# anyone use bubble wands?



## iKine (Aug 4, 2011)

They work great for separating large tanks for territory purposes. I used them in a 120 gallon I had multiple oscars in.

I miss those grumpy bastards.

Other than that, just an effect really.


Beautiful tank though!


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

An Oscar is what got my Dad started with tanks when I was a kid. He went to a yard sale, and had to go into the house to remove one of the things he bought. He admired the guy's 55 with two 6" - 7" Oscars and a big pleco in it, and the guy sold it to him! lol They drained 2/3 of the water out & my Dad brought it home, stand & all, like that. My Mom wasn't too happy. Eventually we ended up with about a dozen tanks, and my Mom cried when the Oscars died after a few years - they had great personalities and she had aquired the addiction by then too.
Thanks for the complement, but I think the tank's rather ugly right now - it's only been set up about a month. I have high hopes for it, though! I'm learning a ton here...


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## iKine (Aug 4, 2011)

Haha, some of my first fish were oscars. But i had to get rid of them a year and a bit ago becuase one, they would splash water (and alot of it) at people they didnt know. And two, its hard to kep two 14" oscars in a 150 gallons of water 

I think it looks great, other than the bubble wands lol. But im not a fan of bubbles in and aquarium.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

I don't have a wand or curtain like that, but I do have an airstone that sits inside a fake volcano and erupts bubbles up thru a hole in the top. Sounds cheesey I know, but the whole thing is covered in java fern so all you really see is the bubbles coming up out of the plants. I do love the look of bubbles and I also like that it helps to break up the surface of the water.


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

Since starting this thread, I seem to remember someone saying that bubbles/surface agitation depletes the Co2 from the water faster than normal. I wonder if I'm remembering that correctly? I don't add Co2, so that would be an issue. Something had to be done, one half of the tank had little to no movement. 
Any opinions if the current/flow pump is too strong at 500gph? 
Oscars are really something - too bad they produce so much waste. I wonder if all cichlids are so engaging?

Ok, so the fish seem ok with it - the tetras are swimming about naturally. The rams seem to really enjoy it - they spend a lot of time in the bubbles & darting in & out of them. However, those dang bubbles make a lot of noise! It sounds just like a crackling fire. If I were a fish, it would drive me crazy. Like torture by sound. I wonder if a thing like that is stressful to them? Maybe I should only run it some of the time, to give them a break...that's a possibility...
You probably think I'm nuts worry over _bubbles_, for pete's sake! lol


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## iKine (Aug 4, 2011)

Well, when you break the surface of the water you get gas exchange. Co2 in the water is swapped for oxygen. So if you're pumping co2 into the tank that has lots of surface movement.. well, your throwing your money and your plants health away.

If you have a planted tank, I would;nt agitate the water so the co2 produced by your fish can supply the plant while the oxygen produced by the plants can supply your fish.


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

See, I thought I remembered something along those lines...what a drag, back to Petsmart again...


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## iKine (Aug 4, 2011)

for what?


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## jdm68 (Jun 2, 2011)

I don't use a bubble wand, but I have an 18" long airstone in my tank. I like the look of the bubbles. I don't have a whole lot of plants in it just yet, so I use it for surface agitation to get O2 in the water, and it helps with circulation. I have my spray bar blowing from the back of the tank towards the front, and the bubbles float up into that flow and get blasted to tiny micro bubbles that go all over the tank, further helping to oxygenate the water. People are right about it wasting Co2 though, because the gas would evaporate out a lot faster with surface agitation. The only benefit with Co2 would be if you are using DIY Co2 or a system where you can't or don't shut it off at night. Your plants aren't using the Co2 and you could gas your fish as it builds up, so having a "bubbler" of any type that is on when your lights are off would help prevent any unfortunate accidents. Maybe you want to put the air pump on a timer and only have it run for a couple hours at the end of the day/light cycle. That way, your plants will be able to enjoy Co2 richness all day, and your fish will be able to unwind in their bubbly playground before sleeping.


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## iKine (Aug 4, 2011)

jdm68 said:


> Maybe you want to put the air pump on a timer and only have it run for a couple hours at the end of the day/light cycle. That way, your plants will be able to enjoy Co2 richness all day, and your fish will be able to unwind in their bubbly playground before sleeping.


Thats a good idea


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

I use a 28 inch bubble wand after lights/CO2 out to help add oxygen and aid in building a healthy base of nitrifying bacteria, the air pump cuts off 45 minutes before lights on so I can start adding CO2 to the water. It's a great way to add oxygen to your water column but it should be off during the photo period if you are using pressurized CO2, unless you don't mind using more CO2.

You should see a difference in fish loving the bubbles and in overall tank health.


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## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

if your plants were fine with no added co2 before the bubble wand, they should be fine after the bubble wand. there is more co2 in the air your pumping thru the buble wand than your fish can produce in a week. if you like it, keep it. if your plants start to degrade, remove it and start thinking about adding co2 and ferts.


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

That's interesting! I really appreciate all the great replies - there's so much I don't know yet about caring for live plants in an aqaurium.

"For what?" iKine asks? I intially thought I'd have to return the bubble wand if it was going to cause problems with the Co2/O2 balance. 

I have been sitting watching the fish, and the little rams are having a blast. The Black Tetras are now being brave & exploring the bubbles, so it doesn't seem to be an issue after all. jdm68 and 150EH added some much needed info for me, I had just made up my mind to keep the wand (airstone? what the heck. It's a flexible silicone tube) and only turn it on for a few hours a day. All of these great tips are helping me learn when to use it & when not to. I don't supplement Co2, but I have MGOPS as a substrate and am constantly popping gas bubbles. This could help with potential Co2 buildup until the substrate stabilizes. It _is_ helping with circulating the water from the bottom to the top. 
On a side note, my friend bought the same wand today but has an air pump rated for up to 10 gallons (she has a 20g tank) My air pump is for 20 - 40g. She can't get enough bubbles (she wants it full blast), so I thought we could swap air pumps & see if I get less - which would be more pleasing to me.


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

Thanks, jreich - the tank is doing fine without added Co2 - I use low lights (twin T8s in a shoplight) because I don't want to go the added Co2 route if I can avoid it. I'll keep an eye on the plants. 
Thank you everyone!
~ Cin ~


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## zdnet (Aug 13, 2010)

jreich said:


> there is more co2 in the air your pumping thru the buble wand than your fish can produce in a week.


Hope you do not mind me asking... are you aware of any data supporting the above view?

From Ecology of the Planted Aquarium:

"If the fish are doing fine, airstones should be used sparingly. For airstones quickly remove CO2 -- the one nutrient that aquarium plants need more than any other nutrient (see page 88)."


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

iKine said:


> Well, when you break the surface of the water you get gas exchange. Co2 in the water is swapped for oxygen. So if you're pumping co2 into the tank that has lots of surface movement.. well, your throwing your money and your plants health away.
> 
> If you have a planted tank, I would;nt agitate the water so the co2 produced by your fish can supply the plant while the oxygen produced by the plants can supply your fish.


OK not only is the oxygen exchange but c02 exchange as well.... you actually gain c02 when ur plants are using it... once u inject more c02 than what's available through atomospheric pressure then u lose c02 through agitation


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

zdnet said:


> Hope you do not mind me asking... are you aware of any data supporting the above view?
> 
> From Ecology of the Planted Aquarium:
> 
> "If the fish are doing fine, airstones should be used sparingly. For airstones quickly remove CO2 -- the one nutrient that aquarium plants need more than any other nutrient (see page 88)."



ill answer that for him. the average school classroom has 5000 ppm of c02. however it also contains 20000 ppm of o2.. the ratios are much different in dry conditions than underwater where c02 can be higher than o2 and not be lethal..the average home has 750 ppm of c02 in it... so yes the air stone is providing TONS more c02 into the water column. its just also riding the nitrogenous bubble right back out...

water equalizes at around 2-4 ppm of c02. so an airstone moving the surface of the water helps to keep that equilibrium going.


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## BlueJack (Apr 15, 2011)

Here's a new way of using bubble wands that I've never seen before....underneath the substrate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utx5wME1MPQ


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

That's the kind I bought - but it's black. Petsmart has them in 36" & 48" lengths, I bought the 36" for $10.00. Right now I have it laying on the surface of the gravel because I didn't know if I was going to keep it. Now that I know I am, I'll bury it - that's how it's supposed to be used - it doesn't come with suction cups. Maybe the bubbles will be more like that of the video, and not as "bubblelicious" as mine - lol.


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## zdnet (Aug 13, 2010)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> water equalizes at around 2-4 ppm of c02.


It is actually 0.5 ppm, according to Ecology of the Planted Aquarium:

"Water in equilibrium with air contains only about 0.5 mg/l CO2 [14]."




HD Blazingwolf said:


> so an airstone moving the surface of the water helps to keep that equilibrium going.


However, the concentration at equilibrium is far below what aquatic plants require. Again, from Ecology of the Planted Aquarium:

"Water in equilibrium with air contains only about 0.5 mg/l CO2 [14]. Yet, many aquatic plants require much higher CO2 concentrations. For example, when CO2 levels were less than 36 mg/l, the moss Sphagnum cuspidatum was found either dead or dying [23]. And Callitriche cophocarpa and Ranunculus peltatus were found to be limited by CO2 in their stream environment containing 5 mg/l CO2 [22]. Because these species cannot use bicarbonates, they depend on the CO2 released from decomposition."

Without an airstone, the CO2 produced by metabolism and decomposition stay in the tank water.

With an airstone, all those extra CO2 got driven away. Thus, the CO2 level remains at equilibrium which is far below what plants require.


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## iKine (Aug 4, 2011)

Way to chime in and steal the show BlazingWolf lol


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## kuni (May 7, 2010)

iKine said:


> Well, when you break the surface of the water you get gas exchange. Co2 in the water is swapped for oxygen. So if you're pumping co2 into the tank that has lots of surface movement.. well, your throwing your money and your plants health away.


Just pump a bit more CO2 to compensate. Most of the cost of CO2 isn't in the refills, anyways. Lots of O2 and CO2 for everyone.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

zdnet.. i challenge you to test yourself. don't just assume everything you've read! buy a titration kit or do what im about to do and go buy a c02 probe. Plantbrain recommended one that comming the next few months ill be purchasing.

that aside
the HACH c02 test kit is within 1 ppm accurate at low levels and within 5 at high levels
my tank measures 60 ish and my sons with no c02 and with airstones measures 3ish
my shirmp tank measures 3 ish.. my water is 4 dkh from the tap and about 5 degrees of hardness. it has a well balanced carbonate and bicarbonate equilibrium.. mine and his plants both look the same. no stunting, just lush happy growth. mine however grow 30 times faster, his have 30 times less light.. we can sit here and argue what one book said or we can test factors in our own homes. put urself to the test. kit is 45 bucks. i see the book is 36 so in the search of knowledge. go the extra mile.


Natural Ocean Carbon Cycle

The oceans contain about 50 times more CO 2 than the atmosphere and 19 times more than the land biosphere. CO 2 moves between the atmosphere and the ocean by molecular diffusion when there is a difference between CO 2 gas pressure (pCO 2 ) between the atmosphere and oceans. For example, when the atmospheric pCO 2 is higher than the surface ocean, CO 2 diffuses across the air-sea boundary into the sea water.

The oceans are able to hold much more carbon than the atmosphere because most of the CO 2 that diffuses into the oceans reacts with the water to form carbonic acid and its dissociation products, bicarbonate and carbonate ions . The conversion of CO 2 gas into nongaseous forms such as carbonic acid and bicarbonate and carbonate ions effectively reduces the CO 2 gas pressure in the water, thereby allowing more diffusion from the atmosphere.

The oceans are mixed much more slowly than the atmosphere, so there are large horizontal and vertical changes in CO 2 concentration. In general, tropical waters release CO 2 to the atmosphere, whereas high-latitude oceans take up CO 2 from the atmosphere. CO 2 is also about 10 percent higher in the deep ocean than at the surface. The two basic mechanisms that control the distribution of carbon in the oceans are referred to as the solubility pump and the biological pump.

Solubility Pump.

The solubility pump is driven by two principal factors. First, more than twice as much CO 2 can dissolve into cold polar waters than in the warm equatorial waters. As major ocean currents (e.g., the Gulf Stream) move waters from the tropics to the poles, they are cooled and can take up more CO 2 from the atmosphere. Second, the high latitude zones are also places where deep waters are formed. As the waters are cooled, they become denser and sink into the ocean's interior, taking with them the CO 2 accumulated at the surface.

Biological Pump.

Another process that moves CO 2 away from the surface ocean is called the biological pump. Growth of marine plants (e.g., phytoplankton) takes CO 2 and other chemicals from sea water to make plant tissue. Microscopic marine animals, called zooplankton, eat the phytoplankton and provide the basis for the food web for all animal life in the sea. Because photosynthesis requires light, phytoplankton only grow in the nearsurface ocean, where sufficient light can penetrate.

Although most of the CO 2 taken up by phytoplankton is recycled near the surface, a substantial fraction, perhaps 30 percent, sinks into the deeper waters before being converted back into CO 2 by marine bacteria. Only about 0.1 percent reaches the seafloor to be buried in the sediments.

this is a little read you can find more of, that does go more in depth.
also to understand there are plants that cannot breakdown carbonates and bicarbonates to perform photosynthesis, however the vast majority can.
carbonates and bicarbonates control the equilibrium. without them the actual amount of c02 in the water would be much less.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

driftwoodhunter said:


> That's the kind I bought - but it's black. Petsmart has them in 36" & 48" lengths, I bought the 36" for $10.00. Right now I have it laying on the surface of the gravel because I didn't know if I was going to keep it. Now that I know I am, I'll bury it - that's how it's supposed to be used - it doesn't come with suction cups. Maybe the bubbles will be more like that of the video, and not as "bubblelicious" as mine - lol.


put an inline control valve and turn down the flow.. u probably just have too much air going in.. those little valves will chagne the bubble appearance a lot


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

An inline control valve - is that something where I can simply cut the airline tubing & splice it in? I don't know if Petsmart or my lfs have them, but I'll google it tonight...
thanks!


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

yeah.. they are like 2 bux for 2.. cut the line and slip them in.. very simple


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

Cool - I just checked Petsmart's online catalog & they don't seem to have them, so I'm at ebay looking now. Thanks for the tip! It's a shame it's not built right into the check valve. Speaking of which, does it go between the check valve & the pump, or between the check valve & the bubble wand?


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## Miira (Feb 15, 2011)

I bought one when I set up my tank. When I replaced the plastic plants with live, I left the bubble wand(it's under the gravel, so would be a pain to remove). I like the bubbles and it doesn't seem to effect the plants or fish.


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## Miira (Feb 15, 2011)

driftwoodhunter said:


> Cool - I just checked Petsmart's online catalog & they don't seem to have them, so I'm at ebay looking now. Thanks for the tip! It's a shame it's not built right into the check valve. Speaking of which, does it go between the check valve & the pump, or between the check valve & the bubble wand?


They have a pack of inline control valves and y connectors that you can buy for a few bucks. I got mine in store several months ago. They're over by the check valves in the aquarium equipment aisle.


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

Thanks Miira, I'll pop over when I'm off later in the week & look. I bought my check valve there, never even noticed a flow valve. Of course, I didn't know what that was until tonight, either! It was probably staring me in the face, saying "buy me too, Fool!" lol


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## zdnet (Aug 13, 2010)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> don't just assume everything you've read!


No, I do not. That is why I asked jreich and plantbrain for data to back up their assertions.




HD Blazingwolf said:


> that aside
> the HACH c02 test kit is within 1 ppm accurate at low levels and within 5 at high levels
> my tank measures 60 ish and my sons with no c02 and with airstones measures 3ish
> my shirmp tank measures 3 ish.. my water is 4 dkh from the tap and about 5 degrees of hardness. it has a well balanced carbonate and bicarbonate equilibrium.. mine and his plants both look the same. no stunting, just lush happy growth. mine however grow 30 times faster, his have 30 times less light.. we can sit here and argue what one book said or we can test factors in our own homes.


First, home tests are nowhere as rigorous as those used in scientific studies.

Second, even if we can carry out a rigorous scientific test, we probably lack the comprehensive knowledge and expertise to design a test that would rule out the influence of all other factors. Thus, when our test result is not consistent with the result of some scientific study, it does not mean that the study is wrong. Our test design could be at fault.

Third, as to what you've observed with your tanks. Bear in mind that what I have quoted from Ecology of the Planted Aquarium are something very basic. But the actual outcome of a tank is affected by many other factors.




HD Blazingwolf said:


> put urself to the test. kit is 45 bucks. i see the book is 36 so in the search of knowledge. go the extra mile.


If knowledge is that easily uncovered we would not need scientists to do basic research to reveal the reality that we live in.

The $36 (for the book) is such a great bargain when compared with the $45 (for the test kit). Buy the book and read it from cover to cover. That is probably the best investment a hobbyist can have on planted aquarium.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

Well because im a man to admit when im wronng i asked plantbrain myself. I told him i could be wrong and what did he think. I quote plantbrain " most seem to be 2-4" most of everything he knows is based on things he has tested time and again. This is why people respect him and why i read everything i can that has his name on it. Are there situations where it could equalize at less. Of course! Higher water temps hold less gasses. C02, o2.. any others... colder waters hold more. Knowledge is easily found by those looking in the right places... its finding the right place that's hard!

Test your knowledge. I know i am. Thats why my tank has been nuked, filled with algae, changed plants, substrates. Lights. Ferts. Schedules.. all for me to understand the system and how it works.

So to recap. Yes you are correct, and yes i am too. There are too many variables concerning when, where, how and at what lvl c02 will equilize in water. Different elevations, atmospheric pressure. C02 concentrations in the air....temp of water.. lots of factors.. the majority however equiilize between 2 and 4


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## zdnet (Aug 13, 2010)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> Well because im a man to admit when im wronng i asked plantbrain myself. I told him i could be wrong and what did he think. I quote plantbrain " most seem to be 2-4" most of everything he knows is based on things he has tested time and again. This is why people respect him and why i read everything i can that has his name on it.


When opinions disagree with each other, I seek to understand the reason behind - even when the source was plantbrain himself.

IMHO, the key to knowledge acquisition is critical thinking. Accepting a conflicting opinion as valid simply because of the person's reputation is not critical thinking.




HD Blazingwolf said:


> So to recap. Yes you are correct, and yes i am too. There are too many variables concerning when, where, how and at what lvl c02 will equilize in water. Different elevations, atmospheric pressure. C02 concentrations in the air....temp of water.. lots of factors.. the majority however equiilize between 2 and 4


Mind you, the 2-4 ppm figure is still below what many aquatic plants require. Again, from Ecology of the Planted Aquarium:

"For example, when CO2 levels were less than 36 mg/l, the moss Sphagnum cuspidatum was found either dead or dying [23]. And Callitriche cophocarpa and Ranunculus peltatus were found to be limited by CO2 in their stream environment containing 5 mg/l CO2 [22]."

Going back to your earlier claim in this thread:



HD Blazingwolf said:


> water equalizes at around 2-4 ppm of c02. so an airstone moving the surface of the water helps to keep that equilibrium going.


If that claim is indeed correct that an airstone keeps the CO2 concentration at 2-4 ppm, such practice is starving many tank plants of CO2.


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## mrchach (Sep 8, 2010)

my wife uses one in her 20long planted with co2

i believe that it helps when you don't have any other form of surface aggitation

it is a good balance in her tank

in regards to the comment above mine...

We used a drop checker to achieve a yellow-green during peak hours while the air stone was on
Ranunculus inandatus is alive, but not thriving though hydrocoytle, glosso, rotala indica, fissidens, and creeping jenny are doing excellent and are trimmed regularly


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

36 mg/l or 36 ppm. is relatively high for a stream or lake. there is s a source somewhere generating higher levels. those plants would be considered temperamental and relative to certain locations only. MOST aquatic plants can survive in many different conditions and do well. if it weren't the case. there would be less people out there with low tech aquariums. HECK MOTHER NATURE would have a hard time growing plants...... we are looking at the broad spectrum here. EVEN if water did equalize at .5 mg/l then that would lead us to believe that most plants can survive those levels given the right conditions. proper fertilizers and light... nature does it allllllllll dddaaaayyy long. wayy before you and i were a spec in the universe


are ur plants being starved because they have too much light?? more light means more c02 is needed...

and i agree critical thinking is necessary..
so go back to a nearby stream or lake.. why do those plants grow fine? why do we have a huge variety of aquatic plants? because somewhere there is an ecosystem balanced to sustain that plants proper life.

as to nh4 and n03... one plant may have adapted to take advantage of one or the other. some plants house anaerobic bacteria in their roots to breakdown and use nh4. some plants use nh4 to flower appropriate and produce good coloration. some plants need no3 and will take nh4 with adverse affects... some plants can be limited by no3 and get a red color and that same plant can have nh4 added and become red.. EVERY plant species is different in its needs/wants/ preferences.. it all depends on its ecosystem it was found in and how its adapted to live in that setting


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

zdnet said:


> If that claim is indeed correct that an airstone keeps the CO2 concentration at 2-4 ppm, such practice is starving many tank plants of CO2.


well we all know fish don't produce enough c02... that should be common knowledge by know. you can read it all over the net. in books. talk to people. unless you have more fauna mass than flora mass, fish will not produce enough c02... that's why there is more plant mass in nature, and in our tanks.. the system only works one way

so how else do you propose to get c02 in a low tech tank.. fish don't count


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## zdnet (Aug 13, 2010)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> 36 mg/l or 36 ppm. is relatively high for a stream or lake. there is s a source somewhere generating higher levels. those plants would be considered temperamental and relative to certain locations only. MOST aquatic plants can survive in many different conditions and do well. if it weren't the case. there would be less people out there with low tech aquariums. HECK MOTHER NATURE would have a hard time growing plants...... we are looking at the broad spectrum here. EVEN if water did equalize at .5 mg/l then that would lead us to believe that most plants can survive those levels given the right conditions. proper fertilizers and light... nature does it allllllllll dddaaaayyy long. wayy before you and i were a spec in the universe
> 
> 
> are ur plants being starved because they have too much light?? more light means more c02 is needed...
> ...


ISTM all those rambles are side-stepping the original issue which was whether airstone removes CO2 from the water.

Keeping CO2 level at equilibrium means releasing all those CO2 that was above the equilibrium level. Therefore, when you claimed that airstone keeps the CO2 level at equilibrium, you were in effect stating that airstone removes all those CO2 added by metabolism and decomposition. Of course, that is contrary to the claim that you were trying to support, i.e. airstone adds CO2 to the water.


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol - which brings me back to my question - is the airstone good or bad for a low tech tank with no added Co2? Right now I'm only running it for an hour or so an nights when I have time to sit & enjoy the tank. I'll keep an eye out to see if the plants start to suffer.
I have wondered...can you use a drop checker to test Co2 levels, if you're not adding any to the tank?


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## zdnet (Aug 13, 2010)

driftwoodhunter said:


> Lol - which brings me back to my question - is the airstone good or bad for a low tech tank with no added Co2?


If you need to increase oxygen level, airstone is good. Of course, airstone releases the CO2 that had been accumulated in the tank water.




driftwoodhunter said:


> I have wondered...can you use a drop checker to test Co2 levels, if you're not adding any to the tank?


Yes, you can. I have done it by filling a drop checker with 1dK solution. The color changed in respond to lower CO2 level caused by water surface agitation.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

ok. to clarify. if u inject c02 into a tank.. an airstone negative impacts your c02 levels. HOWEVER if you don't have c02 injection. an airstone OR surface agitation maintain c02 equilibrium in the water column.

also decomposition would have to be high indeed if it were to raise c02 noticeably AND if it was that high. there would most definitely be more phosphates and ammonium than the plant mass could handle


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## zdnet (Aug 13, 2010)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> ok. to clarify. if u inject c02 into a tank.. an airstone negative impacts your c02 levels. HOWEVER if you don't have c02 injection. an airstone OR surface agitation maintain c02 equilibrium in the water column.


Surface agitation does lower the CO2 level of a tank that does not have CO2 injection. To see it with your own eyes, just fill a drop checker with 1dK solution and observe the color change caused by the lowered CO2 level due to surface agitation.


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

Thanks - I've been so curious to find out just what my Co2 level is - I'll have to get one & the solution to see. 
I don't think I needed more O2 in the tank - the fish have never shown signs of distress - I wanted to circulate the water from the still/sluggish 1/2 of the tank, and the power heads and circulating pumps were out of my budget. Maybe next month. In the meantime, I'm starting to like the bubble look in small doses. I'll keep it infrequent until I find out what the Co2 levels are in the tank.
Also, just to laugh at myself, I was looking again at a "mystery" piece of plastic that was taped to the air pump. Don't you know it's a flow control valve - lol.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

driftwoodhunter said:


> Lol - which brings me back to my question - is the airstone good or bad for a low tech tank with no added Co2?


I have no scientific mumbo jumbo to share with you. I have real life experience instead!

I have a low tech, low light planted tank. I do not inject c02 and I do not add ferts to the tank. I do not have any surface agitation from my canister filter as the outflow jet is about 3 inches under the surface and does not point upwards. As previously mentioned I run an airstone 24/7, and I also have a small sponge filter in the tank that shoots bubbles up to the surface 24/7.

My tank has been set up this way for over 4 years now and there are no ill effects to fish or plants - the fish are healthy and the low light plants thrive.


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