Thread: Too many bubbles from airstone??
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Old December 6th 05, 07:06 PM posted to rec.aquaria.freshwater.goldfish
Logic316
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Default Too many bubbles from airstone??
wrote:
Well, I have two small goldfish in a 5 gallon tank. I know I know,
thats not enough room but thats all I can afford at the moment.
Anyway, I bought a 15 gallon air pump (i'm looking into getting a
bigger tank) which is attached to a filter, and and airstone. The
airstone is blasting out bubbles and its making the top of the whole
tank all bubbly/foamy. There is hardly any surface water that isn't
bubbly. Is this normal or do I need to do something? Thanks for any
help.


Before anybody goes blasting this fellow with both barrels, let's
consider the fact that a well-maintained 5 gallon tank is *far* better
than the crowded conditions his fish had to endure in the pet store.

Anyway, from what you're describing your airpump is far too strong. Lack
of oxygen can kill a fish quickly, but excessive aeration can, over
time, cause irritation and inflammation of the gills known as "gas
bubble disease". And the excessive water current will also cause stress
that can shorten a fish's lifespan. You can reduce this turbulence by
either moving the airstone very close to the water surface, or, as
others have already mentioned in this group, by getting a tunable inline
valve for the plastic hose to turn the air current down. Of course, the
question still remains "Exactly how much aeration do I need, and how can
I measure if it's just right?". An old rule of thumb is that if your
goldfish are frequently coming to the surface of the tank and are
gulping air, then you know they're not getting enough oxygen. But the
only precise and scientific way to tell is to purchase an oxygen test
kit, which are available at all good fish stores. While gradually
reducing the aeration, test the oxygen content of the water frequently
until you achieve a small amount of turbulence while still producing a
high oxygen concentration.

- Logic316


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