Why Surface Agitation Matters In Your Aquarium

[@WeipoMingpo]

I inherited my grandparent's house, and they have a huge koi pond. I learned his focus was plants and currents as the pond's filtration system.

[@cyklopPL]

Thank you, I was just doing research about this topic and faced only 8+ years old videos. Right on time

[@Korvmannen]

Thanks for the video! I setup my tank more in LRB's style, and it's been doing great without surface film ever becoming an issue. In jars I leave in the window I see a really thick coat of biofilm forming, often promoting cyanobacteria. In my tank however, the no flow seems like heaven for the army of baby pond snails (a species that look similar to bladder snails, and same size) I got going now, and they will eat any surface film. Of course, it depends on what you want out of your aquarium, but if you don't mind algae and snails and other critters, I think the LRB style is super fun and rewarding with little need to do maintenance. But if you're OK with snails, they also promote gas exchange in a significant way by clearing up the biofilm on the surface (they wil hover upside down attached to the surface tension and eat it, looks silly). Just mentioning it as an alternative to mechaniclly agitating the surface. :)

[@tomp6685]

I'm an aquarium noob and I wanted a heavily planted low-tech tank. I read online from multiple sources that if I had a planted aquarium, I didn't need an airstone. So I filled my 37 with java Fern, anubias, and bolbitus, and after a few weeks, they would start dying even with a good weekly fertilizer. I was stubborn, and I kept trying but without success. So finally I added an airstone and I haven't had any problems since my plants are growing like crazy. The airstone is your aquariums secret weapon.

[@alexapoel]

Probably the problem was something else. By adding airstone basicaly you are “injecting” oxygen to the aquarium. Plants need CO2+lights in order to produce the oxygen.

[@wildbill4138]

Great video Bentley

[@cannibus78]

My man glad you are doing better!

[@boebender]

Glad you’re feeling better. Great video as per usual!!

[@beatty822]

Amazing video, thank you.

[@9erR3dd49]

I've got several tanks that have been up and running for 3 years. Heavily planted with soil and sand. Never used anything but sponge filters and they help with this immensely while also filtering.

[@BackyardAquatics-o2m]

i use HOB waterflow and a bubbler. always have used both.

[@shannonrhoads7099]

I am using an airstone driven undergravel filter paired with a hob filter set to its lowest flow rate. My fish and plants have survived more than a year now. 🐟

[@danishshaikh4979]

So you keep it on 247?

[@shannonrhoads7099]

​@@danishshaikh4979 Yes, both filters are running at all times. Why wouldn't they be?

[@danishshaikh4979]

@@shannonrhoads7099 I mean the airstone

[@sschario60]

Thanks for another helpful explanation. Basic, but easy to grasp. Learning never stops. The more info I take in, the better I understand the next teaching I encounter. I've watched two Pondguru's flow videos. Brilliant demonstrations.

[@j.t.cooper2963]

👍🏻😎I've always been a big proponent of surface agitation in aquariums. it's a must in all of mine. 🌊

[@tinynina76]

Loaches fart? Your video has opened up new avenues for me upon which I can stroll! 😂 I did know this topic is so important to the health of my fishes. I have two 20 long tanks and have an under water filter with the rain bar. I also have air stones. I heard the more surface area you have, the better the air exchange. Hopefully, that along with the rain bar and air stones will be OK for the live bearers I have. Great video- you explained the reasons well for me to understand it further!

[@bettalvr8800]

wow- I just started thinking about this & doing some research yesterday! I lowered the water level to try to force a little more splash/bubbles from my hob filter😊, but now I know I need to check put spray bars. Thank you for the great info!! and I'm so glad you're feeling better.

[@UK88272]

Great video Bentley.. I always stress this to people when injecting high amounts of co2, you need gas exchange with a riple but not so its breaking the surface.. a skimmer also helps too.. its good practice to keep an eye on your water level from evaporation, as this will cause the outlet to break the surface and then your co2 levels fluctuate.

[@PlainsPup]

Not only do animals need plenty of oxygen, but beneficial bacteria do, too, in order to nitrify NH3 into NO2 and then NO3!

[@heaven7360]

Bentley's back! Thanks for the topic. I recently tried CO2 in one of my tanks...to boost my plant growth. I started to use the Aquarium Coop easy flow attachments to the sponge filters..I wasn't seeing any pearling on plants previously with only sponge filters. No real change in plant growth at all. Now I have one sponge filter with the flow attachment flowing on one side..on the other side another sponge filter with another flow attachment blowing the flow back so it's a circular motion thing..which was my thought that might improve CO2 "access". So I am using the same amount of CO2 injection..just one bubble per second and it's a 20 gallon tank as before but with the flow idea without just the sponge filters alone I see pearling. It's a moderate amount of pearling, but it's pearling. So with 2 weeks in I am not noticing additional growth yet, but seems like I now have CO2. Not sure whether I'll increase CO2 or what in the future to get more results but for now I"m seeing some improvement with the flow in the aquarium. Am I possibly correct in this?

[@AliCat876]

Thanks Bentley, good to see you…

[@williamleidy6713]

I have a small internal canister filter . I just extend the exit pipe a an inch and a half above the surface .Its enough to break the surface and pull atmosphere into the water. It also creates water movement to the front of the tank which gently splits in two directions. I have an air pump and stone but usually I only run it when I am out of my place on work days. I have a mid sized Tetra air pump and it's a bit much for my 14 gal cube , I have a tiny living space and I don't like to listen to the constant drone of an air. pump.

[@ahmadsaidi8996]

thank you, 1- but when we should use surface skimmer? 2- please can you make video tutorial how to maintain/clean sand during water change with avoid Hydrogen sulphide. thanks in advance

[@onlywei]

I think protein skimmer cannot do anything without enough salt in the water.

[@BentleyPascoe]

@@ahmadsaidi8996 I would look at other channels who do sand because I don't like sand personally

[@fvvfvbbbb]

What substrate do you prefer?​@@BentleyPascoe

[@BentleyPascoe]

@@fvvfvbbbb I tend to prefer aqua soils, usually fluval stratum or brightwell rio escuro. A big reason behind this is I keep rainbow fish and rainbow fish tend to wash their colors out on Sand. Also, I've noticed a few times I've ever used sand in tanks. I have a perpetual problem with cyanobacteria in my particular water so I've just steered away from it. It's almost purely personal aesthetics and nothing to do with some secret wizardry around growing plants better or anything like that.

[@fvvfvbbbb]

@@BentleyPascoe I am setting up a small Fluval Flex 9 want something like a few schooling fish or a Betta with a few low tech plants. Ok to just use decorative gravel or should I use aqua soil. Phoenix area so I have been advised to use RODI water. Thoughts appreciated 👍

[@raymondbardeen6450]

Bentley, great video regarding the importance of gas exchange in aquariums. Just like the great oceans, rivers and streams, most bodies of water experience surface agitation. That agitation is necessary for gas exchange to support life under the surface. I believe we need to mention that the gas exchange occurs, most naturally, between the air and the water without mechanical help. Just like water, the atmosphere is made up of more than one element. We don't just breath oxygen in the air we need to live. The air is made up of other elements, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen, (mostly nitrogen). Plants are also great contributors to the atmosphere and water by using Co2 and exchanging oxygen using photosynthesis in both the air and water. By the way, plants take in co2 during the day and expel oxygen, then take in oxygen and expel CO2 during night. Sorry, long winded version of agreeing with you that balance is needed in our water boxes.

[@plushpossum]

I rarely hear anyone talking about this. Good video! I’m probably overdoing it in my tanks but err on the side of caution, right? 😊

[@BentleyPascoe]

@@plushpossum rarely do you find problems by playing it too safe

[@pwaquatics3290]

Do you have a video injected co2 with spray bars? Your method the low and slow method. Thanks great video

[@BentleyPascoe]

@@pwaquatics3290 nothing specific, but this tank has injected CO2 and a spray bar. I keep the CO2 on the opposite side of the spray bar, front of the tank. Back of the tank is the intake. Keeps the gas in the water pretty well.

[@M3r-5b7k]

Thanks for the video Bentley! My favorite way to facilitate gas exchange is by using airstone or sponge filter bc I put cover on my tanks and I believe (according to Chung from waterbox) the small increase in pressure within the water surface and the underside of the cover increases this gas exchange. Now I'm wondering if I were to use a cannister filter with a lily pipe instead, would that significantly reduce the gas exchange? (10gal, moderately planted, 10 ember tetras, 25+ cherry shrimps, 2 nerites, temp is almost constantly 30C as I live in the tropics)

[@NeoVeritas7]

The whole video I was like....what about LRB

[@bettalvr8800]

quick question if you have time - I'm running an AquaClear 50 hob on a 29g. Would going up to an AquaClear 70 help much with surface agitation, or is it better to get a spray bar?

[@toddbigeasy]

Part of my tank surface with the floating plants is bio filmy, the rest is turbulent with hob and sponge filters... I hope it enough I tend to believe so

[@BentleyPascoe]

@@toddbigeasy should be fine! You just don't want the entire surface being film covered

[@WHlSKYx]

My problem is with my spray bar it’s just too much flow for the fish. So I use the stock Fluval head and put a cut up plastic bottle for more direction. It ripples to about half way in my 20 long. I get a dead zone at the front to the right of the outflow. However it does create a vortex in the tank as well, slow enough the fish don’t seem stressed. The dead zone sucks, but weekly pick up there should help. Do you think this is okay? I have the intake on the same side as the outflow just to the right of it side by side. I put a lily pipe in there, but some how the fish decided to go for a ride in it. lol

[@tracys.6033]

My tank sounds like it is set up like yours. I limit flow by reducing it at filter. But not having filter on max flow causes the dead spots in aquarium. Can you tell me how/what you did the plastic bottle? I also have fluval filter. I have tried putting a sponge on output but took it out because I thought it was restricting to much of the flow. Smaller pieces of sponge etc. Couldn't seem to get it where I was happy with it. Thanks

[@OldFashionWhiskey]

LRB has exited the chat 😂

[@bobirwin1028]

I worked in a fish store in college, but have been out of the hobby for more than 20 years. I am planning a 29 gallon aquarium with an Oase Biomaster 250 and manually adding an Oase 100 watt heater (i.e. not using the 150 watt heater in the BioTherm). I will also buy a redundant set of Inlet and outlet tubes for the Biomaster. I will splice in a stainless steel Y (with hose clamps) on each side. I will put an inlet tube in each corner. The outlet tubes will attach to both ends of a three-section spray bar, extending the entire back of the tank.. Years ago, I had a small air pump attached to a 4-way gang valve connected to an undergravel filter. You could see less air to each uplift tube. Granted a 55 is a deep tank and it is not easy to get air to the bottom. I added a Y, and Connected airline to both sides of the gang valve, and then air looked the same in all four tubes. My hope is for an even distribution of water across the extra long spray bar. Your thoughts? Too complicated?

[@letsgonow5641]

Go Philly Eagles!

[@willparsons32]

True or false: The more turbulence (flow) on and within the water column, the more CO² can be introduced into the water column therefore causing a faster growth of plants? ...Of course, this is controlled by the aquariust as to exactly how fast he/she wants their plants to grow.

[@TCS_Aquatics82]

And on the different end of the spectrum, you have people with deep substrate dirted tanks with no flow or filtration and they are growing plants like crazy. I like that there are different ways to be successful with fish keeping

[@SonnyVu-d8n]

Do betta tank need surface agitation

[@BentleyPascoe]

@@SonnyVu-d8n a small amount (like an airstone) can be very beneficial to prevent surface scum

[@SonnyVu-d8n]

@ I got Fx6 in my 40 gallon breeder sorority and plants with prefilter sponge intake and spray bar the top is moving a bit but the water so clean my 30 girls look like they floating on air 🤣

[@alekkoomanoff7281]

Tell it to Lucas

[@Sec_coach]

Stagnant waters aren’t good at all