Airstone at night: who does it and for how long?

[DBridges]

Just like the title says, who here uses an airstone at night in their planted tank(s)? If so, for how long?

I'm thinking about doing this, but I've never used one before in a planted tank. Just looking for input.

David

[HD Blazingwolf]

Works great. Before i went overflow and wet/dry sump i ran an airstone for 11 hours at night on a timer shortly after lights went out to about 30 minutes before c02 came on in the morning. Breaks up the surface film well, and helps add oxygen for beneficial bacteria.

[Rainer]

I do from lights out until leaving for work the next morning. It's the only way I would consider having nice shrimp in a high tech tank, assuming it can be done safely at all.

[jeremyTR]

I do. From lights out till lights on

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[OVT]

Originally Posted by jeremyTR

I do. From lights out till lights on

+1 same, in over-planted and or over-stocked tanks. Keeps the fish alive.

[Williak]

After switching from a HOB to a powerhead.... and losing a few neons.... I started running one at night.

Starts when lights go off, and stops an hour before lights come on. Haven't had any fish at the surface since.

[BBradbury]

Originally Posted by DBridges

Just like the title says, who here uses an airstone at night in their planted tank(s)? If so, for how long?

I'm thinking about doing this, but I've never used one before in a planted tank. Just looking for input.

David

Hello D...

If you use standard filtration, you don't need to use an airstone. The filter will create sufficient water movement on the surface so the oxygen is mixed with the tank water and the water movement allows the carbon dioxide to escape.

B

[proaudio55]

Yep, I use an air-stone; In the past I didn't, but then got a loach... After I found him gasping at the surface a few times, I decided to bubble the tank.
I know I'm losing CO2, but it definitively makes Ralph more comfortable.

[pandamonium]

i am not doing it now since i am running a low tech tank and my tank is fairly understocked (3 GBRs, 3 honeycomb cats, and a couple tetras) so my plants could use the extra CO2 built up overnight. i havent seen my fish gasping for air at the surface yet. i do have one on a valve though so i can turn it on and off. when the air stone is off, the air pump runs through a line i have set above my aquarium to aerate the frogbit

[Jedi_Pizza]

I am agitating the surface with the outflow from my pump and this appears to be working just fine. It is a little noisy though.

I have a 30 litre Red Cherry only tank. If I ran an airstone on a timer, for 9 hours overnight, would that oxygenate the water enough for the following 15 hours?

I have some mossballs in at the moment and will have a small section of riccia carpet and some wood covered in javamoss and three hornworts.

[HD Blazingwolf]

Originally Posted by Jedi_Pizza

I am agitating the surface with the outflow from my pump and this appears to be working just fine. It is a little noisy though.

I have a 30 litre Red Cherry only tank. If I ran an airstone on a timer, for 9 hours overnight, would that oxygenate the water enough for the following 15 hours?

I have some mossballs in at the moment and will have a small section of riccia carpet and some wood covered in javamoss and three hornworts.

No it will not. Continual surface agitation of some kind is the key for oxygen adition. That is the primary way bubblers add oxygen to the water. The bubbles themselves do not dissolve much

[if_fishes_were_wishes]

I've never used one in my 55. 3 filters helps with water movement, so I'm not worried. Everyone has been happy, so no airstone for me.

[DBridges]

To give everyone a better picture of what I have going on (should have said this up front), I have two Aquaball powerheads aimed up, near the surface, that add a slight ripple to the water. Nothing dramatic for sure. Otherwise, the spraybar on my filter is four inches or so below the water line and doesn't disturb the surface of the water very much.

The tank is heavily planted now (just started it, so will become more so as time goes by of course) and I eventually plan to have a good size school of tetras and a school of cories, as well as some shrimp (no animals right now at all, though). Tank is 65 gallons, with CO2 added via a Atomic diffuser.

So, I'm gathering the airstone would indeed be a good idea prior to getting fish, yes?

Thanks again!

David

[if_fishes_were_wishes]

I would move the spray bar up so it does disturb the surface, if you can.

I've never used CO2, so I honestly don't know if an airstone will help....I've never used one in my tank (CO2 free).

[Trickerie]

I use a koralia nano 240 near the surface, pointing upwards at about 30 deg for continual agitation, day and night, but no white water or splashing. Pressurized co2 at about 2-3 bps.