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Re: LFS vs APD wisdom




When you agitate or aerate the water you are speeding up the equalization of the gasses dissolved in the aquarium water and the atmosphere.

In a non-CO2 tank..

In the Day during photosynthesis the plants absorb CO2
and generate O2. The aquarium will be difficient in CO2 and surplus
in O2. Aeration will bring in CO2 from the atmostphere and surplus
O2 will be driven out.

At night the opposite occurs. The plants use up O2 and give off
CO2. Aeration will bring in O2 and drive out the CO2.

In both cases water agitation or aeration will be beneficial.

At night the O2 depletion can be so severe in an heavily planted
tank with high fish load that I have had fish deaths especially the
large bodied ones. I used to see the fish gasping on the top till
I added a spray bar and solved the problem..

One of the reason for this is that I use natural sunlight for my
aquariums and when the skies are overcast and less light for
photosynthesis.. and the demand on avaiable O2 by plants
and fish can overwhelm the availability. On overcast days I
leave the lights on during the day... my power bill goes up
during monsoons!

Raj
Bangalore, South INDIA.

From: Kirk Melton <triax at bellsouth_net>

I was wondering if by using an airpump if  you are putting CO2 into the
water as well as O2, since atmospheric air has a higher level of CO2 than
an aquarium with no CO2 injection?

Kirk