Air Pump Necessary Or What?

[snowballPLECO]

Is it necessary?

 

[CanadianFishFan]

Depends, what fish do you have? What size of tank? What filter do you have? Picture of the tank maybe?

 

[Fashooga]

It depends on the filter and how much water agitation you get from them. In my 90 I had to add a bubbler when all my fish were at the corner of the tank gasping for air...

 

[snowballPLECO]

15g column tank

 

[CanadianFishFan]

It depends on the filter and how much water agitation you get from them. In my 90 I had to add a bubbler when all my fish were at the corner of the tank gasping for air...

Agree, if they dont have anything yet depending on the fish id suggest sponge filters as there a two in one!

15g column tank

Any fish or filter in there?

 

[finnipper59]

Yes Joey, use an airstone that has enough air tubing for it to go all the way to the bottom. Oxygen exchange only happens at the water's surface. The rising bubbles will bring the poorly oxygenated water to the surface forcing the oxygenated water down. Air stones are a common necessity for column type tanks.

 

[Fanatic]

They are by no means necessary, personal preference.
I used bubblers in tanks that have fish which need air, like labyrinth fish that breathe air from the surface.

 

[finnipper59]

Ok. Let's say it's personal preference. I will agree that fishes that have labyrinth organs and cories with swallowed air bubbles that can get oxygen from their guts as being fine for column tanks. But try som species that don't have an auxiliary breathing apparatus without an airstone (or at least an inake filter hose close to the bottom) and see if the mid swimmers don't start hanging at the surface of the tank. He didn't jus say a 15 gallon tank he specifically said it was a column 15 gallon tank.

They are by no means necessary, personal preference.
I used bubblers in tanks that have fish which need air, like labyrinth fish that breathe air from the surface.

 

[Mick Frost]

Depends on a myriad of different factors. With enough plants and a light enough bioload, you can run a circulation-only system. Remove the plants, or increase the bioload, and you will need surface agitation.
Due to the small surface area you're working with, (my opinion is that) yes, a bubbler is mandatory. You will get better oxygenation and better circulation with an airstone than with any affordable off-the-shelf power filter (not including spray bars, but they're extremely loud by the time you crank it up enough to penetrate that deep).
Putting a Sponge Filter at the bottom will add biological filtration without any extra electrical load, so you're meeting all the needs of the required system on 4w of electricity, with only popping bubbles and a mild hum to keep you awake at night.

 

[finnipper59]

Depends on a myriad of different factors. With enough plants and a light enough bioload, you can run a circulation-only system. Remove the plants, or increase the bioload, and you will need surface agitation.
Due to the small surface area you're working with, (my opinion is that) yes, a bubbler is mandatory. You will get better oxygenation and better circulation with an airstone than with any affordable off-the-shelf power filter (not including spray bars, but they're extremely loud by the time you crank it up enough to penetrate that deep).
Putting a Sponge Filter at the bottom will add biological filtration without any extra electrical load, so you're meeting all the needs of the required system on 4w of electricity, with only popping bubbles and a mild hum to keep you awake at night.

Ok...the sponge filter at the bottom sounds like a really good idea. And along with my canister filter, I'm one of those old timers that still uses underground filters along with the canister filter running 3 air stones and it's a new one that I got about 3 months ago. You can only hear the bubbles. I swear you cannot hear the air pump at all. I bought Whisper brand for years. This one is a Fusion.

 

[bzambo66]

Ok...the sponge filter at the bottom sounds like a really good idea. And along with my canister filter, I'm one of those old timers that still uses underground filters along with the canister filter running 3 air stones and it's a new one that I got about 3 months ago. You can only hear the bubbles. I swear you cannot hear the air pump at all. I bought Whisper brand for years. This one is a Fusion.

So I'm interested in this now...I plan on using a canister and sponge filter for my 75 gallon. My issue lies in if I should add ADDITIONAL airstones to this or if that's not necessary. Also, where should I place my sponge filter in the tank. I'll have the intake on one side and the output on the other. Any suggestions?

 

[By-tor]

So I'm interested in this now...I plan on using a canister and sponge filter for my 75 gallon. My issue lies in if I should add ADDITIONAL airstones to this or if that's not necessary. Also, where should I place my sponge filter in the tank. I'll have the intake on one side and the output on the other. Any suggestions?

I think you should put anything that emits bubbles away from the filter intake. You don't want the filter intake sucking air bubbles in.