Other methods to oxygenate water?

[jmattingly]

I've got a 125 gallon tank, and currently have two airstones for oxygen. I'm wondering if there is an alternative way to pump enough air into the water, so I can remove the airstones. I don't like how the tubes just hang out there in the tank.

I'm currently running a HOT Magnum filter, an Emperior 400 bio wheel, an Aqua Clear filter, and I have a powerhead set up to an undergravel filter. I know the powerhead has a snorkel that I could set up to put air into the tank.

Current fish are 2 pink gouramis, 1 very large pleco, 1 large Silver Scat, two catfish, and one small, unidentified fish. I'd like to add some angels and a few others in the future.

Will the filters alone put enough oxygen into the tank?

Thanks.

Joe

[Sly_Marbo]

As long as there is some surface agitation provided by the filters you should be fine. Some live plants wouldn't burt either, you would probably have to get rid of the UGF though.

[mishi8]

Airstones don't actually "put oxygen into the tank," they simply create additional surface agitation. The filters should agitate the surface enough for oxygenation on their own.

[Aqualung]

I agree with Sly. Airstones only supply oxygen to the water through surface agitation. A filter that provides movement at the surface of the water will do the same thing as air stones would. Live plants are a great benefit as well, if you want to go that route.

(Edit) - mishi was right on as well - posted at the same time that I did.

[echoofformless]

The only thing I want to add is that if your tank has a fairly tight seal at the top (iow - your hood or top has little to no open space for ventilation) than I would suggest still using the airstone (even if it isn't submerged) just to provide new air for the oxygen exchange.

[jmattingly]

Thanks, everyone.

I should have mentioned that I do have some live plants in the tank already. No snails either! I was surprised about that one.

The powerhead alone creates quite a lot of surface movement. With the other filters running, I should have quite a lot of air/water exchange.

Here I thought the airstones were somehow mixing oxygen into the water. I always wondered about that.

I guess the worst case is that I should pay attention to the fish for a few days after removing the airstones. Any gasping, and they go right back in.

Thanks again.

Joe

[Roan Art]

Joe,

Hrm, are you aware that scats are brackish to full marine fish? They need to be kept in brackish water and moved to saltwater as adults.

They are also schooling fish, and should be in groups of at least 3.

Roan

[jmattingly]

The tank is new to me, as are the fish. I knew the Scat was brackish. Didn't know about full salt water as an adult. He is definitely an adult at this point. The previous owner told me that while the Scat was a brackish fish, it would probably be OK in a fresh water tank.

I have another tank (55 gallon) that I was thinking of setting up as a salt water tank. That is far off in the future though. I guess I'm going to have to start thinking about what to do with him at this point.

Maybe I'll start looking for someone in Denver who wants a large Scat.

Thanks, Roan.

Joe

[Drekkyk]

I know a lot of people state that you only need the agitation of the surface for O2, but it seems to me that an airstone would be a huge help. All those bubbles create more surface area for the exchange to take place, not to mention creating that area in locations other than the surface of the tank. I'm not sure how much surface area it would add so maybe it is insignificant. Time to take a photo, count bubbles and measure bubbles, and start the math...I'll get back to you.