# Air Stone & Plants



## jamezgt (Jun 24, 2008)

Okay guys - I have one amazon sword on the right side of my tank, and one on the left side. My filter is hanging off on the left side, and my air stone is more directed to the left side.

My right side is growing fast, but my left side hasn't grown in two months. Could the air stone be removing the nutrients from traveling to the plants? Should I remove the air stone and pop another filter on (AC110) to provide O2? Or would two filters not be enough O2 for six piranhas.


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

jamezgt said:


> Okay guys - I have one amazon sword on the right side of my tank, and one on the left side. My filter is hanging off on the left side, and my air stone is more directed to the left side.
> 
> My right side is growing fast, but my left side hasn't grown in two months. Could the air stone be removing the nutrients from traveling to the plants? Should I remove the air stone and pop another filter on (AC110) to provide O2? Or would two filters not be enough O2 for six piranhas.


The air stone is increasing the rate of CO2 loss which is what plants need for growth. Plants give off oxygen as a byproduct. You don't need airstones with HOB filters since they reoxygenate the water as the water flows through them and out of them. Try adding some Fluorish Excel as that is a different carbon source that won't dissipate so easily.


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## jamezgt (Jun 24, 2008)

BioTeAcH said:


> Okay guys - I have one amazon sword on the right side of my tank, and one on the left side. My filter is hanging off on the left side, and my air stone is more directed to the left side.
> 
> My right side is growing fast, but my left side hasn't grown in two months. Could the air stone be removing the nutrients from traveling to the plants? Should I remove the air stone and pop another filter on (AC110) to provide O2? Or would two filters not be enough O2 for six piranhas.


The air stone is increasing the rate of CO2 loss which is what plants need for growth. Plants give off oxygen as a byproduct. You don't need airstones with HOB filters since they reoxygenate the water as the water flows through them and out of them. Try adding some Fluorish Excel as that is a different carbon source that won't dissipate so easily.
[/quote]

Sorry - what does HOB stand for? And would one filter be enough O2? And what are some signs of fish lacking O2 - I don't want to kill my piranhas by removing the air stone!


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

HOB = Hang On Back


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

One should provide enough O2. The question is whether or not one will provide enough filtration...I'd go with 2 for 6 piranhas. How big are they and the tank again?

Signs of low O2 are fish gasping at the surface.


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## jamezgt (Jun 24, 2008)

There are six of them - roughly 4-5" in a 60 Gallon tank with one Aqueon 55 Filter and one air stone. They're moving to a 130 gallon this weekend with an Eheim Canister.

So what I'm planning to do is to use the Eheim Canister alone, and hopefully that will be enough O2. With the 60 gallon, I'm going to use the Aqueon 55 with an AC110. Does this plan seem good?


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## lo4life (Aug 12, 2008)

What size of a Eheim Canister? Its getter to have to much filteration then not enough. Personally I would add another canister just to be safe.


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## Ibanez247 (Nov 9, 2006)

Removing the airstone wont kill your fish. As long as theres some water aggetation you'll be fine. If your running a HOB I would just remove the airstone unless you want it for looks. Id get a power head instead and create some current. My pygos like swimming in the current. Just be sure there are dead spots so they can rest. Are both sword plants recieving the same amount of light? Or one gettign light from the sun form a window? That would cause one to grow faster than the other as well.


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## jamezgt (Jun 24, 2008)

Ibanez247 said:


> Removing the airstone wont kill your fish. As long as theres some water aggetation you'll be fine. If your running a HOB I would just remove the airstone unless you want it for looks. Id get a power head instead and create some current. My pygos like swimming in the current. Just be sure there are dead spots so they can rest. Are both sword plants recieving the same amount of light? Or one gettign light from the sun form a window? That would cause one to grow faster than the other as well.


How do powerheads work? Are they attachments for canisters or can they attach to a HOB or some sort.


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## Plowboy (Apr 9, 2008)

powerheads

powerheads dont attach to anything. there just basically a stand alone, submersible water pump


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