Best way to airate a tank

[africandiscus]

I have a standard 5ft tank. I am looking fir the best way to get oxygen into the tank.

I have an eheim 2217 canister filter

I would like to have a planted tank in the future. I was thinking of getting a 150L sera spounge filter purely for airation. This will not be used as a filter since it is only 150L vs my tank size of 250L. Sera do have an L300 which is for up to 300L.

http://www2.sera.de/protected/products/product.php?id=198&language=en

Is this option better than an airstone? and which size sould I get?

[kalebjarrod]

i don't use sponges, but other love em

but what can it hurt!

extra filtration and all

[flukes]

Sponge filters are great for picking up little particles in the water. If you need to add air a sponge filter is a good way too go.

[skoom]

I find using a spray bar is good enough. I hate noisy airpumps so i plug a powerhead into my sponge filter.

[Mattzilla]

i use sponges in all my tanks and they work great. they also add more filtration to your tank and that can never hurt.

[africandiscus]

What size sponge do you recomment the 150L or the 300L?

[Billy]

Sponge filters are great for picking up little particles in the water. If you need to add air a sponge filter is a good way too go.

yes i agree, air sponge filters is very gd to clear up little particles, except they doesnt look gd and a bit noise running with old air pumps

[flukes]

if you get a decent air pump it should make that much noise also put a air tuner in the tubing and you can turn down the amount of air entering the filter.

[weird]

Best way ? Lots of plants ?

[kevkoi]

Ah, but Dave, let us not forget that PLANTs will compete for O2 in the tank when the lights go off, hence STARVING your discus off O2!!! :wink: (Photosynthesis only happens when the lights are ON. :P )

Putting an airbar with a big air pump attached to it will pump enough air thru the tank that's for sure..... but WHY?? What for?

Seems to be a contradiction in the line of thought if planted tank means something like an Amano style plant tank :wink: .....
'Heavily' planted tank..... now that just sounds so much like you will be pumping CO2 into the tank (possibly with a solenoid to switch it off at night when the lights go off). Now IF you are going to be spending money pumping in CO2 for the plants, why would u then want to bubble out all the CO2 u put in with an airpump??? :roll:

Heavily planted tank = lightly stocked on fish
Heavily planted tank + Heavily stocked with fish tank = DEAD FISH at night

Heavily stocked with fish tank + few hardy plants like anubias or swords = need to add an airpump.

Keep the surface of the water aggitated with the spray bar of the filter... That should be enough to get enough O2 for discus without creating a washing machine effect in your tank with bubbles flying everywhere.

[weird]

I know Kev, I just really like plants at the moment ... ;)