Air Stones

[dprais1]

my story....
I have a 46 gallon tank with 3 large discus (6.5-7"), 3 cories, and 6 sarpae tetras, also a dozen or so crypt plants. I run an eheim cannister and an AC 70. Been running this for a while with weekly 70% waterchanges since they are full grown and only feed flakes and pellets.

On wed I did a waterchange and the AC became so noisy when I turned it back on I took it off. This was about noon. Went to bed about 11pm and all looked good, that eheim is packed with cycled filter media.

Woke up to a dead red marlboro which measured 6.75" and all the other fish gasping at the surface.

Added an airstone right away and within an hour they were all back to normal. Except the dead one, he stayed dead.

The eheim was working but how I have it set up it creates close to zero surface agitation.

Do you need an airstone? maybe not, but I now consider it easy insurance.

[NEangler]

My discus seem to be really liking the extra current i've provided them with the powerheads for a couple months now. I use one on each end of the tank. I had a few discus that hung near the back of the tank and seemed a bit shy to join the feeding frenzy before the extra current. It didn't take long for them to contantly move and swim with the others on a constant basis once the current came. Now they are eating like the others. Not too much current to overpower them, but they can certainly handle a gd amount through powerheads and seem to be thriving on it so far ime

[bluelagoon]

my story....
I have a 46 gallon tank with 3 large discus (6.5-7"), 3 cories, and 6 sarpae tetras, also a dozen or so crypt plants. I run an eheim cannister and an AC 70. Been running this for a while with weekly 70% waterchanges since they are full grown and only feed flakes and pellets.

On wed I did a waterchange and the AC became so noisy when I turned it back on I took it off. This was about noon. Went to bed about 11pm and all looked good, that eheim is packed with cycled filter media.

Woke up to a dead red marlboro which measured 6.75" and all the other fish gasping at the surface.

Added an airstone right away and within an hour they were all back to normal. Except the dead one, he stayed dead.

The eheim was working but how I have it set up it creates close to zero surface agitation.

Do you need an airstone? maybe not, but I now consider it easy insurance.

Hi,Those canister filters should be set up so the out take is near the surface,so they can keep the tank oxygenated,then there is no need for an airstone.Airstones will break the surface and are great for sponge filters.

[dprais1]

Hi,Those canister filters should be set up so the out take is near the surface,so they can keep the tank oxygenated,then there is no need for an airstone.Airstones will break the surface and are great for sponge filters.

Agreed. But the tank is drilled with bulkheads and the canister is plumbed to those, creates a very clean look without pipes. The airstone is, in fact, now a part of a sponge filter.

[Neptune]

I always have my sump returns agitate the surface and never run air pumps.
Having returns near the surface and agitate the water is a win/win.

1. they agitate the surface.
2. they siphon-break sooner so you don't get a flood with a back siphon if you lose power to your sump. Of course with a canister that's a mute point.

[avraamp]

What about the PH levels and how the air stones affect these levels?

I have read many articles, forums etc. and as i understand it is good to use an air stone, but this usage increases the PH.
What about if we want to decrease the PH levels?
Is it better for our discus to decrease the ph and break the water surface with a filter for the aeration or use air stones for more safety?

[Paul Sabucchi]

I don't think that there is much difference in the effect on pH between an airstone or surface agitation by the return from a canister filter. You are anyway increasing gas exchanges at the interface between water and air. I also think it is not an issue unless you are using CO2 (a bit controversial anyway in a discus tank), whereby these icreased exchanges will disperse a fair bit of the CO2 you are attempting to put in the water. Ciao

[avraamp]

I don't think that there is much difference in the effect on pH between an airstone or surface agitation by the return from a canister filter. You are anyway increasing gas exchanges at the interface between water and air. I also think it is not an issue unless you are using CO2 (a bit controversial anyway in a discus tank), whereby these icreased exchanges will disperse a fair bit of the CO2 you are attempting to put in the water. Ciao

I do not use co2
I have some easy plants like echinodorus and egeria.
I think there is difference between filter and air stone.
Since I started using air stone the ph increased from 7 to 7,6.

[LizStreithorst]

All I know is that I would love to find a cheap source for the Asian air stones. They cost nothing over there but by the time they get here they cost more than an airstone is worth.

[Filip]

I do not use co2
I have some easy plants like echinodorus and egeria.
I think there is difference between filter and air stone.
Since I started using air stone the ph increased from 7 to 7,6.

Makis , the principal of Oxygenation of the water column I.e. Enriching the water with O2 from the Atmosphere is the same , no matter what you use to achieve that , be it air stone or canister .
The most important air exchange happens Via gas exchange from the surface movement of the water , and not the bubbles from the airstone we see In the water .

PH straight from tap can change, because of the dissolved gasses in the tap water (mainly Co 2 ) , but that's only temporarly (24 hours at most )until it stabilizes .
Once the PH stabilise it should not shift any further .

[avraamp]

Makis , the principal of Oxygenation of the water column I.e. Enriching the water with O2 from the Atmosphere is the same , no matter what you use to achieve that , be it air stone or canister .
The most important air exchange happens Via gas exchange from the surface movement of the water , and not the bubbles from the airstone we see In the water .

PH straight from tap can change, because of the dissolved gasses in the tap water (mainly Co 2 ) , but that's only temporarly (24 hours at most )until it stabilizes .
Once the PH stabilise it should not shift any further .

I totally agree about the surface movement and not the bubbles from the airstone we see in the water that enriches with O2 but if both canister moves the surface and air stone usage the PH may increase more than if only a canister is used.

I have decided to keep the air stone for safety, even if the PH level should be a little higher. On the other hand i believe the PH will drop down after some months due to usage of RO water.

[sayid]

After reading all the comments i have decided to have an air stone even if it only serves as a cheap insurance against a malfunction of filter etc .
About a year ago i found my both prefilters imploded effectively blocked both canisters when i came down in the morning ,all the fish were gasping on the surface and my alpha blue discus 7 inch was head standing in a plant pot even though it was still alive in the morning it eventually died from swim bladder infection .
Thanks every body for reminding me .