canister & CO2/O2 levels

Hi everyone

I just switched to a canister filter a couple of days ago from an HOB. The purpose was to improve mechanical filtration and reduce surface disturbance (for my plants, hoping to preserve some CO2).

But how will the fish get oxygen-replenished water if there is no contact with the air and no bubbling or anything to speak of? Should I add an airstone or something?

I feel like such a newbie right now. I know plants provide oxygen (but I'm a bit overstocked right now because i'm housing some fish in there temporarily) and an airstone is bad for plants...but...help! I just see a couple of danios hanging around at the surface and some tetras seem to be breathing more rapidly than usual. So now I'm worried. And it doesn't take much for me to start worrying : )

Edit: Oh! And there was .5ppm of ammonia in my tank yesterday...I figured no need to seed the bio media in the filter because bb should be residing everywhere in the tank, right? Maybe there's a dead fish in there or something. So I did a 40%wc and now there's no ammonia and just some nitrite. Again, I'm such a noob.

Thanks

I was wondering this myself....

my danios swim right at the surface too....I think it's their natural instincts to swim @ the top though. My fish seem to be breathing fine and everything, but I was wondering if the plants will provide enough oxygen for my tank. I'm pretty understocked right now, but once i reach capacity I always wonder....

hopefully someone will be along to help us!!!

Steph, for future reference IMO you should always put SOME old media in the new filter. I had an AquaClear HOB and I put the biomax in my new filter. The pwc was a good idea and your nitrite should come down in a day or two. If you notice them still gasping for air, I would do another pwc today. I think it would have moreto do with the ammonia and nitrite reading than a lack of oxygen. I have no experience with danio's so I cannot state whether that is normal or not.

Well they weren't gasping for air, one was just hovering toward the top and others looks like their gills were pumping more than normal. I think they are okay right now. But yeah, I had already moved my bio-wheel to another new tank to seed it thinking it would be no big deal so I wonder if I've had some ammonia for a while and just didn't check it? I just didn't think removing the bio wheel would be a big deal. I also wonder if the bb are trying to acclimate to the addition of six new fish (but they are really tiny babies, but still catfish so probably poop a lot).

Your plants will supply sufficient loads of oxygen for the fish. As for the named fish gasping I am very positive that was due to your Ammonia peak there.
And no I'd not add a air stone neither (unless certain meds are used in there) as you know that'll just defeat the purpose and drive a lot more out of your planted tank then necessary.

What you can do with your spray bar is aim it a lil at an angle so that one hole of the spraybar moves the water just a LITTLE on the surface (not above the surface just right on the water line there).

That a good idea with the spray bar. My surface has absolutely no movement, but that doesn't bother me. At first I had that thin film at the surface of the water and was trying to figure out a way to create a slight movement to get rid of it, but the film cleared up on its own. Steph, just keep an eye on your parameters and do a pwc as needed. The nitrite should clear up rather quickly. Don't worry

That is what I ended up doing, but i think you're right. when I tested this morning i had about .25 or .5 ppm nitrite, so at least things are working in there. I'll do a wc tonight and buy some live bacteria. All should be well soon hopefully.

You have multiple other tanks running for a while now too don't ya? Just take the 'oldest' filter and turn it off, take the sponge out of it 'wash it out' in the tank that has the Ammonia/ NO troubles posted here and that'll add some good bacteria right there (Then pls put the sponge back in the filter it belongs to of cause)

And that'll save you money on the live bacteria. Woot woot! Now spend that money on fish!

well my only other 'cycled' tank uses AC so i doubt it has any bacteria in there. i know i be crazy using that stuff but those puffers are just gnarly little guys with their food. they leave stuff everywhere.