Air Stones?

[kaiser72]

Hi Guys & Gals, are air stones really needed for discus. i have a fluva 305 filter on my 4ft display tankwith a small air curtain & 1 round air stone. a 16w uv sterilizer. i just added 2 stones into my breeding tank set up, 1 in the 4ft & 1 in one of my 2 foot tanks. only the 2 footer has 7 juvies in it.
any feedback will be appreciated.
Troy

[the german]

you can run them without but then you need a lot of surface movement.
you can do that with the outlet of your pump.
but i would say you better use an airstone.it is safer

[mcloughlin2]

You only need them if you are:

1) Having a high stocking level in your tank and your not running a filter with a outlet that can create alot of bubbles.

2) You are running a sponge filter.

3) On hot days the oxygen level in the tank can drop and the addition of a airstone can save your fishes lives

[kaiser72]

Hot days!! yesterday it reached 42 Deg here in gracemere 5 mins west of Rockhampton. i suppose i am lucky my young fish survived!!
Cheers.

[the german]

You only need them if you are:

1) Having a high stocking level in your tank and your not running a filter with a outlet that can create alot of bubbles.

2) You are running a sponge filter.

3) On hot days the oxygen level in the tank can drop and the addition of a airstone can save your fishes lives


i have high stocking levels(22l/fish 6adult+5 juv.8-10cm) and we had a few very hot days in perth,i dont use air stones at all but i must say that my surface movement is away higher than most tanks with an air stone.

sponge filter?do you mean the ones are used in breeding tanks?
my filters are packed with sponges and i have no probs with oxygen the fish are all breathing slow and relaxed.
anyway for most people it is better to run an air stone

[FishLover]

Don't need them and don't use them.

Most of the sandstone air stones will increase your pH.

[mcloughlin2]

You only need them if you are:

1) Having a high stocking level in your tank and your not running a filter with a outlet that can create alot of bubbles.

2) You are running a sponge filter.

3) On hot days the oxygen level in the tank can drop and the addition of a airstone can save your fishes lives


i have high stocking levels(22l/fish 6adult+5 juv.8-10cm) and we had a few very hot days in perth,i dont use air stones at all but i must say that my surface movement is away higher than most tanks with an air stone.

sponge filter?do you mean the ones are used in breeding tanks?
my filters are packed with sponges and i have no probs with oxygen the fish are all breathing slow and relaxed.
anyway for most people it is better to run an air stone

German, I mean that you need airstones to run the sponge filters lol.

I also said sometimes the oxygen levels in our tanks can drop suring very hot days. I know some people who have lost everything because of that.

[Merrilyn]

You can never have atoo much oxygen or too much clean water in a discus tank :wink:

[ozarowana]

Remember some medications reduce oxygen levels aswell.

I like the plastic multicoloured ones, they don't clog easily and are cleanable.

[FishLover]

Air stones are needed for oxygen. There are few cases you will need them:

1. If you have a fish tank that has odd shape and lack of surface area, you may use air stone to increase the gas exchange to get enough oxygen in the water.
2. If you have a high stocking level, which means the fish will use up oxgyen faster than the gas exchange can replace. You will need the added help from air stone.
3. After some meds, when the oxgyen level is low.
4. If you see your fish gasping at the top of the tank. That means for whatever reason, there is not enough oxgyen in the water. Drop in a airstone ASAP.
5. When there is a bacteria boom in the tank. Sometimes that will reduce the oxgyen in the tank too.
6. When water temp is too high.


As for normal tank with enough surface water movement. There is no need for airstones. Some people just want to use them as an insurance to make sure the fish have enough oxgyen.

To me, I don't think they are needed for every day since I have a normal tank and use the return water outlet from my cannister filters to create enough water movement on top. They are just too much troble, especially they make noise and break down easy.

[FishLover]

7. Forget to add if you are using it to power your sponge filter or UGF

[fish_r]

u forgot to add another FL
8. to disperse co2 at night, if using co2 that is...

[FishLover]

You can use a timmer to stop injecting co2 at night. The plants can not use co2 at night anyway. Save you some money on buying co2.