Nocturnal aeration for plant growth

[Totenkampf]

i recently noticed that some of the ADA deisgners will switch over to an airstone when the lights / co2 go out in their planted tanks. this makes sense since many plants actually respirate oxygen when photosynthesis shuts down. i have known this but never tried it. i do have a airstone in my shrimp tank since its just low tech plants and the shrimp like it. the vals seem to be growing better in that tank so i was wondering if it may have something to do with the extra air? has anyone added aeration and recorded results in plant growth? i am sure the fish would appreciate it at the least...

[eklikewhoa]

I've never noticed a difference in plant growth but I blame that on never following the whole wpg rule. I would use the coralife timers that would turn on additional circulation at night or ultilize the lily pipes and raise the bell up some which would break more surface.

[eklikewhoa]

This is actually needed in a heavily planted tank and would be even more crucial in a co2 injected tank.

[Totenkampf]

hmm i was thinking of teeing in an airline into the co2 port of my co2 reactor and tying the pump power to my moonlights but a powerhead with a snorkel would be a simpler method and the circulation would help with debris cleanup. i may try that way first. i already have my filter spraybar set up with magnetic clips so i can adjust the height in case a see the fish gulping but thats not automatic. i like automatic. one of these days i may accidentally order an extra PLC for one of my projects and automate everything. muhahahahaha.

[eklikewhoa]

I've had too many deaths cause of it.

Wiped out whole tanks within a few hours.

[Totenkampf]

deaths due too extra aeration or do you mean co2 injection?

[eklikewhoa]

The respiration period at night, with and without co2

[Totenkampf]

yeah that is the one bad thing about finally exterminating the MTS (after 8 years lol) is that they are a good indicator of low dissolved o2 when they start climbing the glass. river fish like otocinclus and corydorus tend to get edgy pretty quickly too.

[eklikewhoa]

I tend to keep Nerites in my tanks and show fairly quick but keeping sensitive shrimp has been a problem since they die long before the others show.

[eklikewhoa]

On topic... somehow my air pump lifted itself out of the tank and I had all my boraras gasping and several crs dead.

[Totenkampf]

i started wrapping plant weights around the airstones for that reason.

[Totenkampf]

On topic... somehow my air pump lifted itself out of the tank and I had all my boraras gasping and several crs dead.

so do you think that you need a stone here because you just recently increased the bioload by quite a bit? u bought a ton of boraras didnt you?

[eklikewhoa]

I think its cause I added a ton of plants last night, left the light on for a few hours and then the respiration period to top it off

[eklikewhoa]

Oh and the lack of surface agitation

[eklikewhoa]

I didn't add that many fish, only added 30