Do I need an air pump for Planted tank

Not sure if this is the right section to post in so if not I apologize admins! So I have a 125 with 4 angelfish, 3 rainbowfish, 1 senegal bichir, 2 snails and a bn pleco. The filter I'm running is an fx6, I have it turned down to about half flow. I have a decently planted tank as well. About a week and a half ago I noticed my fish seemed to be gasping so I bought an air pump and put it in the tank (this was before I put all of the plants in there). I know it's not always best to have an air pump in a planted tank but I'm worried my fish will start gasping again. The only surface agitation comes from air stone currently. We plan to get a spray bar soon but want to angle it so that it doesn't create too much flow and bother the angels. Will that cause enough surface agitation? Any advice is appreciated

 

Angling your spray bar (once you get it) towards the surface will provide plenty of agitation. Your plants will also help oxygenate the water, so oxygen shouldn't be a problem.

 

Angling your spray bar (once you get it) towards the surface will provide plenty of agitation. Your plants will also help oxygenate the water, so oxygen shouldn't be a problem.

That's what I thought, but some things that I read said you have to have surface agitation. Would plants along be enough?

 

As long as you are creating surface agitation (ripples on the surface of your water) then you wont need an air stone or pump, essentially all the pump and air stone is doing is creating surface agitation when the bubbles reach the top and *pop*. the bubbles inside the water themselves do nothing, the only time your tank is getting the oxygen it needs is when the surface is broken by either your filter being angled in a way where it creates ripples or when the air from the air stone and pump reach the surface and create movement.

Plants will oxygenate the water too yes but I'm not sure whether you need specific plants to do this job better, someone with more knowledge on that sort of thing will probably guide you better but as far as i am aware, yes it will oxygenate your water. I wouldn't rely solely on plants to do this though, i would defiantly break surface tension yourself with your filter outlet. It doesn't have to splash or anything, just create movement.

Just to add, you wouldn't even need a spray bar if you didn't want to use one, just angle your current outlet diagonally upwards towards the top of the tank

 

As long as you are creating surface agitation (ripples on the surface of your water) then you wont need an air stone or pump, essentially all the pump and air stone is doing is creating surface agitation when the bubbles reach the top and *pop*. the bubbles inside the water themselves do nothing, the only time your tank is getting the oxygen it needs is when the surface is broken by either your filter being angled in a way where it creates ripples or when the air from the air stone and pump reach the surface and create movement.

Plants will oxygenate the water too yes but I'm not sure whether you need specific plants to do this job better, someone with more knowledge on that sort of thing will probably guide you better but as far as i am aware, yes it will oxygenate your water. I wouldn't rely solely on plants to do this though, i would defiantly break surface tension yourself with your filter outlet. It doesn't have to splash or anything, just create movement.

Just to add, you wouldn't even need a spray bar if you didn't want to use one, just angle your current outlet diagonally upwards towards the top of the tank

Do you think the air stone will be bad for the plants? That's my real concern. I don't mind the air stone, I just am worried that it could negatively impact my plants

 

The only 'negative' affect an air stone would have on plants is if you are injecting CO2 into the tank. An air stone will cause it to degas quicker from the water. If you aren't injecting CO2 then an air stone will only help with natural gas exchange - though in most cases not necessary for a healthy functioning tank..

 

I personally haven't heard of an air stone impacting on plants health unless you injecting CO2 as well. in a low tech set-up with no CO2 it won't do much but is just overkill and doesn't look the best in your scape. I have heard about having too much oxygen in your tank is bad tho as the plants obviously need carbon dioxide to "eat" and too much oxygen throws the balance out of whack, I am no expert in that sector so take that with a pinch of salt but its just what I've heard through my experience. IMO I would take the air stone out and just use filter to agitate the surface

 

It takes a lot. I mean A LOT of surface agitation to oxygenate water. It's extremely ineffective. The entire surface of the tank has to be whitewater to match the effectiveness of a single air stone.

 

If your 125 gal. Is a six foot tank, then cranking up the FX6 up a bit shouldn't adversely effect the Angels. That should satisfy any aeration problem.

 

If your 125 gal. Is a six foot tank, then cranking up the FX6 up a bit shouldn't adversely effect the Angels. That should satisfy any aeration problem.

It's actually a 5 foot, it's an odd size. I believe it's 60x18x26, I may be a little off on the height though

 

That's the size of my 120 long, which is actually 122 gal.
I keep 75 fish in my 120, Barbs, Tetras, Loaches & two Cichlids.
Two Marineland Emperor 400's for filtration. No airstone & things are running fine.
The FX6 is the best canister Fluval has to offer. Don't be afraid to maximize it's use.

 

I have to echo AvalancheDave ; it takes a TON of air pump to get the oxygen levels to change much, the air we breathe at sea level is only 21% oxygen and it goes down from there as you climb. If you want to get really in the weeds it's possible that in a low tech the air stones are both nitrifying and adding naturally occurring CO2, again at a dismal rate.

The way I use my air stones in a heavily or moderately planted tank is to slightly adjust current flow as the the plants create their own little "dead spots". It's not enough flow to really move heavy detritus or claim significant gains but it really seems to help with heat distribution and pushes the lighter debris like floating leaves to the front of the tank for easier service.

Your tank currently looks very nice, and lightly planted, in 2-4 months as all that stuff grows in it will likely be a moderately planted tank, and you may find the taller plants mingling together a bit and making cooler spots or small debris piles. Strategically working with nozzles, and spray bars is the primary weapon, but a well placed stone can do allot as well. Sometimes you can't blast certain plants with a nozzle, in my case it's the full background and canopy of ludwigia, it just doesn't do as well with water aimed down at it, but it's great with air lifting it up. Most of my other plants are ok with spray bar style flow but a directed nozzle hasn't been my ticket yet. Doesn't mean it won't be one day though.