Importance of aeration?

[raney]

I recently got a pretty good deal on a 29 gallon (tall version? I guess you'd call it - 30"x12"x18"), filter, and heater, and air pump. The latter is what I wanted some advice about - the filter is an Aquaclear 30 (150 gph), and once I finish cycling and move my fish over, it'll be pretty understocked, so I'm not worried about waste right now... but, I was wondering, how important is aeration?

Should I get one of those bubbler tubes you just stick along the side? I've always used an undergravel filter with dual bubbler tubes that aerate the surface, so I have no experience really with what the norm is when using a real filter.

I was at petsmart grabbing a few decorations and things I needed to get the tank set up, and saw the section of these, and got to wondering, should I be putting the air pump to use?

Thanks for any advice.

[hungryhound]

is the tank going to planted?

With a planted tank you do not need one. In fact it is a hindrance as it causes the tank to lose co2 which the plants need to survive.

If it is not a planted tank then you are going to have to wait for someone else to respond as I have no experience with a non planted tank.

hope that helps a little.

[raney]

No, not planted, I'm just using plastic decor and rocks for now.

[gm72]

Most fish and most tanks will benefit from some aeration. There are however some fish that don't like aeration. I think that you should be fine with a bubble wand in general as long as you don't over aerate your tank to the point that it appears as a 30 gallon tub of boiling water! I aerate all of my tanks with at least one bubble stone. Some of my fish, particularly the giant and zebra dannios, love playing in the bubbles. I have the bubble wand in one of my 55g tanks below the output for the Eheim canister filter. They swim down to the bubble wand and let the bubbles carry them upward until they catch the current from the output of the filter then dash across the aquarium. What a blast to watch them play!

[Chrona]

Aeration in a non planted tank is always a good idea because it breaks up the surface scum, carries some toxins out of the water, and adds oxygen. It's not absolutely unnecessary to have an air pump though, as you can achieve the same effect by lowering your water level so the filter has a waterfall effect.

[gm72]

True, some people can't stand the waterfall sound though. I like it. We have 3 10 gallons set up in our...well, it is supposed to be a dining room but is more of a computer room/den now. I keep the water a little low. Just find that sound relaxing. I personally like how the rising bubbles look.