Running air at night?

Stoke88

How many people run air in the planted tanks at night? I'm just wondering if its something I should consider? What exactly is the benefits of doing this?

fish monger

Some people do this for the fish. It helps with gaseous exchange to provide more oxygen and decrease PH swings. I read that, a very accomplished natural planted tank aquarist who uses CO2 runs aeration for 14 hours after the lights have been turned off.

Mikaila31

I actually wouldn't prevent PH swings at all. CO2 is acidic and when you inject it pH drops noticeably 0.5 or more fairly often. I personally see no point at injecting air at night unless you are injecting pressurized CO2 24/7. Yet still I've read of ppl injecting it 24/7 without air just fine. Running air increases the CO2 gassing out of the tank and depending how you are running your CO2 it can increase or decrease a pH change. I use a solenoid which is an electronic on/off switch for my CO2, so I have never bothered with running any air. If you are using yeast CO2 I would say no air at all since its hard to even reach desired levels with yeast CO2.

So basically if you run pressurized 24/7 it can prevent a CO2 build up at night when plants are not consuming it and in-turn a pH drop. If you use a controlled pressurized system that turns itself on and off, running air can increase a pH rise by removing a large amount of the CO2 at night.

Stoke88

I don't run Co2 at all. Its just a low tech tank. eventually I would like to try co2 as a trial run for a bigger tank in the future
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fish monger

There are variables to consider. My tanks are low tech and I do no extra aeration. High tech CO2 set ups with specific controls would not need the added aeration either. It is the in between set up and stocking that might make one consider the night aeration.

Byron

I've had natural (low-tech) planted tanks for over 20 years, some of them very heavily planted and fairly well stocked with fish too, and never had reason to run air. You need the CO2 to build up during the night so the plants will have sufficient during the daylight, so there is no point in driving it out.

Maikaila has explained the high-tech issue very well.

Byron.

fish monger

I have no opinion on the issue at all. The aquarist I mentioned is Takashi Amano. Why he chooses to aerate isn't mentioned in the article I read in the November Special Issue Tropical Fish Hobbyist.

Byron

This is along the lines of what Mikaila mentioned. Mr Amano uses CO2 diffusion, mega light, and daily nutrient dosing. Those are not fish tanks, they are plant tanks that happen to have some fish. I suspect he uses night aeration to outgas the CO2.

fish monger

That makes perfect sense and is a variable that would make one contemplate the night aeration. Just saying that it is not incorrect to suggest that it is a possibility to be considered in certain situations.