Air Stones for Aquariums

Why Get an Air stone for Your Aquarium, Are Air Stones Necessary?

Are Air Stones Necessary?

Whether or not air stones are necessary really depends on what you mean by necessary, and will vary from one system to another. If you have a filter that is run by an air pump, then using an air stone to create an abundant cascade of small to tiny bubbles rather than a limited number of larger bubbles will be much more effective at moving water through the filter, thereby making the filter more effective and efficient. With the exception of some air-driven 'action ornaments,' almost any use of an air pump in an aquarium will be more effective if you are using an air stone in conjunction with that pump.

How Do Air Stones Increase the Oxygen in the water?

As for increasing the oxygenation of the water, the best thing air stones do is provide good water circulation - so if your filter is adequate to the tank, it will already be providing adequate water circulation, and the benefit from an air stone and air pump will be minimal and unnecessary.

What Kind of Air Stone Should I Get?

In situations where I have had need or desire to use an air stone, I have found that the compressed glass bead air stones tend to be the best - with one exception - If you are using an air stone driven protein skimmer on your marine aquarium, the wooden air stones give off a finer cascade of bubbles and therefore make the skimmer much more efficient. Of course, you need to remember that any air stone will need to be replaced every few months as they get clogged with dust, bacteria, and algae.

"Thank you for your time. Again, the site is wonderful, and I refer back to it often in making my decisions."

Jay, Valparaiso, IN, USA

December 5, 2002

More Comments

"Thank you for such a good website. I like the advice that you give (very unbiased, unlike the salespeoples that I've encountered)."

Eric, Ontario, Canada

February 28, 2006