Bubble Wall, Airstone
- Thread starter tetraboi
- Start date
Its useful for increasing surface aggitation, and for increasing tank circulation... and some fish seem to enjoy playing in the bubbles created by a wand/stone/etc.
Is it needed in your average everyday tank? IMO, no. Filtration and water movement should create enough surface aggitation to facilitate decent gas exchange between the water and far (if not, then reposition the output of your filter, powerhead, etc.). I personally find bubbles created by wands/stones/etc. to be a bit tacky myself.
HTH
-Richer
Is it needed in your average everyday tank? IMO, no. Filtration and water movement should create enough surface aggitation to facilitate decent gas exchange between the water and far (if not, then reposition the output of your filter, powerhead, etc.). I personally find bubbles created by wands/stones/etc. to be a bit tacky myself.
HTH
-Richer
These gadgets can be useful if your tanks get rather warm in the summer. Some fish need them if your tank doesnt get much water movement but like the above poster has said, they aren't nessessarily needed.
I have a few of these in certain tanks just because I like them. I like the noise with the bubbles and I like the fact that the tank looks more alive. They can be very tacky indeed...if not used in a artistic way.
I have a few of these in certain tanks just because I like them. I like the noise with the bubbles and I like the fact that the tank looks more alive. They can be very tacky indeed...if not used in a artistic way.
I use to have the bubble wall in a 55 gal. that you suction cup around the tank.
It was the green ones that you could buy sections to add together. I don't remember the exact name. They weren't made from stone.
They look cool, but the biggest complaint I had about them was that the Little suction cups kept popping off the glass. I could never keep them in place very long. They also clogged often.
I use a stone 'miniature bubble' type now that comes with a larger single suction cup. So far they haven't budged. You literally have to pry them to get them to come loose.
H.
It was the green ones that you could buy sections to add together. I don't remember the exact name. They weren't made from stone.
They look cool, but the biggest complaint I had about them was that the Little suction cups kept popping off the glass. I could never keep them in place very long. They also clogged often.
I use a stone 'miniature bubble' type now that comes with a larger single suction cup. So far they haven't budged. You literally have to pry them to get them to come loose.
H.
Dangerdoll
Global Moderator
I like the way they look too, if placed in a way that it "works with the tank" much like AFG has stated.... BUT I believe I reemember reading that they shouldn't be used in a planted tank...... maybe someone else can explain this one, I believe it has something to do with the CO2 exchange.
When CO2 supplement is used in planted tanks, the concentration of CO2 in the water is boosted several times above air-equilibrium concentrations to provide the plants with the needed carbon for growth and function. Due to the low concentrations of CO2 in air, air-equilibrium level will give ~2-5 ppm CO2 in tanks; supplemented tanks are operated at 15-30+ppm CO2. Extra aertation (whether from airstones or surface breaks from HOBs or canister spray bars, etc.) will blow off the extra CO2 down toward air-equilibrium levels. This negates the puprose of adding CO2 initially.
HTH
HTH
RTR, could you tell us what would happen in a planted tank without Co2 added if it has a bubble wall? I have often wondered about this because I knew what it would do to a tank which has Co2 added but was never sure what would happen in a tank w/o the Co2 being added. Would there still be 2-5 ppm in the tank or would there be slightly more due to the air stones?
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It should stay at air equilibrium. But we had a recent thread here where the calculated CO2 was well below air equilibrium. I hope it was a measurement inaccuracy (pH likely).
There have been many discussions on the web of whether or not rapid air exchange could help un-supplemented (for CO2) tanks get needed CO2 from the air, but IME, tanks with low-moderate light and no CO2 will have higher than equilibrium values for CO2 at least until well into the ligh cycle. I had rather have that - or I should say that my tanks behave better than under that practice than they do with a lot of surface breaks.
There have been many discussions on the web of whether or not rapid air exchange could help un-supplemented (for CO2) tanks get needed CO2 from the air, but IME, tanks with low-moderate light and no CO2 will have higher than equilibrium values for CO2 at least until well into the ligh cycle. I had rather have that - or I should say that my tanks behave better than under that practice than they do with a lot of surface breaks.
Thanks RTR...that actually helped clear up a lot and with that information I can make the best decision for my plants.