Chemist, Please understand I believe you But, (and I'm serious not being a smart @#$) is 10 -15 years "really getting lucky" I had this tank running like this for 6-7 years We moved. Broke it down, cleaned it throughly, put the same fish back in and started over I didn't change a thing and had it running 8 more years. Then like I said I got lazy Algea got out of hand and the water and salt levels were not maintianed properly. I never had more than a single fish die at once, and when they did they were "new" fish. But I'd like to not lose any fish. So this air thing, Bubbles from airstones are bad and not nessisary? My airstones 5 of them, cause different size bubbles to rise from the bottom of the tank up the back wall where a lot stick to the rather large lava rocks that cover the entire back (30" X 72") My tank had the air tubing built in I just used it. I have an exit pipe 6" up from the bottom of the tank, the tank is about 30" deep it causes a lump of water at the surface thats about 1- 1 1/2 " high. This disturbs the entire surface of tank. Is this enough motion to airrate the tank? Even with my unconventional care I never let the airpump stop. Do you think it would be better not to use them at all? I don't have a skimmer, sump, etc. Its a through the gravel filter system. With a single lifegard chem filter. I always assumed all the "life" that keeps a tank in balance lives in there correct?