Air bubbler Question

[sweetpea4044]

Can anyone tell me if I am using an emporer 400 and an aqua clear 500 with an undergravel filter and 4 powerheads will i still have to have an air bubbler?And is this sufficent filtering for a 120 gallon agrresive tank setup.I also have a protein skimmer and do you think i also need a uv sterlizer??Iwant to thank everyone for all their help because I posted an earlier question and everyone was really helpful...I have a 5 inch lionfish, 5 inch scorpionfish, a 3 inch panther grouper and a yellow tang.....Any suggestions would be greatfully appreciated......
Thank You....

 

[shadow678]

Okie, let me try to keep this all in order. lol The filters you have stated should be sufficient to keep your tank filtered. I would highly suggest getting rid of the UGF and putting live sand in the tank, is much easier to keep clean, and helps with filtration. You shouldn't need a UV sterilizer unless you have problems with ick outbreaks or persistant algae outbreaks. Also, I would like to remind you that the panther grouper will need to be upgraded to at least a 180gal tank when he gets larger, as he will get 27.6" long. And they grow very fast, about a foot/year. Which means you will need a 180gal tank within a year and a half. If you cannot do this for one reason or another, then you will have to find him a new home at some point before he outgrows his tank. HTH

 

[sweetpea4044]

thanks Shadow for you help.I am planning to upgrade to a larger tank on down the road.Since my panther is small I willhave time to do it.Do I need an air bubbler going with this set up?Will it harm my fish if i dont have one?
Thanks

 

[shadow678]

If you have plenty of surface agitation from your filters and powerheads, then you can likely get away without one. You might also consider getting a good protein skimmer to help with the grouper's wastes. That would dump lots of oxygen into the water, as that is how a skimmer works. Then you certainly wouldn't need a bubble bar of any kind.

 

[peasly1]

you should have water movement at water surface for gas exchange,probably from a power head, you do not and might not want to use an air bubbler because of salt creep.. the little bubbles of air will contain salt and slowly go down the side of the tank