Full Version: Bubble Wands Etc
The petstore people tell me I don't need extra aeration if I have the waterfall-like filter. Is this true?
I think it depends on the size of your tank. It'd have to be pretty small (like 5 gal) for a waterfall type filter to be enough. Aeration is always a good thing and it looks great too, I'd say put an airstone or two in just to be safe.
The majority of the oxygen that is in the water comes from the surface of the tank. A waterfall type filter will agitate and oxygenate the water very well at the surface, regardless of the size of the tank. IF your filter turns over a large amount of water, particularly if the intake is at the bottom of the tank, you will successfully oxygenate the tank will with the filter, alone.
However, the needs will greatly increase in an odd shaped tank, or a tank that has less than the normal amount of surface area to the gallons of water. If your intake is not at the bottom of the tank, there can be water that does not get circulated properly. It the water temperature goes up - in the summer it gets warmer. These situations will require extra care in making sure that there is sufficiant oxygen in the water.
One way to do this is to use the bubble wand/stone/decoration. The bubbles lift water with them as they float to the surface - circulating the water from the bottom of the tank to the top so it gets oxygen. The surface area of each bubble will also impart a small amount of oxygen to the water - which is why it is recommended to use millions of tiny bubbles as opposed to hundreds of larger ones - the millions of bubbles have substantially more surface area in contact with the water than the larger bubbles have.
IF you tank has plenty of surface area, a waterfall filter allowed to agitate the surface, good water turnover (at least 10X an hour - I aim to 15), and an bottom intake (or multiple intakes in multiple positions around the tank), and does not get too hot in the summer, you should be fine without a bubbler.
I like multiple bubble wands in my tanks. If the power goes out in a storm, I have a battery backup airpump which keeps the tanks turning over and the oxygen working. With turnover and oxygen, the biocycle that is in the tank (not the filter) can continue to process waste and the tank remains healthy for the fish for a time. WIthout any turnover, the tank can sit stagnant - the biocycle fails to function, and the fish will gasp at the surface of the water. If it is a hot summer stormy day, I really worry about the fish!
Goldfish love to play in the rising bubbles of a wand or bar or stone. They jump on the stream at the bottom and rise to the top. It is like a carnival ride! It is so fun to watch!
However, the needs will greatly increase in an odd shaped tank, or a tank that has less than the normal amount of surface area to the gallons of water. If your intake is not at the bottom of the tank, there can be water that does not get circulated properly. It the water temperature goes up - in the summer it gets warmer. These situations will require extra care in making sure that there is sufficiant oxygen in the water.
One way to do this is to use the bubble wand/stone/decoration. The bubbles lift water with them as they float to the surface - circulating the water from the bottom of the tank to the top so it gets oxygen. The surface area of each bubble will also impart a small amount of oxygen to the water - which is why it is recommended to use millions of tiny bubbles as opposed to hundreds of larger ones - the millions of bubbles have substantially more surface area in contact with the water than the larger bubbles have.
IF you tank has plenty of surface area, a waterfall filter allowed to agitate the surface, good water turnover (at least 10X an hour - I aim to 15), and an bottom intake (or multiple intakes in multiple positions around the tank), and does not get too hot in the summer, you should be fine without a bubbler.
I like multiple bubble wands in my tanks. If the power goes out in a storm, I have a battery backup airpump which keeps the tanks turning over and the oxygen working. With turnover and oxygen, the biocycle that is in the tank (not the filter) can continue to process waste and the tank remains healthy for the fish for a time. WIthout any turnover, the tank can sit stagnant - the biocycle fails to function, and the fish will gasp at the surface of the water. If it is a hot summer stormy day, I really worry about the fish!
Goldfish love to play in the rising bubbles of a wand or bar or stone. They jump on the stream at the bottom and rise to the top. It is like a carnival ride! It is so fun to watch!
I think my tank is okay without one because it has all that you mentioned, but it does bet pretty hot in AZ. About how much do bubble wands and air stones cost and which is better?
The biggest expense in a bubble wand, stone, etc. is the air pump. You can get them very cheap - or spend a small fortune on them.
The differences between the various air pumps are mostly the amount of air that they can push and how quiet they are. Some have two outlets - so you can attach two air stones or bars to them, others have only one. If you have a powerful pump with only one outlet, you can get a valve to split the air and direct it into two tubes to make bubbles in two places. If you have a smaller pump with two outlets, it will do the same thing.
Generally, you probably would be best off buying the largest, adjustable pump that you can afford. The reason being is that it will drive the bubbles in any size bar or decoration you may decide to have - even in the future. If you have one that is adjustable, you do not need anything else. If you do not - you can always buy a single throw valve to regulate the amount of air from just the one outlet.
Some people have difficulties making the entire length of a bubble bar bubble - this is most likely because they do not have a powerful enough air pump.
A simple, cheaper airpump, single outlet, paired with a length of airhose, a bubble stone, a check valve (to protect the pump) and a regulator valve should not be too expensive. Airhose is a couple of bucks, the check valve is about $1.19, the valve (plastic single throw) is $1.25, and the air pump can be $9.00 to $46.00 depending on what you buy. Electricity consumption is so small it is virtually non-existant.
For that matter, if you wished, at the local PetSmart, a small airpump that runs on batteries as a battery backup to a tank is $9.99. It plugs in the wall and works just fine. You would have to manually switch it to battery pump mode if the power went out, but it would be a fine pump and give you that option. It normally plugs in and does nothing. It senses when the power is off and turns on then. But there is a switch on the side that you could use to run it off power. You just switch it yourself to backup in case of power outage.
The differences between the various air pumps are mostly the amount of air that they can push and how quiet they are. Some have two outlets - so you can attach two air stones or bars to them, others have only one. If you have a powerful pump with only one outlet, you can get a valve to split the air and direct it into two tubes to make bubbles in two places. If you have a smaller pump with two outlets, it will do the same thing.
Generally, you probably would be best off buying the largest, adjustable pump that you can afford. The reason being is that it will drive the bubbles in any size bar or decoration you may decide to have - even in the future. If you have one that is adjustable, you do not need anything else. If you do not - you can always buy a single throw valve to regulate the amount of air from just the one outlet.
Some people have difficulties making the entire length of a bubble bar bubble - this is most likely because they do not have a powerful enough air pump.
A simple, cheaper airpump, single outlet, paired with a length of airhose, a bubble stone, a check valve (to protect the pump) and a regulator valve should not be too expensive. Airhose is a couple of bucks, the check valve is about $1.19, the valve (plastic single throw) is $1.25, and the air pump can be $9.00 to $46.00 depending on what you buy. Electricity consumption is so small it is virtually non-existant.
For that matter, if you wished, at the local PetSmart, a small airpump that runs on batteries as a battery backup to a tank is $9.99. It plugs in the wall and works just fine. You would have to manually switch it to battery pump mode if the power went out, but it would be a fine pump and give you that option. It normally plugs in and does nothing. It senses when the power is off and turns on then. But there is a switch on the side that you could use to run it off power. You just switch it yourself to backup in case of power outage.
Great info daryl, thanks I'll be saving up!
I'll be saving up!
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