Re: NANFA-- RE: now airlifts; splitting hairs

Pete Liptrot (coelacanth_at_btinternet.com)
Fri, 11 Jul 2003 09:25:51 +0100

> Ok, thanks. I can now tell everyone that I am not the biggest fish geek
> anymore. I had to look up Ostariophysan. I'll stick with my allochthanos
> (still can't spell it right) as my big fish geek word ;)
But you have to naturally pair that with autochthonous, which counts as a
double word score, so you're still geeko numero uno.

> I can't say that I have noticed any change in behavior using airstones vs
no
> airstones- or at least I haven't been in tune with it. I guess it would
> make sense for exceedingly small tanks. Interesting point.
I imagine it will also depend on where the fish come from. If from a
lacustrine environment where fish may communicate with sound, excessive
noise could I imagine be quite disruptive (while these will still be
naturally generated sounds, they may be of a frequency that does not
interfere with the higher frequencies used by the fish, although this is
pure speculation on my part). Fish from riffle environments are no doubt
surrounded by high frequency noise, so as long as the volume and
frequencies are similar in the aquarium they should be OK.

> As far as using airstones, unless it is in an airdriven skimmer, I usually
> just don't bother. I agree that they seem to last longer in fw than in sw
> systems, but it still is not worth my while to change them regularly for
the
> extra benefit they give. Since we tend to overcompensate our system in
> other ways, I feel that we are still safe, I guess.
I find they are still useful on narrow-bore sponge filters. They give an
audible and visual guide as to whether there is good flow through the
sponge, because the bubble size changes as soon as there is any resistance
to flow, even if the sponge doesn't appear to be becoming clogged.

> Bottom line for me... simple is better (usually). Less gazactometers, the
> more stable the system?
KISS. The more stuff you put on a system the less likely it is that all
essential maintenance will be done.
Pete
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