Air stone, any good?

[God of thunder]

Hi i recently got seom used air stone for free, ehat are your thoughts on air stones in reef tanks?

[GlobaLPimP]

IMO - not good. There are several corals that will be irritated by airbubbles blowing around in your water column.

[God of thunder]

Yes i was aware of that issue, how about when it´s arranged in a way that the bubbles won´t touch the corals?

[aquarius77]

You will have insane salt creep.

[God of thunder]

What´s that?, are the no practical use for them?

[GlobaLPimP]

Salt creep is left over salt from moisture on the outside of your tank, which will be caused by the popping of the bubbles at the surface.

I'd say you need some more flow if you have a reef with room to put an airstone that won't be effected by the current that much..

[RobNJ]

salt tanks are not goldfish bowls.

[Piscator]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10903716#post10903716 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by God of thunder
Hi i recently got seom used air stone for free, ehat are your thoughts on air stones in reef tanks?

I had one attached to my first sw tank years ago...what a mess with salt creep. There are many other ways to increase gas exchange without using them in a reef tank IMO.

[God of thunder]

Well, i just thought they might look cool...

[jamiep]

I wouldnt put it in the main tank for salt creep reasons. If your thinking of gas exchange then stick it in your sump, but with the water falling into your sump you should get enough gas exchange. I think airstones are good when putting new fish in QT and they get sufficated in the bag. Especially if you order online!

[papagimp]

I agree with jamiep on this, I've used air stones/air pumps in the sump, prior to any bubble traps/baffles before, just for added oxygen and for kicks. But you stick on in the display, the flow in a reef tank needs to be high enough that an airstone just really isn't going to be good, the higher current will just blow them bubbles everywhere. And as Global mentioned, if you have dead enough spots for an airstone to operate without causing bubbles to get everywhere, then you need more flow.

For a Fowlr, or fish only, sure I can see them coming in handy, just not in a reeftank. Besides, you remember what the air bubbles did to that poor yellow tang in Finding Nemo? So sad to loose ones marbles like that.

[God of thunder]

Yeah if i only had a sump, that´s on my top of my very long list....

[derge]

i turend up the air from my pump i thought it would help my cycle now i know where all this salt mess has come from.

[God of thunder]

Ok, im convinced, i won´t put it in. do tou know if i can attach it to my prism and make it skimm better?

[Mavrk]

You could use the airstone in the container you mix saltwater (especially if you have a pH problem), or in a container for curing live rock, or even possibly in a QT for fish. Of course a powerhead will be fine for these things as well, but since you have them...