kamakasi

hi
i have a 29 gallon tank with 14 fish in it as well as 15 plants (some are small) at the moment i have an air stone but if i took it out would the fish still survive?
thanks

Red1313

Hmm... The air stone is simply adding extra oxygen to the water for your fish as well as distrubing the water surface to allow for increased gas exchange. With plants in the water they're adding O2 through photosynthesis. However when you turn off your aquarium lights the plants use O2 as well as the fish. However the fish usually have a decreased O2 need as well. If you''re not adding CO2 I don't think that it matters much either way but it's your call. Someone else might be here to help you soon.
Good luck.

mathas

At your light levels and with no CO2, the air stone probably isn't hurting or helping your plants, but it may be helping your fish. The warmer water gets, the less oxygen it holds, and you are just slightly on the warm side.

If you do decide to remove it, keep an eye on the fish. If you see them spending a lot of time near the surface and/or gasping, reintroduce the air stone.

sirdarksol

It's not an issue. Even with the CO2 production, O2 is not usually displaced, so it's not a problem. Only if you've got a really high CO2 level does the O2 get displaced.
Aside from that, if you've got a HOB filter, the water is getting aerated there. I only have an airstone in my hex tank, because it's so deep and has such a small surface area. My other tanks (most of which are planted) don't have airstones and they're fine.

Allie

They be fine a long as you have a fliter in the tank.
We don't use them unless I want the pretty bubbles in my tank.

kamakasi

thanks
i'll keep the bubble.

pepetj

I agree that airstones are not a must have, but a good complement in all tanks, planted or not. And in my opinion they enhance the aesthetics of them.

I do keep planted tanks with as well as without airstones; the reason for the one without is due to too much electrical load in the nearby AC outlets (e.g. 160W water pump, 280W chiller).

Some of my fish seem to enjoy, even play with the air bubbles (e.g. Betta, Oscars, Panda Corydoras, Kuhli Loaches) and others likely ignore it (e.g. Angelfish, Green Severum, Fancy Guppies).

Pepe
Santo Domingo