How can I get more Oxygen in my water?

[TKOS]

Unless your fish are gasping at the surface for air, they have plenty of oxygen.

Generally itis colder water spcies that thrive on heavily oxygenated waters, such as koi, common goldfish and white cloud minnows.

There are barbs that do come from cooler water sthan tropical temps as well. I tend to keep my tanks at 76F max and all my fish do well. But as I said at the beginning, unless they are gasping or maybe acting sluggish they are probably fine.

 

[Kyohti]

I use both methods. On my 36 gallon, I have an HOB that touches the water's surface so there's not much rippling, but I keep an aerator to provide that. With my 10-g, I keep the water level low enough that the in-tank filter spills water down and creates the necessary ripples and flow.

Both tanks have healthy stock that show no signs of shortness of breath, lethargy, or any sign that they have anything but good oxygen flow in their water, despite the fact that both are kept at a high temp of 80+ which allows less oxygen than lower temperatures would.

However, once I begin to stock more fish in these tanks, the 10-gallon will be planted and have an HOB to provide more surface rippling and a higher water level to supplement the oxygen content. The 36-gallon will receive another HOB and a longer bubble wand to supplement the extra load... especially since bristlenoses like good aeration in their environment.

 

[Coler]

not to go dragging up old posts, but I just added a bubble want to my tank and it's just lovely

 

[SHK_ATK]

not to go dragging up old posts, but I just added a bubble want to my tank and it's just lovely

im glad you did b/c i got to see liv2pdls explanation..Very informative (as always)

 

[15GallonWonder]

I would like to see some scientific documentation that the water can exchange gases with air in contact with it at the surface, but can't with air in contact with it below the surface.

I agree, anytime water and air are in contact they will exchange gas in an attempt to come to equilibrium. I just think that the amount of exchange that occurs in the 1 second or less it take air to leave a stone and get to the surface is nearly negligible compared to the amount of exchange the surface of the water has. So in theory, there is definitely an exchange of oxygen in the bubbles as it doesn't know whether its submerged or not, its just not that much. The main key to a bubbler is that it creates a current of water and introduces water from lower in the tank to the surface and thus increases the gas exchange.

 

[GregS]

I think thit might have been said before, perhaps in a different way, but a bubbler/airsyone by making ripples is going to greatly increase the surface area at the surface. A wavy/ripply surface is providing more surface areafor exchange than a flat surface. __________________ vs /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

get the picture???

 

[livingword26]

Something else that needs to be taken into consideration is if you are injecting co2, like I am, and cannot shut if off at night because it is DIY, and you have a tightly fitting hood, then you may have a lot of co2 in the air above your surface, and not getting much of an o2 exchange through the rippling. I wanted to try to keep my bubbler shut off at night to keep my ph more stable, but all my guppies were at the surface this morning. So I guess I will run my bubbler at night.

 

[Derringer]

airstone and bubblers also help by forcing low oxygen water from the bottom to the top. Also, when bubbles hit the surface and open up, they create added surface area for oxygen interface

I would agree, the bubbles disturb the surface just as do other means; course they also stir up a lot of poooo; at least a bubble wand does.

 

[musho3210]

whats wrong with a powerhead lol?