Ok To Remove Air Stone?

Hi,

I was thinking of removing the air stone from my tank but don’t want to have any negative effects from lack of surface movement or oxygen.

This is a 38 gallon tank with many live plants. Aside from the air stone, the filters provide water movement and I have a fish house that bubbles from the chimney and the water wheel (see pictures)

The pictures show how the tank is now- but I was wondering if I could remove the air stone on the right side of tank?

 

I’m sure it would be alright, you would just have less surface agitation. Is there a reason you want to remove it?

 

I was actually wondering the same thing. I have 3 tanks that have live plants in them. I've read that because they produce oxygen in the water, there isn't any need for an aerator. I'm curious to see what others have to say.

 

I’m sure it would be alright, you would just have less surface agitation. Is there a reason you want to remove it?

Two reasons I’m considering removing air stone:

1. Want to make sure there’s a good balance of CO2 for my living plants

2. I think I would more enjoy having the tank look a little more peaceful without the extra bubbles
2.5 I do currently already having something (the house) providing bubbles/movement

 

Can you move the filter over to that side or move the heater closer to other water movement? You really don't have anything on the right to create a current to move the warmer water around the heater w/o the air stone.

 

The filter has to stay on the left side but the heater can move to be near the filters/ bubble house

 

Marzahtha is right, heaters should have better circulation. Moving the filter closer to the middle provide more circulation and surface agitation.

 

Marzahtha is right, heaters should have better circulation. Moving the filter closer to the middle provide more circulation and surface agitation.

Ok here’s a picture of how much surface agitation there would be without the air stone. I also scooted the filter further towards the middle- it’s not quite in the middle but almost. Would this be ok if I also moved the heater too?

 

Yes, move the heater to the middle, or the left side, and you should be good. You could move the filter back to its original position if you move the heater closer to it.

Marz

 

you could remove it or just set it up on a timer so it only runs at night.

 

looks to be enough agitation like that. as long as the ripples on the water surface goes all the way across the tank.

 

Hi,

I was thinking of removing the air stone from my tank but don’t want to have any negative effects from lack of surface movement or oxygen.

This is a 38 gallon tank with many live plants. Aside from the air stone, the filters provide water movement and I have a fish house that bubbles from the chimney and the water wheel (see pictures)

The pictures show how the tank is now- but I was wondering if I could remove the air stone on the right side of tank?

What did you decide to do? How is it working for you?

 

What did you decide to do? How is it working for you?

So far so good! The angelfish approve so much they’ve laid eggs twice since this original post haha.

 

Yeah, you can remove the air stone. Do you have an HOB filter? As long as the fish’s breathing seems ok then you’re fine removing it.

 

Yeah, you can remove the air stone. Do you have an HOB filter? As long as the fish’s breathing seems ok then you’re fine removing it.

Yes I haven’t noticed the fish having difficulty breathing and they all seem to be healthy.

 

I stopped using air stones years ago (like 18 years ago). I recently added one to my tank and I also have one in my QT tank.

There's some debate about it, especially when people add CO2 to their planted tanks.

Cory from Aquarium Coop convinced me with his argument that he believes every tank should have it as an extra layer of protection.

Everything might be fine but things could get tipped over by medication or a filter flow getting reduced and an air stones adds an extra layer of insurance that there's enough oxygen for the fish.

There's are two other layers of insurance that I have that involve air stones. I have these $8-12 battery backup pumps connected by y split and check valves to the air line. When power fails, these pumps turn on automatically and use D cell battery power to keep aeration going. I'm away a lot so I feel.better having this backup.

Additionally, I figured since I planned on having an air stone anyway, I decided to run the one in the125g
Through a sponge filter. I now have an extra filter that will run in a power outage automatically.

I just figured I'd give a different perspective on air stones.