Do I need to use an air stone?

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kcinimod

kcinimod

Candiru
MFK Member
Jan 18, 2006
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North Carolina
Hi! I have a 125g with 3 Rena XP3's attached for filtration. I've been using an air stone because i've always used them, but now i'm questioning whether I need em or not. I've googled the question and came up with mostly "No" answers... So i thought i'd bring it up here. Do I need to use an air stone to add oxygen to the tank? Thanks!
 
Technically, your not adding much 02 when using an airstone, but you do increase your surface area by breaking up the waters surface. They also help with circulation and a simple airtsone in a sponge filter is one of the most underrated filters you can use in certain settings.

Not necessary, but they certainly have some uses
 
I'm not a fan of air stones in my tanks either. They definitely do there job by adding some circulation and surface agitation. I add an AC 110 HOB filter to all my tanks instead. They work great for creating some turbulence and driving air to the bottom of even 30" tall tanks and added filtration. You can also adjust your return height of one of your Rena's to create the turbulence on the water surface needed to incorporate O2.


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If you have a good amount fo surface agitation, no.
 
kcinimod said:
Hi! I have a 125g with 3 Rena XP3's attached for filtration. I've been using an air stone because i've always used them, but now i'm questioning whether I need em or not. I've googled the question and came up with mostly "No" answers... So i thought i'd bring it up here. Do I need to use an air stone to add oxygen to the tank? Thanks!
Click to expand...

:Powerheads are used more often than air stones because breaking the water surface creates more oxygen than a simple a air bubble tube..
 
geronimo69 said:
No. Point one of the 3 rena's outputs to the surface. Agitation/oxygen worries evaporate ;-)
Click to expand...

Be careful with pointing outputs towards the surface. Your oxygen worries might evaporate, but when your water evaporates (i.e.- water level is lowered) you could end up with water on your floor unless you have tight fitting lids. This happened to my friend Ecoli...he was out of town for a week or two and got back to find his return spray bar spraying water out of his tank and onto his floor.
 
I run 2 Fluval FX5s and I have one output up high agitating the top of the water and the other output down lower.
 
airstones are attractice but they spray salt or lime crust onto surfaces so I quit using them , powerheads and filters also move and agitate more H2O
 
jft said:
airstones are attractice but they spray salt or lime crust onto surfaces so I quit using them , powerheads and filters also move and agitate more H2O
Click to expand...


Probably the biggest reason for me wanting to get rid of the air stone.. I hate scraping that crap off every few months. I moved my discharge hoses around in a such a way that there's movement
up top.. I also dropped in a power head that I haven't used in years. There's lots of movement and swirling up top now. Thanks for everyone's input!!

Dom
 
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