ok the bubbles kill fish thing is WAY over rated and over stated. for there to be enough bubbles to kill your fish, first it would have the be a persistent cloud of microbubbles that would make the tank appear milky for an extended period. You would literally have to make your tank unview-able with micro bubbles for this to be a problem. if you tank looks like a glass of milk turn the bubbles back a bit you might harm your fish.
and I quote " If the gas/gill exposure is persistent and the partial pressure of the oxygen remains near 1 atmosphere (instead of 0.2 atmospheres, as in air), the exposed fish’s chances of survival will probably decrease.
Professor Joseph J. Cech, Ph.D.
University of California – Davis Campus
Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology" End quote
Running an air stone, even a limewood airstone in your tank IS NOT GOING TO KILL FISH.
Some life that may be affected in a marine tank by lots of bubbles would be sponges as they are susceptible to air embolisms. and possibly sea stars but I doubt it.
The main reasons not to run air stones in a marine tank are as follows.
1. the oxygen benefit is negligible since the oxygen doesn't really have enough dwell time to absorb into the water (due to salt waters low gas solubility rate), and the turn over rate of water carried to the surface for oxygenation is minimal, a power head is more effective.
2. salt creep.
end of story. this is one of those myths that really irk me. I begin to wonder if any of the people that perpetuate this myth have ever snorkeled a reef with some kicking surf rocking overhead. Bubbles everywhere! and surprisingly the fish arent dying.
