Arif is right
Planted tank people don't use airstones because we are after as little surface agitation as we can get so we don't drive the CO2 off that we are trying to retain for the plants. If the plants are doing OK they will create oxygen and therefore the cycle completes and looks after itself.
Some do use airstones at night to drive off CO2 when they are using yeast based CO2 which is on night and day, but at the end of the day they are worrying about nothing. It would take a seriously large amount of yeast based kits / bottles to overdose and it is almost impossible (if there is such a thing).
Some people - no names (see above me Them something. lol) leave pressurised on all night and say they have no problems.
In real life the water doesn't suddenly drive CO2 away. It will be a constant and therefore why should we need to.
I would leave the airstone out because if you are using pressurised you are driving away what you paid for and if you are using pressurised you are seriously worrying about nothing.
God I go into a rant on this subject sometimes (especially on yeast based kits DIY or bought kits)
There are many misconceptions spread by non researchers or people that are new to planted and have read another persons misconceptions, such as:
A planted tank takes longer to cycle!!! No it doesn't it virtually will not cycle because if it heavily planted then the plants will use most of the amonia thus no cycle. Therefore you can start (not dump 40 fish in though) pretty soon after planting. Just leaving the plants time to recover from being tampered with.
You need high lights to grow plants!!! No you don't you need high lights to grow a high tec super fast growing tank. Many on here including the experts have both high and low light tanks.
CO2 is only of benefit if you have over 2WPG!!! Co2 is always beneficial but is more necessary when you start ading more light.
I could go on and on but you will see what I mean. Take comments with a pinch of salt until you start to trust someones judgement or realise its someone like Tom Barr, George Farmer, Llj, Themulous, Dave Spencer, Zig, Moody (and all the others I hae not mentioned) who really do know what they are talking about through experiences good and bad, and just a damn near obsession with the hobby (although they all freely admit they are still learning like the rest of us)
Rant Over and feel free to ask more questions because I was in your shoes 6 months ago and nearly £1k richer too. Probably wasted £200-400 of that through rushing things or expecting too much too early and killed my whole livestock in the process of learning.
Andy
