No AirBubbles???

[princefro]

I have been doing a lot of research on this site to help me get up and running. So far everyone has been very helpful. I have noticed that there have been posts regarding that you shouldnt have an air stone or air bubble wall in your saltwater tank. For my own knowledge, why is this. How come you dont want to introduce air this way in a saltwater tank.
Your responses would be appreciated

 

[hlcroghan]

The air bubbles can get into the fishes gills and harm them. That is not the way air exchange happens anyway. It happens on the surface of the water as it breaks like waves in the ocean.

 

[princefro]

ahhhh i see

 

[dabnub]

do these air bubbles harm freshwater fish also or only sw fish?

 

[tank a holic]

another reason is your air stone will crud up with salt and stop working anyway
and the bubbles make salt creep approximately 917,842,623 times worse than it already is

and yes that number is very accurate and will stand up in court

 

[natclanwy]

Originally Posted by dabnub
http:///forum/post/2971481
do these air bubbles harm freshwater fish also or only sw fish?
After some research, I have found that some bubbles are okay for fish but super saturated water that looks milky can be very toxic to both freshwater and saltwater fish. The effect is worse in saltwater because of the increased density of saltwater causes the bubbles to be smaller and not rise the surface as readily.
Air stones really don't provide any oxygen to the water, its the effect of the bubbles rising to the surface and popping that provides the oxygenation. The bubbles rising push water with them creating flow and circulating the water and when the bubbles pop at the surface it breaks the film that forms on the surface of the water allowing for more efficient gas exchange. Almost all of the gas exchange still occurs at the surface of the tank. The bubbles popping at the surface will make salt creep a horrible problem and anything within 4ft of your tank will be covered in salt.