newbie airstone and ph question

[WOGGIES]

Hello everyone. I have 2 quick questions. 1) How do I get my airstones or airwands (i think thats what its called) to make air bubbles evenly across the whole airstone? Mine always come out with a lot of bubbles on one side and non on the other. I want it to be uniform all the way across. and 2) Is pH fluctuation week to week very bad for the fish? Whenever I change my PH always fluctuates to around 6.5 instead of the 7 it should be. Is this a big deal? all my other parameters are good. As long as the alakinity(sp) of the water is okay so the pH doesn't fluctuate up and down a lot, this should be fine right?

[A340]

Hi!

In regards to your airstone dilema, I would think the only thing you can do is make sure you have a good quality airstore and make sure that it is absolutly lying down level in your tank, if it's tilting, that could cause uneven bubbling.

As far as you pH goes, it shouldn't be fluctuating on a weekly basis, this causes stress on the fish. They may not die from it, but it can be stressful for them. Are you adding a pH buffer or products such as pH Down everyweek? If you are, I'd suggest not to add these products. It's better to have a pH that's a bit higher or lower then ideal instead of it fluctuating all the time.

[gm72]

It sounds to me like you do not have a powerful enough pump to create bubbles through the whole airstone.

pH swings are not at all good. Stability is far more important than is the actual pH level (that is as long as you are within an acceptable limit). Are you saying that your pH swings .5 when you change your water?

[Greg Menke]

I set up a 2 liter coke bottle as a fermenter for co2 into our planted tank, tubing goes to an airstone. I had to try 3 of them to find one that makes small bubbles. This is one of the blue Petsmart ones they sell individually or in 3 packs IIRC. Generally if the fermenter is really working it puts enough pressure on the stone to make lots of small bubbles. When it slows down the bubbles become fewer & larger.

I tried a couple of the wands, nothing but big bubbles from them.

Our tapwater runs quite basic, like about 7.6, nothing I tried got it down but with the co2 thru the airstone it dropped to about 7 and the plants took off. With the co2 running all the time water changes haven't noticably affected ph.

Greg

[Drumachine09]

Try getting a limewood airstone.