Pet Forum / Aquaria / Goldfish / July 2005

I know of no practical difference. I mix and match between my airstones (I
use airstones when the amount of supplied air is relatively low) and bubble
wands (I use bubble wands when the amount of supplied air is larger such as
a dedicated tetra luft pump whereas with airstones say an airmaster 3000 (1
port)) and have never really seen a difference. Read my information at
http://www.fishkeepingbanter.com/q-t_5558-Two-helpful-tips-spread-the-word-U
pdate!.html - you will probably have to cut and paste it into your browser
as the complete url doesn't seem to be a complete link in newsreaders. Any
way - read what I have posted there for information on how to easily
recharge/recondition/reuse airstone and air wands. Good luck and later!

I've used air stones in the past,

Nona,

There are differences but it depends on the airstone.  If you are trying to
put air into the water (oxygen) get an airstone with the finest bubble you
can purchase and afford.  The finest bubbles are, of course, created in a
salt water environment, so don't expect this kind of preformance in
freshwater, but you can get airstones that produce pretty small bubbles.
Granted this is hard, but Aquatic-eco systems have some and the Rena brand
of fine bubble airstones are good, and there are other more expensive ones,
but as the price goes up the pressure needed to run them also increases.

If you are trying just to move water you want an airstone that produces big
bubbles.  Small bubble airstones do not move water as efficiently as
airstones that produce big bubbles.

Most people just go with stock airstones that are cheap and rely on the
movement of water to the surface for the exchange of oxygen at the surface
which is also fine, which is the way most of us deal with the situation of
trying to get oxygen into the water.

It is half a dozen of one, six of the other on how you handle the procedure.

HTH

Tom L.L.
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Thank you all for the information.  I'm little concerned now with my
setup since I recently lost a 13YO GF and trying to make sure
everything is what it should be.  Only visible signs were septicemia
and floating problem 3-4 months before the sign of septicemia..  My
water permimeter is good.