Creative yet subtle aeration ideas?

DanB80TTS
  • #1
Will be keeping my 55 gallon at around 82f since I intend to keep some Rams and other warmer water fish.
Since the temperature is warmer I'd presume I'm going to need a bit of extra oxygen in the water column, I don't want aeration to look tacky.
How should I go about doing it? I will most likely be using the dual outlet air pump from Walmart since that is what I use on my other tanks. So I have the option to use two separate lines, I've contemplated a sponge filter but it would just be an eyesore and I have plenty of filtration already.
I'm wanting the tank to still look natural, the only options I see is to run a full length bubble wall, or do two air stones at either end of the tank, not sure how I would hide two air stones though. (insert head scratching emojI here)
 
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TexasDomer
  • #2
You could have the air bubbling up through some plants or through a decoration? That might hide the airstone.

For a bubble wand, you could slightly bury it so the top part is level with the substrate.
 
Ian Cost
  • #3
I have a "waterfall" decoration with the air tube in the corner behind it that bubbles up through the decoration directly behind a large clump of free floating hornwort. I barely notice it when I watch the fish and it aerates pretty well without being overly tacky. It probably helps that it is tall enough that the bubbles leave the decoration really high in the tank also.
 
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DanB80TTS
  • Thread Starter
  • #4
So I had an idea that might look ok or it might look terrible.
instead of doing the normal bubble wall along the back of the tank, do one at each end down the sides, that way from the front of the tank it shoudnt be all that noticeable. Unsure of how good it might look though.
 
hampalong
  • #5
The only option that will actually increase oxygen significantly is a constant stream
of bubbles carrying a realistic amount of water up to and across the surface, eg from a standard airstone. The odd bubble or two here and there would be purely decorative(?) and would not provide aeration.
 
DanB80TTS
  • Thread Starter
  • #6
I'm probably just being over cautious, I have an aqueon 75 creating a decent amount of surface agitation at one end and the spray bar of my canister on the other.
Since the temperature will be a little warmer than your average communit I'm wanting air stones to help out. It would be a constant stream of bubbles, the smaller the better. My 29 gallon has a decent bubbler at the back,it's hidden by plenty of plants and it's not too noticeable.
This new tank has poor lighting so the plants won't be able to hide anything very well.
 
EricV
  • #7
You could hide the airstones in some small black (or whatever color would blend in best for you) pvc pipes cut to length to run from the substrate to just below the surface. You'd still get the water flow and aeration but wouldn't have to see the constant stream of bubbles rising through the water column.
 
Shortfuuzze
  • #8
I ran 2 lines from my fluval air pump...both lines were hot glued to the tank (I hate how lines moved and come up from the substrate)

I used a "T" joint on both lines to split them, T joint was installed to give one stone more air then the other. I didn't want to see the same exact bubble pattern on all 4 stones...so now 2 push lots of air and 2 push less.

I've hidden 2 front stones behind small fake bushy plants I bought on amazon. 1 airstones behind my brooklyn bridge and the one in the middle.of the tank will eventually be hidden by my banana plant once I move it over from my other tank.

Def took some work before filling the tank but in the end it's so worth it. Everything looks neat and has its place, I also used black tubing since I have a darker background it blends in a bit better

 

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Littlebudda
  • #9
I ran 2 lines from my fluval air pump...both lines were hot glued to the tank (I hate how lines moved and come up from the substrate)

I used a "T" joint on both lines to split them, T joint was installed to give one stone more air then the other. I didn't want to see the same exact bubble pattern on all 4 stones...so now 2 push lots of air and 2 push less.

I've hidden 2 front stones behind small fake bushy plants I bought on amazon. 1 airstones behind my brooklyn bridge and the one in the middle.of the tank will eventually be hidden by my banana plant once I move it over from my other tank.

Def took some work before filling the tank but in the end it's so worth it. Everything looks neat and has its place, I also used black tubing since I have a darker background it blends in a bit better

That looks awesome


 
JimTheFishGuy
  • #10
Perhaps put the air stone inside an empty cartridge filter or a sump. The aeration would be added outside of the tank, then the oxygenated water would be pumped in by the return pump/filter.


 

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