Are airstones bad for reef tanks?

[carlos_fb]

I have noticed that nobody uses airstones in their reef tanks like people with freshwater tanks do to decorate. Are they bad for reefs?

 

[mattseattle]

nope - most of us don't think they look that great in reefs!

i used to use an air stone to release co2 out of my effluent from my calcium reactor but that has been the extent of my use of air stones.

i also don't put those little skulls in my reef tank either!

 

[4251cpd]

Airstones are evil in the reef.

 

[jetaero]

Mainly people don't use them as they don't look natural, and people are striving to have the most "natural" looking tanks.

-Josh-

 

[steve-s]

They make a miserable mess in regards to salt creep. As far as bad, yes they can cause problems with fish and sessile invertebrates. Gas bubble disease in fish and with certain sessile inverts will clog tissues causing necrosis.

The main idea behind airstones is aeration but this is actually the least efficient way to accomplish it. As long as the water surface is churning, surface gas exchange is occuring. A sump return, powerhead or canister filter will accomplish the goal on a much larger scale with less problems.

Cheers
Steve

 

[ClamLubber]

They make a miserable mess in regards to salt creep.
Steve

OMG I hadn't thought for years about all the layers of salt that used to build up on everything back when undergravel filters driven by airstones was all the filtration we had. I am SO old, hehe

Can't I still keep the little ceramic mermaid tank decoration though? LOL