Planted tanks and aquascaped tanks with large numbers of plants in them are becoming increasingly popular within the aquarium keeping hobby as more and more people start to integrate live plants to their setup.
There are a huge number of different methods that you are able to use when keeping a planted tank but with there being so many options, people new to keeping live planted in their tanks are often over whelmed.
A number of popular social media influences within the fish keeping space have also started to release content showing them use an airstone in a planted tank recently causing a spike in questions about that too.
Due to so many people getting confused about using an airstone in a planted tank with more and more questions being asked each month, we have decided to publish this article to try and help as many of our readers as possible.
Can You Use A Airstone In Planted Tank?
The short answer to this question is yes, you can use an airstone in a planted tank however it really depends on the plant species that you have and the amount of plants that are growing in your aquarium.
If your aquarium is heavily planted with fast growing species of plants, then using an airstone could do more harm than good as the increased amount of oxygen in the water could cause the plants to start growing too quickly.
This can often lead to problems such as algae blooms and poor plant health due to a lack of nutrients in the water.
We would only recommend using an airstone in a planted tank if the aquarium is not too heavily planted or if the plants that are growing are slow growing species.
8 Tips For Using An Airstone In A Planted Tank!
1) If you have a heavily planted tank, then using an airstone could do more harm than good.
2) If you do use an airstone in a heavily planted tank, make sure to monitor the plants closely for any signs of distress.
3) If you are using an airstone to help oxygenate the water in a planted tank, make sure that it is not placed too close to the plants.
4) Avoid using an airstone in a planted tank if the plants are growing too quickly as this could cause algae problems.
5) You should only use an airstone in a planted tank if the aquarium is not too heavily planted.
6) If you are using an airstone to help oxygenate the water in a planted tank, make sure that it is placed away from any areas where plants are growing.
7) Avoid using an airstone in a planted tank if the plants are slow growing.
8) If you are using an airstone in a planted tank, make sure to monitor the plants closely for any signs of distress.
Do I Need An Airstone In My Planted Tank?
The answer to this question really depends on the plant species that you have and the amount of plants that are growing in your aquarium.
If your aquarium is heavily planted with fast growing species of plants, then using an airstone could do more harm than good as the increased amount of oxygen in the water could cause the plants to start growing too quickly.
This can often lead to problems such as algae blooms and poor plant health due to a lack of nutrients in the water.
We would only recommend using an airstone in a planted tank if the aquarium is not too heavily planted or if the plants that are growing are slow growing species.
Does Air Stone Help With Algae?
The short answer to this question is no, an airstone will not help with algae.
In fact, using an airstone in a planted tank can often cause more problems than it solves as the increased amount of oxygen in the water can cause the plants to start growing too quickly.
This can often lead to problems such as algae blooms and poor plant health due to a lack of nutrients in the water.
We would only recommend using an airstone in a planted tank if the aquarium is not too heavily planted or if the plants that are growing are slow growing species.
Will An Airstone Help My Plants Grow Faster?
The short answer to this question is no, an airstone will not help your plants grow faster in a healthy tank setup.
If you are having problems with your plants growing due to low O2 levels then you can consider an airstone but there really isn’t any essential requirement to use an airstone in a correctly setup planted tank.
Do Air Stones Raise pH In A Planted Tank?
There is some debate over whether or not using an airstone in a planted tank will raise the pH levels in the water.
Some believe that the increased amount of oxygen in the water caused by the airstone can lead to a rise in pH levels, while others believe that this is not the case.
At this point, there is no scientific evidence to support either claim so we would recommend that you monitor the pH levels in your aquarium closely if you do decide to use an airstone.
Can You Aerate A Planted Aquarium Too Much?
Yes, you can aerate a planted aquarium too much.
If you do this, then you risk harming the plants in your tank due to the increased amount of oxygen in the water.
We would only recommend using an airstone in a planted tank if the aquarium is not too heavily planted or if the plants that are growing are slow growing species.
How Do I Know If My Fish Tank Has Enough Oxygen?
There are a few signs that you can look out for which will indicate whether or not your fish tank has enough oxygen.
These include:
- Your fish starts gasping at the surface of the water.
- Your fish seem to be listless and lethargic.
- Your fish start to display weird behaviors such as bar.
Conclusion
An airstone can be a helpful tool to increase oxygen levels in a planted tank, but it is important to use it wisely. If you are using an airstone in a planted tank, make sure that you monitor the plants closely for any signs of distress. You should also avoid using an airstone if the plants are slow growing.
