I heard air stones can displace CO2
- Thread starter dereks
- Start date
Yes, it can/will.
Might not be a problem if you aren't injecting CO2 artificially, or if you have a high fish load.
But it will .
Sure you need an air stone? If you really need or want to add one, I'm not sure there's a good reason to have it in a timer, maybe just have it run at night when the plants are repairing but that kind of loses the visual appeal .
Might not be a problem if you aren't injecting CO2 artificially, or if you have a high fish load.
But it will .
Sure you need an air stone? If you really need or want to add one, I'm not sure there's a good reason to have it in a timer, maybe just have it run at night when the plants are repairing but that kind of loses the visual appeal .
Thanks! And yea, you guessed it (more for visual appeal). And the white noise hum. I realize not everyone likes how they look. I like them in certain setups though. Not all. But i like the nano / betta tank air stones.
In a 3 gallon with low tech plants like that you’re fine. An airstone can off gas a bit of CO 2 but in a non injected setup it’s not going to make or break plant growth. Java fern and moss don’t need much anyway. If you want extra surface agitation you can run itand putting it on a timer at night is totally reasonable since plants aren’t using CO 2 in the dark. Honestly with a small tank like that your filter flow is probably enough on its own
Yea? I noticed that filter hardly has any flow at all. Hoping the light will be enough for the plants. The tank was advertised as a plant tank/light. So I hope.
If the flow is that low an airstone wouldn’t hurt for circulation. And for java fern and moss that light should be fine. They’re pretty low demand plants so you should be good
There's some truth to it, but it's often misunderstood. An air stone doesn't directly remove CO2 from the water; it increases surface agitation, which speeds up gas exchange. If your tank has elevated CO2 levels from injection, an air stone can reduce them. In a low-tech tank like yours with Java fern, moss, and moneywort, CO2 is usually already close to atmospheric equilibrium, so the effect is generally minimal.
Many people run an air stone only at night on a timer, especially in planted tanks, since plants stop consuming CO2 after the lights go out and oxygen levels can drop. For a 3-gallon betta tank with hardy plants, either running it at night or not using one at all would be perfectly reasonable unless you're seeing signs of low oxygen or poor circulation.
Many people run an air stone only at night on a timer, especially in planted tanks, since plants stop consuming CO2 after the lights go out and oxygen levels can drop. For a 3-gallon betta tank with hardy plants, either running it at night or not using one at all would be perfectly reasonable unless you're seeing signs of low oxygen or poor circulation.