Surface Agitation

[justintoxicated]

How much is enough?

I can remove all surface agitation in my tank, but I want the fish to have oxygen in the day time AND at night when the plants are not making any and sucking it up.

Right now I have my Fluval 204's spout about 1 inch under the water, maybe a little less, so it still ripples the surface but is not making any air bubbles in the water. Is this enough, is it too much? How can I tell?

 

[partsrep]

I would leave it as you have it and put an air pump with an air bubbler on a timer at night.

 

[justintoxicated]

arent those noisy though? This is in my bedroom.

 

[TipStylez]

^not if you get the right one.

Theres a thread made on the quietest air pump on here, search cause im lazy =p

 

[Sully]

oxygen exchange will occur without "ripples" movement is all that is really required. obviously more movement and agitation facilitates better gas exchange.

Are you sure you have an oxygen depletion problem neccestitating the use of airstones....?

 

[justintoxicated]

oxygen exchange will occur without "ripples" movement is all that is really required. obviously more movement and agitation facilitates better gas exchange.

Are you sure you have an oxygen depletion problem neccestitating the use of airstones....?

No but the fish do hang out at the top of the tank alot...all my snails go to the top at night also (applesnails).

Its not rippeling like crazy just a bit. Before I had almost no surface agitation, but there was movement enough to move the food around in a circle.

 

[joephys]

If there is non, and the tank is heavly planted and stocked all the o2 can get used up fairly quicly. I just have my filter going all the time, It provides some, but not a whole lot. Enough that my fish never gasp, and my co2 levels remain good.

 

[justintoxicated]

well i think im going to leave it where it is the fish seem pretty happy so far. They are going to miss my old whsipers 10i's current they love to swim against it. I don't think guppies stand a change against the current from the 204 in a 20 gallon tank lol.

For $55 I don't think I could have found a better filter...Hell I paid $40 for my zoomeds turtle filter. While it works really well in my vivarium for a light currrent and a good portion of media for a 2 gallon this thing is a beast WAY WYA WAY Better at least 4 times better...

 

[wickerman]

I have a Fluval about 3 & half inches under the water.
i get just a slight small ripple in the middle of the tank,i dont run a airstone at night and the fish are fine.
See how you get on,before moving stuff around.