The Puffer Forum

I feel like I'm being a ninny, but I have to ask...

I have live plants in my tank, and a bubble wand across the back of the tank. The plants seemed to be doing pretty well, and for no reason are slowly dying... I'm just wondering if it's because my bubble wand is introducing too much air, and 'smothering' them? I planned on taking the live plants (and some fake) but no aeration (unless necessary due to melafix, pimafix, or low oxygen signs) to my new tank once it's arranged and cycled.

I also shut off my bubble wand, in the back of his tank... since he's (Vicious, my Fahaka) had it running in there since I got him in that tank, is it going to affect him?I am thinking he'll be fine - as the filter introduces air, as well as the plants... well, dang him... he's scalping my plants now. *sigh*

Maybe I won't be able to save them...

didnt we talk about this before.....the wand could be stealing the co2 from your plants.

I dont think it would effect him, Bloat is fine with out one. But I have more plants then you do. But my filter doesnt really break the water surface much if any

If you are adding CO2 to the water, you do not want to have any surface breaks, as the point of supplemental CO2 is to have dissolved CO2 concentrations greater than air equilibrium (2-5ppm). If you are not adding CO2, then the surface breaks are less important as they will do no more than ensure even "air equilibrium" of CO2 at whatever level matches your altitude and atmospheric pressure. Some folks (including me) do avoid surface breaks to have greater than air equilibrium from the internal bacterial, infusoria, and livestock production of CO2, up to 6-8++ ppm, Such folks do not want any surface breaks either, but do have to be very careful with internal current to avoid dead spots and/or low O2 concentrations.

In your case,I doubt the surface breaks are doing any harm to the plants, unless the bubble wand is doing physical battering to the plants - which is possible and is not rare.

Fahakas have been known to either eat or just destroy plant before - that is not rare either.

+1 with what rtr said

are you using fertilizers?