plants and airstones

**shalafi04** · 04-21-2008, 03:57 AM

okay... now im worried... :/

today I set up a long thin airstone in the back of my 40g. Only because its pretty and my tank is verging on overstocked, so I thought i would just cover the bases on oxygen. Well, the fish are thrilled! They L-O-V-E LOVE IT!

But now im reading that its not necessarily good for my plants??? Is this true... or should it be okay??? Whats the dealio on the airstones and plants??? whats best for fish and plants? Thanks everyone in advance. :)

**PUNISHER VETTE** · 04-21-2008, 04:02 AM

Plants require CO2 to photosynthesis(CO2-->O2 and they get energy)
Having an air stone breaks the surface tension releasing much of the CO2 thats in the water.

I'm not sure but you can probably add some seachem excel which is a liquid CO2 supplement. I would guess it doesn't get affected by an air stone.

But thats all if your plants are high demanding plants as even with an air stone there has to be some CO2 in the water still...

**cocoa_pleco** · 04-21-2008, 04:14 AM

airstones disrupt CO2 during the day, however you can run a airstone at night because plants dont photosynthesize them, and turn the pump off during the day

**digital3** · 04-21-2008, 06:17 AM

What kind of plants do you have? I have a low tech 10 gallon with a Java Fern and Java Moss with an Air Stone running 24/7 and those plants are growing like champs. I only dose trace every other day. I used to dose Excel, but I've tried a week without it and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Now my bigger tank is a different story. I only run an air stone at night for that one because I use pressurized Co2 during the day.

**smaug** · 04-21-2008, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by shalafi04

okay... now im worried... :/

today I set up a long thin airstone in the back of my 40g. Only because its pretty and my tank is verging on overstocked, so I thought i would just cover the bases on oxygen. Well, the fish are thrilled! They L-O-V-E LOVE IT!

But now im reading that its not necessarily good for my plants??? Is this true... or should it be okay??? Whats the dealio on the airstones and plants??? whats best for fish and plants? Thanks everyone in advance. :)

airstones cause much needed co2 to be lost,which the plants need.I run an airstone timed to go on for 6 hrs a night when the lights are off.

**Lady Hobbs** · 04-21-2008, 10:45 AM

I'm with digital here. My tank with low light plants has an airstone going all the time. If it makes my fish happy, that's where I'm at. I use no CO2 in this tank, tho. Makes the difference right there.

I would "like" to use the Excel but have Vals and it seems to melt them so I don't use that, either.

**shalafi04** · 04-21-2008, 05:17 PM

im not really sure what types of plants i have in there hahaha Java Fern I know that.. .and some Vallisneria... nothing else too special ya know.

**xoolooxunny** · 04-21-2008, 05:23 PM

I'm going to agree with digital and hobbs here. Low tech planted tanks are usually low light, with undemanding plants. these easy to grow plants survive and grow off of the naturally occuring 2-3ppm co2 in the water, so an airstone will be fine.

And since your tank is on the verge of being overstocked, that airstone is necessary, as well as those low maintenance plants to help remove some of the nitrates between water changes. Keep doing what your doing shalafi, you should be ok.

**Minderella83** · 04-21-2008, 05:25 PM

Digital, what is the trace you are talking about? I am new to this especially plants, I just got 4 plants this weekend.

**hpt84** · 04-21-2008, 07:29 PM

If you dose excel, an air pump would be fine because excel is just carbon in liquid form. If your tank is overstock and you don't have a lot of plant, I don't think an air stone during the day would make much of a difference for lost of co2.