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I have finally gotten my 20g tank all set up! I'm so excited. I know it is going to feel like forever before I can get any fish though.

I have two air stones in the tank for added effect. They are working great and look good, but do I need to have them continually running during the cycling period?

Also, once I get my tank all stocked and full of life, will I need to run the air pump all the time? I don't plan on overstocking or anything like that; I have no live plants, so I don't think the bubbles would be essential for anything... But will turning the bubbles on and off throughout the day affect anything in the water that could harm or stress the fish?

Thanks for the help as always!

What kind of fish are you cycling the tank with and how many?

Having plenty of oxygen in the water certainly helps fish avoid some of the stress associated with cycling, so an air stone is a good idea. If you can keep it running that's great. Is there a reason why you want to turn it off?

Also what kind of filter do you have? Some filters can be adjusted to maximise surface agitation. in that case there may be no need to have an extra airt stone, except if you think it looks pretty.

Once you get it cycled, turning it on and off every now and then may even help them. It will creat changing currents in the tank.

IMO this is more like their natural habitat.

Either way it will not hurt them.

I do not have any fish in the tank as of right now. I was planning on getting through the cycling process without stressing out any fish. I bought the additive recommended here (I totally forget the name right now) that helps to cycle the tank without the use of fish.

The filter I have is a TopFin 20. I have heard decent things about this filter, so I don't think the air stones are vital to the tank. However, I was just curious as to what changes in the tank the air stones can cause (if any).

There is no reason I couldn't have the air pump on, I was just curious as to what effect it has on the tank. I do think the bubbles add a special touch to the tank and I plan on having them running anyway. I was just curious. I didn't want to have the bubbles running if it would be bad in any way for the cycling process.

neurotica1983

I personally would keep the air stones running all the time this give you a better water movement and can see no reason to turn it off at all. Yet this is only my opinion.

Keith

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I rub a pair of top fins, a 10 and a 30. I really like these filters, very easy to use, clean and maintain. Anyways, Once I planted my 10 gallon, I thought I could turn the air off cause the plants would add oxygen to the tank and with the water level about 1 to 1.5 inches below the return spout it creates a decent amount of gurgling and should aerate the water plenty. well, within a few hours the fishies were gasping near the surface so I put the air back on and won't turn it back off.