Bubble curtain good or bad?

Question

i have a bubble curtain going at full speed is that bad or good? The pump is just a small pump and i have a 29g with about 17 different fish in it.

Answer 1

Generally, fishes enjoy bubble current in their water. They prefer this with lots of things to look at outside the tank. A bubbler kind of adds fun for the fish and the owner, and its very possible to include one if you really want one.

The main thing to remember is you must break up the current. You can bury the bubbler, for starters, and place a stack of rocks, some plants or an interesting toy over the airstone, to break up the bubble stream.

There are also gangway valves you can purchase (very inexpensive and easy to install; just ask for one at your pet shop) that control the flow of air coming into your stones. With a little experimentation, you can adjust the valve to permit just a lazy trickle of air through your fish tank.

If you can have a bubbler in one corner your fishes will just escape to the other corners when he needs to rest.

If you have any current flowing through their habitat, consider buying a cave or other aquarium toy for them to hide out in. Fishes enjoy resting on and in their caves in any case, and even like to sleep on top of aquatic plant leaves.

If your fishes feels comfortable in their resting area, you might even see them approach the bubble stream and check things out. Some are more curious than others and I have even heard of fishes sporting around in the airstone's wake. Then again, other fishes are terrified of bubblers and will be an unhappy little fish if one is forced on them. You will have to watch your fishes and see how he reacts to the presence of an airstone.

Answer 2

I just think it's a personal choice, much like those silly little ornaments they sell for the aquarium that are bubblestone powered. Either you like them or you don't.

Aeration can be done several ways that don't require a bubble curtain. Surface area alone encompases a certain amount of O2 absorbtion. Hang on tank filters return oxygen by the fall of water, along with creating mild currents in the water. A sponge filter, like the Hydro III, IV or V are bubble stone powered and return oxygen plus provide biological filtration which is a plus for any tank. Powerheads also will provide a current, from slow to fast depending on the type of fish you have and what they like.

Again, it's all a matter of personal taste although you should experiment with the speed control on your pump to determine which air flow is best suited for your fish. If no control is on the pump (some don;t have them - I have no idea what they were thinking when they designed them), buy a air control valve and adjust it that way. They are cheap (usually under two bucks or so) and will accomplish the same thing.

Hope this helps. :)

Answer 3

Your bubble curtain is really more for a visual effect than anything. It can add some aeration, but you'll get more oxygen in the water from keeping a filter running and the water at the proper level. If the water is almost to the rim so what water coming out of your filter makes a ripple across the top than a "waterfall" into the tank, you've got the best aeration you can have.

The bubble curtain itself doesn't do anything for filtering your tank, so I'd recommend a filter as well if you don't have one.

As long as the filter/bubble curtain doesn't make too much of a current that your fish can't swim, it shouldn't be a problem for your fish. Some fish even seem to enjoy playing in the bubbles.

Answer 4

I have always thought bubble curtains were a bit too much, but that's really just in your personal taste. It really can't hurt, unless it is just creating an absurd amount of bubbles making it hard for the fish to feed, creating too much turbulence in the water etc.

A simple airstone will work just fine to provide enough oxygen. But as i said before it just comes down to what you like...and if the fish like it.

Answer 5

you don't want to over oxygenate the water, if there are only 17 fish , it might me better to turn the pump to half power, I have 4 fish tanks and 2 have low bubble curtains 2 have air bricks, my tank has over 25 fish and is run by an air brick, there are also some live plants.
If after you lower the oxygen in the water you notice the fish swimming continuously at the top of the tank and appear to be gasping you can turn it up a little more.

good luck

Answer 6

Excellent for aeration,I have found bubble curtains put oxygen into water without creating strong currents,which some fish are uneasy with,as they come from a still water situation.All fish can live with bubble curtain.

Answer 7

The bubble curtain is really good for your aeriaton. The only reason it might not be so good for your fish is if you have slow moving fish (such as fancy goldfish) and its making the watter move around too much and they are getting tossed around. Although, if you have river fish (like balas, rainbows, clown loaches, or corydoras to name a few) the current is ideal for them.

Answer 8

If you are having a problem with fish dying or appearing injured then your curtain is probably set too high. It doesn't have to be full blast for them to enjoy playing in it and smaller fish have trouble with a very strong blast. I'd turn it down a little and things should be fine.