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What do you use to hide airstones? Has anyone ever made anything to cover them soecificaly? Here are a couple that I have made.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o89/LogansLeathers/Aquarium/MVC-007F.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o89/LogansLeathers/Aquarium/MVC-005F.jpg

I also hide them by putting them under the gravel and large rocks. Any other ideas?



mts.gif" border="0"> I vote do you?
My Tanks at Photobucket

Hi,
Most folks will weigh the hose down with a rock and hide
the stone behind the rock so it cannot be seen.

Which begs the question, why have them? The filter return
will provide enough current to prevent any stagnant water
in the tank, and unless your tank is as crowded as an
LFS feeder tank with a fresh shipment, the fish have plenty
of oxygen. In essence, they are normally not necessary.
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

you would be the first person that i've heard say that airstones are unnecessary. what information do you base this conclusion on? isn't more air always better? what if you are growing plants? i'd like to see some information supporting this statement please. thanks.

so i've been looking around the forums and it seems there is some conflicting opinion on the airstone issue... i'll have to do some of my own independent research...

I've always heard that the use of Airstones is not a necessity. based on my own experience, however, I wouldn't have a tank with out at least one for a couple of reasons.

1. I like the bubbles as an appearance enhancer.

2. To aid in gas diffusion by increasing the turbulence of the surface water.

and finally To increase the current in the tank to help circulate the water.

Why do you guys use them?

mts.gif" border="0"> I vote do you?
My Tanks at Photobucket

Hi,
Decades ago air stones were used for the reasons you
mention - to break up the surface tension and facilitate
the exchange of gases between the water and atmosphere.
They were used to provide currents within the tank
that spread nutrients, foods, and heat throughout
the tank. Lastly, they provided "something" that some
fish seemed to enjoy as they swam through them and
among them.

Today, we have filters whose returns include things such
as spray bars or other surface disturbing returns.
Todays filters can be equipped with surface skimmers
for intakes. Our UGF filters are either powered by a
type of air stone, or have power heads that can
be adjusted to return the water at the surface, or
under the surface and include ports to pull air
through the output cap and create massive amounts of
bubbles.

Today there here is no need for a sometimes very noisy
air pump, valves, no unsightly hoses that have to be
buried, or air stones that need to be hidden.

As far as a necessity, they are not. we have other devices
that do the same thing, better. That being said, there
is nothing like having a "curtain" of bubbles rising to the
surface with fish actively playing in them to grasp ones
attention.

In a planted tank, with injected CO2, it is
counter productive as the surface tension is what allows
the amount of CO2 present in the water to climb to usable
levels. Break the surface tension with an air stone or a
filter return that disturbs the surface and you allow the
CO2 to return to equilibrium.

It's up to the individual

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Myself, I am a firm believer in the use of
air stones. I, once upon a time, on the advice of another aquariast, turned off my air stones to test.
Within 1 hour 50% of the fish are gasping at the surface,
despite the 2 large canister filters I have providing surface agitation.

To hide mine, I use the round flat stones, and place
then in the back most corners of the tank. I have 2 5 inch diameter round stones in my 75g tank, 2 small cylinder ones in each of my 25 and 10g, and my 5g has a sponge filter, so 1 air stone.

I keep heavily planted tanks as well, but havent
ventured into C02. Im afraid of losing the fish
once the oxygen level is depleted by c02 use, and
Im raising fish first, and plants second, so the fish have
the main priorty.




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I used the suction cups that you normally use on the back of the tank, but on the bottom to hold them down, then cover them with the rock. and most of mine i slow down to look like natural air escaping.

Fish tanks are an expensive addiction

i simply just buried under the gravel and hid it with plants and a lava rock. it works great, the fish love to play in it.

Renegade545,
king of the frontosa

I have never had to use airstones as long as there is a power filter present, that is if the tank is stocked correctly. I belive firmly in stocking tanks lightly. Some people that do use them barry them under the gravel.

17 years experience with freshwater.

Air Stone to use or not to use. I have a heavy planted tanks, with CO2 system with a pump reactor, UGF with powerjets, with canister filter at 300GpH as will as 4" to 6" (front to back)gravel in a custom 55 tank. And yes I have 2 air stones buried in the back of the tank, Do I use them yes at night when the plants stop producing Oxygen at night when the lights go out. I just have it hooked up to when the lunar light come on, These will insure plenty of oxygen at night, during the day the plants provide any extra needed. That's what I use them for

Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams