DO i need an air bubbler in my reef system?

hi i was wondering if i should have an air bubbler in either my tank or refugium ??? i have a reef system that is fairly new!

 

your protien skimmer should put enough air in the water !!

airstones help promote nusiance algae and looks like crap too!!! IMO

 

They also contribute to salt creep.

 

i wouldn't. I had one in for cooling. But i almost had to dig a pond for a water supply due to the amount of evaporation.. I agree the skimmer should be enough

 

Skimmers actually contribute very little to aerating the water. Surface tension and the action of the syphon to the sump are the two largest contributors. But there is no need for a bubbler in the water.

J

 

A skimmer and the placement of a powerhead at the top of your tank to create turbulence between the air/water surface interface will be sufficient, IMO!

 

An air pump will supply extra O2 to tank water. Either in sump or main tank.

Skimmer may not be adequate.

I have one (just an air pump line stuck in a large cowry shell in main tank.

Breaks up surface tension and cleaned up surface tremendously.

Can't see how it can hurt anything.

"Salt creep" minimal.

You do want a quiet pump. I use a "Whisper", which makes no noise at all.

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My tank does well without a skimmer (but I use fresh seawater all the time) and I have one air bubbler but one that makes really small bubbles (the ones that are off wood and are used in a Berlin-skimmer). And I put it inside an empty shell so you only she the bubbles slowy raising up in a corner.

 

Never heard that before? We always run an airstone in our sump because we keep alot of large fish and the more oxygen in the water the better. Salt creep is a minor inconvenience compared to the benefits that the airstone can provide. I wouldn't run a reef tank without one but I wouldn't put it in the main tank.

 

in one word NO