These allow me to accurately control the flow of the CO2 from the tank so I do not waste any of it. Installation involves no more than inserting the connector into the rubber hose and then letting the air stone fall to the bottom of the tank. On the other hand, the benefits that this product provides far outweigh the disadvantages. First, turn off the air pump and disconnect the air stone from the rubber hose. These products are not like your usual air stones. I notice that these stones make finer bubbles compared to my old stones and they are a lot quieter, too. While most bubbling ornaments are attractive but not very efficient at diffusing O2 into your aquarium water, this lovely bubbling disk from Hygger is a notable exception. These air stones also use materials that are completely safe for fish and other aquatic creatures. If you already have a small 3-watt air pump, it will not be strong enough to push air out of this huge air stone. As mentioned earlier, the only downside to using this fine bubble air stone is that you will need a rather strong air pump to push air through the entire length of the air stone. The only thing that you need to be wary of is that if your tank is bigger than 10 gallons, you will need more than just one of these air stones. Another nice thing about these air stones is that they are quite sturdy. With its entire length off the ground, producing a lot of tiny bubbles will be much easier. They are great at keeping the water in my tank aerated while also keeping the water circulating, especially in one of my smaller tanks. The newest members of the air stone family meld air and LEDs for a stunning light and bubble show. It also came with a reducer and airflow controller both of which are essential pieces for my CO2 system. While its fun to learn about the newest high-tech aquarium equipment, sometimes its the oldest and simplest devices that stand the test of time. The reason why this is so is that these air stones have lots of surface area that can producebubbles. Now that you know the benefits of air stones, and you also learned how to choose the best one, you have absolutely no reason not to get one for your aquarium right now. Because these air stones are quite small, they will still work as intended when used in conjunction with a small air pump. The tough corundum stone produces a steady fine stream of bubbles and is very durable. Also, it doesnt use the standard air tubing, so youll have to buy special 8mm tubing to connect it to your pump. This kit even comes with protective parts, including control and check valves. Although these air stones are small, I can still say that they can produce quite a lot of tiny bubbles. Because of their shape, these air stones can create a wide curtain of bubbles. Plug-in the air pump and plug in any additional electrical cords and things should start right up. Aquatic-eden.com is reader-supported. You wont have to worry about these air stones chipping or wearing down. Most air stones come at least bundled with a length of rubber tubing and other accessories. This aquarium air stone decoration is rather large compared to the usual tiny one-inch balls and discs. In addition, these are easily washable using just a soft brush and rinse in some old tank water. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Air stones do require a separate air pump and thin plastic tube to produce the bubbles, and in very small tanks this clutter might not be attractive. You just need to connect the rubber hose to the air inlet, and then push this air stone down on the base of the aquarium. These large aquarium air stones come sealed on all sides except for one, so when it lies down on the bottom of the tank, the entire exposed surface produces a uniform and dense curtain of tiny bubbles. Here are some of the factors you need to consider when you are searching for the best air stones for a fish tank: If you already have an air pump, like the ones usually used for under-gravel filters, that you still want to keep using, then you need to choose an air stone that it can handle. One of the most useful tools for keeping your aquarium healthy is a simple fish tank air bubbler. If used with an air pump of sufficient power, it can create a curtain of hundreds of thousands of tiny, uniform-sized bubbles. Carefully remove algae from the diffusers bubble tube with a brush or scrubber and rinse well in a bucket of your aquarium water. These may be as simple as a bubble wand with a row of blue diodes or a full-on moving decoration with multiple colors! I do not know exactly why this particular air stone cannot produce bubbles in deeper tanks when other, similar-sized air stones from different brands were able to work without any problems. Similar to the flexible bubble walls, bubble wands are also a diffuser-style aerator. You can also find some that you need to fix onto the sides of the bottoms of aquariums using suction cups. This air stone also works when plugged into a stronger air pump. If you prefer a classic air stone, the black 4-pack from Imagitarium is a discrete option, or you could opt for the high-quality stones from Aqua Fizzzz. This is important as it will ensure that there is no stagnant water in the tank that does not contain enough oxygen. All youll need to add is the air tubing and a strong air pump, and youll have a beautiful stream of microbubbles rising in your tank! I hope the companys quality control department steps up soon. This model is the perfect size for tanks 10-gallons and up, and there are smaller sizes available as well. You will appreciate these affordable accessories because you will find out later that this hobby can get expensive really quickly. I ended up replacing all the suction cups with heavy-duty ones. Any bigger and you might need to use two of these to provide an adequate number of bubbles. I do not need to submerge it in any cleaning solution, nor do I need any special tools. Soak the stone or bubbler in a bucket of your aquarium water for 24 hours to ensure its completely saturated. It is small enough to hide underneath a toy volcano. Dont put bubblers too close to your filter intakes or directly under the outflow since that would just scatter the bubbles. Since the weighted bubbling disk is 5-inches in diameter, its probably oversized for Nano tanks, but would be a perfect addition to larger aquariums. They are also small enough that I could easily hide them behind the background plants. It took me less than five minutes to set up (after allowing the air stone to sit in some water for two to three hours) this air stone, and I did not even need to use any sort of tools whatsoever. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Lowering the airflow makes for fewer and less dense bubbles. Although I did need to replace the small suction cups included in the kit, I am still impressed at how great these air stones work. These small air stones can work well even when you hook them up to a small air pump. Bubblers and oxygen stones for fish tanks also create mild currents and help circulate the freshwater to every corner, reducing the potential for Dead Zones. To further spread out the bubbles, I use a T-connector to split the air hose into two and connect each end to one of these air stones. It does not matter what kind of dcor you have going on in your aquarium. Jen has more than 30 years experience as a biologist, aquarist, and fishkeeper. The box it came in contained nothing else. This article will teach you about the different types of air stones that will be highly beneficial to your aquarium. Some bubbler ornaments have other moving components or require additional electrical connections to operate. However, if you want your tank to become a balanced and thriving ecosystem, a good air stone is essential. The old-school or classic air stone for fish tanks is exactly that: a small chunk of porous ceramic, rock or wood with a hole drilled into the center and a hollow connector that attaches to the air tubing. Even if you use a small 3-watt pump, it can still produce a wide curtain of bubbles, which tend to disperse more readily compared to the bubbles produced by a small air stone. It seems like even if I carefully place this air stone in my aquarium, at least one suction cup would not take hold. Air stones and bubblers also add points of interest to your tank that draw the eye. The nice thing about this is that you can split the air supply into two if you are using a larger tank. This air stone will add to it. If that is not an issue for you, you should give this air stone a try. If youre looking for a small air stone for your Nano tank, box filter, or sump system, these inexpensive and high-quality air stones from Aqua Fizzzz could be the aerator for you! Run the air tubing and any other cords out the top of the aquarium. Even if you are a complete novice at aquarium keeping, you will be able to set this up even without looking at the instructions. The small cylinders fit easily inside most riser tubes and connect up with the standard-sized aquarium air tubing. Learn how your comment data is processed. The flexible plastic bubble tube has regularly spaced holes and produces large bubbles instead of tiny ones. I scrub and rinse my air stones every month, just as I describe for the diffusers and bubbling ornaments, but even with cleaning, theres a noticeable drop in performance by the second or third month. This air stone can accommodate both 3/16 and 3/8 rubber hoses. The plastic bubble tubing usually lasts longer than natural stone or wood, and does a better job at making uniform, tiny bubbles. It depends on your priorities, budget and aquarium set-up. As these microbubbles float to the surface, the oxygen is diffused into the water, where aquatic animals and plants can use it. This is not much of an issue, though, since you can easily do it using a couple of tree joints. You may need to glue it in place with a bit of silicone, especially after cleaning or rehabbing. Some types are easier to maintain, while others last longer or produce smaller, finer bubbles that diffuse more oxygen into your water. If you have a small tank, like something that is 10-gallons or smaller, then you would do well with a small air stone. However, these hold similar shapes as the small cylinders, making them easier to hide behind plants and other decorations. You need to be careful when handling most air stones as they tend to be brittle and will break apart when dropped on a hard surface. They produce a nice stream of bubbles along the length of the wand once you hook up the air pump. This is not much of a big deal but it is still an improvement. Base the size of the air stone to use from there. Aside from the fact that this air stone produces a lot of bubbles, it also does such a function uniformly. This is ideal for larger fish tanks because it can aerate a larger volume of water faster. I only use 3-watt air pumps and they are enough to make these air stones bubble up like crazy. The LEDs dont last very long and are not replaceable, and the entire bubbler isnt very durable. I used two of them and positioned them at the back of my tank, so they are out of the way and easily covered by the plants. I have a small CO2 tank that puts out maybe 10psi, and this diffuser can create lots of tiny bubbles that quickly dissolve in the water. Ive seen ones that look like bubbling skulls or pirate chests, or you can go for the natural look with a bubbling flower, rock or log! Even a 4-watt base model air pump will not have any trouble pushing air through this air stone. You will not see bubbles that are significantly bigger than the others. Although I cannot prove it myself, I read enough reviews to find that this air stone can last for a couple of years and still work like new. While the stone itself is high quality, sometimes the hollow connector can come loose and allow air to escape from the base. These are also quite easy to use and maintain. Except for the vertical air inlet, this is one of the best air stones that I have used so far. With that said, you will need a bigger air pump to get bubbles out of the entire length of the air stone. You can even use it for CO2 infusion for planted tanks. I have been using this kind of air stone for years and I have yet to see my fish get sick due to them. The bubble disk is so fine you may need a stronger air pump to push the air through, especially in deeper tanks. Make sure that the air stone you get is easy to clean, which will make it last for much longer. They are fairly lightweight as well and often need to be anchored in place at the bottom of your tank. Its best to invest in a high-quality bubble wall thats easy to clean, but youll still probably have to replace it every 6 months to once a year. Those problems aside, this is a beautiful diffuser and a great choice for many set-ups! On the other hand, if you are planning to get a new air pump along with the air stone, ensure that they are compatible. Bubble wands are usually less expensive than the flexible walls, and these are a popular option for large tanks because they are easy to hide at the back or behind other decor. If you have a strong air pump, you can use the included 2-way control valve to decrease the airflow going into the air stone. Whether you want an air stone for a 10-gallon aquarium or the best aquarium bubble wall, weve got you covered! The stones themselves are quite good quality, but the overall construction is lacking. Lets take a look at your options! These are not shaped like your typical air stone. Even though this air stone comes with suction cup bases, it is heavy enough that it can remain at the bottom of your tank unassisted. Speaking of the pump strength, if you want this air stone to create bubbles in its entire length, you will need to use a substantially powerful air pump. At 1-inch in height, these stones are ideal for smaller tanks and for use in filters and sump systems. These seem to make finer bubbles compared to some other air stone brands. Another reason why I like this air stone is that it is heavy enough that you do not need to weigh it down to make it stay put on the bottom of the tank. Note, though, that even at full blast, the air stone remains in place. A cheap bubble wand may produce variable-sized bubbles rather than a steady stream of tiny ones. Getting an air stone for your fish tank is one of the easiest ways to make it more attractive. Usually made from a porous plastic tube similar to a hydroponic diffuser, these bubble walls can produce a steady stream of microbubbles. The finer the bubbles, the easier it will be for the oxygen in the air to dissolve into the water. The reason why these air stones have square end caps is to raise the porous stone above the aquarium floor. They come in a number of sizes and lengths, too. Now, I would have regarded this air stone a bit higher if only the suction cups at the base are a bit stronger and more durable. For something so delicate, this nano bubble air stone is quite easy to maintain. Classic air stones are usually the least expensive option and can be rehabbed as well if you dont mind taking the time to do it. Theyll help with the circulation in your tank, but wont add as much oxygen to the water as the other types. If paired with an adequately powered air pump, a single air stone will produce enough bubbles for a 15-gallon tank. Regardless of the type, theres a wide variety of air stones and diffusers that differ in their materials, construction quality and the size of the bubbles they produce. The way I clean mine involves scrubbing the surface lightly using an old toothbrush and rinsing it with some of the old tank water. While there are hundreds of aquarium air stones, diffusers and bubbling ornaments to choose between, weve searched out some of the best options on the internet in terms of price, quality and reliability. This air stone is big enough and produces so many bubbles that you might not even need another pump to circulate the water in the tank. Since they are made with natural materials, the bubbles may not be uniform in size. Still, if you prefer to stock up on stones these are a solid option, even if they arent the most attractive. This is the kind of air stone that you would not want to hide in the background. If you do not know this issue, then you might come home from the pet supply store only to find out that you have to go there again to get a rubber hose. I just use an old toothbrush to scrub the surface of the air stone and it will be enough to open up the pores again. The connector can accommodate both 3/16 diameter rubber hoses that are the regular ones you see. The positioning of the inlet makes it hard to keep the air stone in place. They do not have any fancy features and that is fine if you are just looking for something that can disperse a good amount of oxygen into your tank. These things are also nice if you have a small tank, like something around 10 gallons in capacity or smaller. However, aerating the water is not the only thing that an aquarium air diffuser stone does. However, do not expect that this would produce a lot of bubbles. 2022 Aquatic Eden. This air stone has a nice and wide surface and having a huge surface area means that it can produce a lot of bubbles. Benefits Of Using An Air Stone In Your Aquarium, Types Of Air Stones And Bubble Devices For Aquariums, How To Choose, Use And Maintain Your Air Stone, How To Pick The Best Type Of Air Stone For Your Tank. It is not like a conventional air stone where you could bury the hose under the gravel. Classic rock or wood air stones are easy to find, easy to use and inexpensive to replace, but they usually dont last very long and can be hard to clean. They arent always the most efficient option, however. If the diodes burn out, youll probably have to replace the entire bubbler. This also makes for a good CO2 diffuser if you take care of a couple of planted tanks. Theyre really designed to look attractive rather than functioning as an important part of your aquariums circulation system. Maintenance should also be a concern. I use one of these stones in the tank in my kids bedroom. This fish tank oxygen stone is ideal if you have a small tank, like anything from 10 to 20 gallons. The bubbles maintain high oxygen levels, which is healthier overall. I am currently using it on my 75-gallon tank and it is working just fine. The other air stones I have unfortunately dropped on the floor shattered into pieces. Still, its a very attractive diffuser and adds a lot of sparkle to your tank while it lasts! Sometimes its easiest to buy an inexpensive multipack of air stones so youll always have spares on-hand. If your aquarium is 70 gallons or bigger, then you would want to check this product out. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means you should clean it when you are doing partial or full water changes. They dont produce the fine bubbles needed for the efficient absorption of oxygen. This is probably because this is so easy to clean and maintain. For a marginal price, you will be getting 6 air stones, so you will always have spares at the ready. These products are your basic air stones. This fish tank aerator stone not only does a great job but also looks nice. This one will stay put no matter how strong the pump you connect it to. Its a flexible bubble wand with deep blue LEDs, so you can wind it around your plants and decor for a custom appearance or use it as a wall of lights and bubbles at the back of your tank. Learn more. The larger one allows more air to pass through the stone, which means it can produce more bubbles. If you will only be using a 3-to-5-watt pump, the bubbles will only be coming out from the middle of the air stone. 3. If you are a newbie at aquarium keeping, you will love the fact that these air stones are quite affordable. As much as I like these air stones, I do have an issue with the companys quality control as it seems like it is very lacking. Flexible bubblers allow you to wind the tube around your decor or create a circle of bubbles in the corner of your tank. With that said, if you will be using these air stones in a rather deep tank, you will need to use a stronger air pump to offset the greater water pressure. Id go with black stones over white if I had a choice. Your fish will still love them, though! I have a couple of planted tanks, and I use these air stones to disperse CO2 into the water. Put it in a container with enough hydrogen peroxide to submerge the air stone and let it soak for a couple of hours. This makes them unlike other bar-shaped air stones where the bubbles usually only come out of one end when hooked to a weak air pump. Because it is much bigger than traditional air stones, this one is much easier to clean. Theyre not the most attractive air stones, but theyre ideal for Nano tanks and marine set-ups. Attach the thin plastic air tubing to the hollow connector on the stone and secure the bubbler low in your aquarium (close to the substrate or slightly underneath it) with a suction cup or weight. It is also easy to install. Combo LED bubblers can also create a lot of clutter in a small tank, since theyll need to be plugged into an outlet and air pump to operate. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. It is 8 inches long, so it has a large surface area to produce more air bubbles. Dead Zones, or areas of depleted oxygen, are a real problem for many aquariums. Also, note that even though you will need a stronger air pump than average, the amount and quality of air bubbles that this stone produces will be well worth the upgrade. Rinse the stone completely under running water and it will be ready for use again. One thing I did not like about this air stone is it does not come with its rubber tubing. UPETTOOLS Aquarium Nano Bubble Air Stone, 4. If youd like to pick up several aerators at a time, this four-pack of black air stones from Imagitarium might be the way to go. With six distinct types and hundreds of unique products, how can you narrow down the list of air stones to find the best option for your tank? Like many bubble wands, however, the Aqueon isnt the most efficient at diffusing O2. Although these air stones needed a bit of preparation (soaking in water for a couple of hours), they worked immediately once the pump went on. If you are getting one of those long, tubular air stones, or the large, disc-shaped ones, then you will need a substantial air pump. Lets talk about what they bring to the game and how to pick the best air stone for any tank! How do air stones work in fish tanks to prevent these issues? This micro bubble air stone is ideal for large tanks as it can produce more bubbles compared to the small air stones that you usually find in pet supply stores. Higher O2 levels increase the health of your aquarium plants, fish and invertebrates, and reduces their stress to boot! Made from a durable pumice-like stone, these classic air stones are ideal for a host of applications. These air stones are often small, about an inch in length, and are ideal for aerating sump filters or protein skimmers on saltwater fish tanks. As mentioned earlier, since the sides of this air stone come sealed with plastic, the entire 4-inch length can produce bubbles even if you hook it up to a small air pump. With that said, I would not use this air stone with a high-power air pump as it might pop right off the hose. They have a simple rigid frame that holds the porous plastic bubble tubing in place and secures it to the side or back of your aquarium. But its not hard to hide it under or behind other decor, and their benefits vastly outweigh their downsides. This is evident when two of the air stones that I got did not work quite as well as I wanted them to. This product is a rather large air stone. The more oxygen the water has, the easier it will be for the fish to breathe. Some bubble walls have a flexible frame to provide support and protection to the plastic bubble-tube, while budget versions usually come with just the unprotected bubble tube. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Yes, youll need an inexpensive aquarium pump and a length of clear plastic tubing to force air through your air stone or bubbling device, but they are not hard to set up in your tank: The microscopic holes in air stones and diffusers can get clogged over time with biofilm, and its not uncommon for algae to grow on the surface and further obstruct the bubbles. For instance, if you have a 5-watt air pump, you might only be able to use the small air stones, like the ones that you just drop and let dangle in the tank. They are basically bubbling wands or ornaments that also have a few colored or white diodes attached. If you have fish like Bettas that dont like swimming in currents, be sure your bubblers placement wont disturb them. As with the bubbling ornaments mentioned above, these combo bubblers are really designed for appearances rather than efficacy. Aside from being not that efficient at oxygenating the water, they also create a lot of noise. I have dropped quite a lot of air stones because I could not hold them properly and many of them broke in half. If you have an under 50-gallon tank, then you would want to put one or two of these in there. Quickun Crazy Air Disc Stone Cylinder Bubbler, 5. Air stones are usually made of porous silica stones fused into different shapes. After soaking, scrub the entire surface using an old toothbrush to get most if not all the gunk out of the pores. While some aquarists also attempt to rehab plastic diffusers this way, I find bleach causes the plastic and rubber parts to become brittle. Air stones are an inexpensive and easy way to ensure the water circulates around your entire tank, even areas to the sides of your filters. These air stones work with the standard plastic tubing and air pumps, so you wont have to splash out for special equipment to use them. Although this aquarium bubble maker is ideal for outdoor ponds, you would benefit from it if you have a big tank. Are there any disadvantages to using these devices in your tank?