=49

You would put it on the airline and attach one or both of the airlines running to the airstones to it. Then open the extra valve to let a little air escape. If you want to cut back to one airstone, a two way gang valve will work fine.

 

[Geekborg]

Thankyou for your advice Inchworm and Teelie I appreciate your help a great deal.

I will try turning off the bubbles and see how the fishes respond.

 

[Bignose]

While the bubble is in the water for too short of a time for significant gas exchange to occur, the bubbles do have at least one true benefit. As they rise, they drag water up along with them. And since some water goes up, in another palce in the tank, some water must go down. This sets up some nice recirculation so that there are less stagnant areas in the tank. This is what I primarily use bubblers for.

 

[xoedusk]

While the bubble is in the water for too short of a time for significant gas exchange to occur, the bubbles do have at least one true benefit. As they rise, they drag water up along with them. And since some water goes up, in another palce in the tank, some water must go down. This sets up some nice recirculation so that there are less stagnant areas in the tank. This is what I primarily use bubblers for.

This is definitely the reason I like them. I put some airstones where the current from the filter doesn't reach.

 

[vancouver]

The tank has too many fish in it... it's not the air bubbles that's bothering them.

If anything, the air bubbles are doing them good, as oxygen is very important when you've got sooo many fish in such a small tank.

 

[ItsMyThing]

I've always been told that there was plenty of O2 in the water without a bubbler (air stone). That is, so long as you have water movement from your filter. I don't currently have one in any of my three tanks, but I have had them before... my fish seemed to enjoy playing in the bubbles.

 

[andyt_uk]

i've never used one, should be no need from an o2 point of view.
dont know about other makes, but when i got my tank juwel didnt guarantee the tank seals if you used an air stone!

 

[Naughtygirlrlw]

You can also tie a loose knot in the airline tubing, you'll still get bubbles but not a mad rush of them.