stingray floating on top of water?!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I hear that agitating the water with powerheads does not create the oxygen and then I hear it does. I believe it does because the night that I almost lost my rays all I had was my powerheads, I pointed them upwards and they started to breath better.

I have airstones now and I notice no real difference if i use just powerheads or airstones.
 
As long as the top of the water moves, you're fine...kind of. The more fish, the more oxygen needed in the water, the more water movement you need at the top. It's also a good idea to leave a little room at the top. That way there's room for gas exchange. Plus rays (some more than others) like to climb the walls of the tank, so you want to leave a little room so they don't just climb up, over, and out.

I find air stones are mostly for visuals, some people like the way they look, others don't. When you're bored look through some of the full tank shot threads, or even just look at some photos/videos in the media lounge of this forum. Some have air stones, some don't.

Don't feel bad, when I first got my tank and canister filters, I aimed the outputs down. Same thing happened. All my fish were at the top, gasping for air. This site helped a lot.
 
yea I have lowered the water level a few inches, just one less 5 gallon bucket when I do my weekly water changes. my powerheads are facing up a little bit more and I have the airstones on when I'm sitting watching the tank or when I go out sometimes because the rays loves to sit on top of them haha
 
Hey, was reading thru some of the stuff added since we last chatted. Im really glad to hear the rays are doing much better.
In my opinion, yes, the airstones do not put air in the water per say, it helps mix the water and gases together by making the water move nd gain oxygen... Its still a good idea to have the airstones, and a powerhead in your tank. that way, if while you are at work, one fails, the other is working... airstones are a good way to get the oxygen into the water.. one powerhead, and three rays in the tank, to me is not enough as you saw when it was set up like that. and airstones are cheap, easy to set up and do what its supose to do. but, thats my opinon. PLus my rays love playing in the air.. Anyway, Im really glad to hear they are doing great now.
enjoy
 
JeremyXXXX;4703378; said:
I hear that agitating the water with powerheads does not create the oxygen and then I hear it does.

I have airstones now and I notice no real difference if i use just powerheads or airstones.
Click to expand...

There is a reason for that.....some people are right and some are wrong....the right ones KNOW that the power heads rippling the water adds oxygen...the others are wrong....often about other things too!:D
 
so, would a airstone not ripple the water also and make the air gas bubbles then mix into the water?
Airstones are designed to add air to the tank. they put out air, making bubbles that float to the top, they ripple the water, and the air bubble pops, and there for helping make sure there is air for the water to absorb...
so, not sure how you think they dont work.. I have both a airstone and powerhead in my tank. Most of the time the powerhead is turned off. and I never have any problems with my rays having enough air in there tank.

powerheads in my opinion are there to help the water move around, airstones are there to help add air into the water system...
But thats just one persons opinion. and is a tested opinion
 
I think they both add oxygen, I know for a fact powerheads do because the night I almost lost my rays all I had to add air was powerheads and they survived.
 
<-- not a scientists, but I think airstones add oxygen to the water by causing the rippling on the surface, not by the actual bubbles produced in the water.

Powerheads do move the water around, mine are mostly in my tank to keep the poo moving and get it into the overflows. Some folks that have sumps don't have either, the gas exchange happens as the water falls into and goes through the sump. Which was how mine was originally setup, but I always had too much junk on the bottom of the tank.

Either way, both work...so all is good. :)
 
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