Do I need an air stone?

[Sam Croy]

Hello,
New here, been lurking for about a month. Great resource this is. Now I
have a question.
I have a 10 gal. with six Serpae Tetras and three Green Cories. It is
just a cheap outfit I picked up at Wal-Mart with a 10/15 Whisper filter.
I have no live plants, the aquarium seems to be doing well after about
three weeks and the fish look happy. But I haven't had an aquarium since
the mid 70's. The wife and I were talking and we always used an air
stone back then. I'm unfamiliar with all the new technologies, the
instructions that came with this outfit did not mention air stone. So
senile as I am I forgot all about that until now.
I'd like to know what folks here think, do I need to add one?
Thanks in advance for any incite you care to give.

--
Sam Croy
"We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap
as they go by."
- Will Rogers

[Charles]

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 21:06:04 -0500, Sam Croy
> wrote:

>Hello,
>New here, been lurking for about a month. Great resource this is. Now I
>have a question.
>I have a 10 gal. with six Serpae Tetras and three Green Cories. It is
>just a cheap outfit I picked up at Wal-Mart with a 10/15 Whisper filter.
>I have no live plants, the aquarium seems to be doing well after about
>three weeks and the fish look happy. But I haven't had an aquarium since
>the mid 70's. The wife and I were talking and we always used an air
>stone back then. I'm unfamiliar with all the new technologies, the
>instructions that came with this outfit did not mention air stone. So
>senile as I am I forgot all about that until now.
>I'd like to know what folks here think, do I need to add one?
>Thanks in advance for any incite you care to give.


I'd say no, with the fish load you have.

I'm only using airstones in one tank, it has goldfish and no filter
that breaks the water surface. they acted l9ke they wanted more air
so I put the airstones in.

If you see your fish gasping at the surface there may be a problem
that an airstone would remedy, but there's lots of other things to
check out first.

[Dick]

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 21:06:04 -0500, Sam Croy
> wrote:

>Hello,
>New here, been lurking for about a month. Great resource this is. Now I
>have a question.
>I have a 10 gal. with six Serpae Tetras and three Green Cories. It is
>just a cheap outfit I picked up at Wal-Mart with a 10/15 Whisper filter.
>I have no live plants, the aquarium seems to be doing well after about
>three weeks and the fish look happy. But I haven't had an aquarium since
>the mid 70's. The wife and I were talking and we always used an air
>stone back then. I'm unfamiliar with all the new technologies, the
>instructions that came with this outfit did not mention air stone. So
>senile as I am I forgot all about that until now.
>I'd like to know what folks here think, do I need to add one?
>Thanks in advance for any incite you care to give.

What a coincidence. I too have a 10 gallon tank with 8 Serpaes and 2
Emerald Corys.

I took the air stones out of my 5 tanks about 6 months ago. I enjoy
the air bubbles and believe they help keep the water conditions
uniform in the tank, but I dislike the mineral deposits on the frame,
filter, heater, hood, etc. The white deposits are almost impossible
(well, completely impossible) to clean off.

My tanks range from 75 to 10 gallons and all have heavy populations.
I was very nervous the first week after shutting off the air.
dick

[spiral_72]

I'd say you probably don't NEED one. They look cool and help circulate
your water though. The mineral deposits are kind of annoying though.

http://www.geocities.com/spiral_72/home.html

[Koi-lo]

"Dick" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 21:06:04 -0500, Sam Croy
> > wrote:
>
>>Hello,
>>New here, been lurking for about a month. Great resource this is. Now I
>>have a question.
>>I have a 10 gal. with six Serpae Tetras and three Green Cories. It is
>>just a cheap outfit I picked up at Wal-Mart with a 10/15 Whisper filter.
>>I have no live plants, the aquarium seems to be doing well after about
>>three weeks and the fish look happy. But I haven't had an aquarium since
>>the mid 70's. The wife and I were talking and we always used an air
>>stone back then. I'm unfamiliar with all the new technologies, the
>>instructions that came with this outfit did not mention air stone. So
>>senile as I am I forgot all about that until now.
>>I'd like to know what folks here think, do I need to add one?
>>Thanks in advance for any incite you care to give.
>
> What a coincidence. I too have a 10 gallon tank with 8 Serpaes and 2
> Emerald Corys.
>
> I took the air stones out of my 5 tanks about 6 months ago. I enjoy
> the air bubbles and believe they help keep the water conditions
> uniform in the tank, but I dislike the mineral deposits on the frame,
> filter, heater, hood, etc. The white deposits are almost impossible
> (well, completely impossible) to clean off.

There are several products that work well to remove them if you do it before
they're very thick and crusty. Use Lime-Away and/or CLR. I dampen a cloth
with it and wipe the deposits away before they become unsightly.

> My tanks range from 75 to 10 gallons and all have heavy populations.
> I was very nervous the first week after shutting off the air.
> dick
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
NEW PAGE: Aquariums:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy/Aquarium-Page4.html
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[[email protected]]

White vinegar may be a little more safe for removing the white deposits
than CLR or Lime-Away. I get nervous using any chemicals around my
tank. I hear the vineagar works nice, I use it to clean my air stone
and it works pretty well. I have never tried it on my hood as the only
area that the white stuff (lime?) builds up is out of view.

[Koi-lo]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> White vinegar may be a little more safe for removing the white deposits
> than CLR or Lime-Away. I get nervous using any chemicals around my
> tank.

I moisten a cloth and use it CAREFULLY!

I hear the vinegar works nice, I use it to clean my air stone
> and it works pretty well. I have never tried it on my hood as the only
> area that the white stuff (lime?) builds up is out of view.

I get the buildup on the tank frames, the glass canopies, inside the hoods,
on the bulbs.... everywhere. Our water is very hard here. I can't stand
the smell of vinegar. It will actually turn my stomach.
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
NEW PAGE: Aquariums:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy/Aquarium-Page4.html
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>