Adding Air Stones

[Bellalee69]

When adding air stones, can you have too many. How many should you actually have? I have got a 55 gallon with jack dempseys in it. Also, Where exactly are the air stones suppose to be placed? Also another question i have. Does anyone know what you can clean the plastic aquarium plants with that have the black alage on them. Actually my question is whats the easiest way to clean them.

[CrazedMichael]

In regards to airstones, you can never have too many. It all depends on personal preference. I personally dont have any airstones in my tank simply because i don't find them that pleasing. Most people who do have them have the one or two. Or a large one. They are best placed nearer the bottom of the tank near the substrate for better water movement.

In regards to cleaning, a bucket of hot water that you can put your hands into and a bit of elbow grease show get rid of it. Make sure they are dried out completely or dipped in dechorinated water before adding them back into the tank.

[imma24]

Some fish don't like the air bubbles - I kept a larger one in a corner of my tank and the fish that liked playing in the bubbles did it and the other fish kept away. I kept it for water circulation until I added a HOB filter which does the same thing so I got rid of it. An airstone can make the tank look nice.

I've read about people putting their plastic plants through their dishwasher (without using detergent) in the top tray to get them really clean.

[moghedan]

Too many airstones can cause a current that some fish, such as those with long fins, would not find comfortable.

I am also told, but have not personally had an issue with, that it can cause issues with live plants. The exact rationale was skimpy, so if someone could expound upon that, it would be wonderful.

As for the algae... maybe oto cats or MTS eat it... that would be the easiest. My question is why clean it... it makes fake decorations look more real, and algea is actually really nice stuff to have in a tank. The only thing I used to clean it off of was my wife's statue of The Little Mermaid. However, I do not recall seeing any in the tank since the otos and MTS were added. Or the two or three remaining fake plants are completely covered and I am just used to them being that color now.

[talldutchie]

There's no scenario I can think of when an airstone really adds some except visual effect. Multiple airstones need careful placement unless you create weird eddies.
If you use real plants and airstones you shouldn't place them too close to the plants.

[mizzoutank]

they are only used for 2 things:

decoration
and/or
adding O2, if your fillter(s) cannot provide enough surface agitation.

[talldutchie]

Even then, an airstone doesn't deliver all that much surface agitation. It will do something and be better than nothing though

[Fisher_Zeb]

This page COULD help you:

http://www.tfhmagazine.com/aquarium-...xygenation.htm