[mrbeamers]

Are Airstones or bubble wands nessary? I have a 55 gal tank with about 8 cichlids ranging from 8" to 3". I run a 304 fuval filtration. I made the assumption that when the water came out of the filtration, went through the air and into the water that that provided the nessary air for the fish. But now I read that in tanks 55 gal with many fish that airstones are needed, usually two.
Any thoughts or advice?

[snatched]

To add to my other post about this:

Airstones don't work the way most people think they do. What they do is provide current in the tank to get the water circulating. The surface of the tank is where all your oxygenatin occurs, the airstone gets a current going o that the poorly oxygentated water on the bottom of the tank circulates to the top of the tank where the oxygen exchange occurs. Airstones are pretty essential for deep tanks, otherwise the water on the bottom of the tank never surfaces. In regular sized tanks it still helps but it isn't absolutely essential, the more heavily stocked your tank is, the more you should think about getting one though. If you have any "dead" spots in the tank they will take care of them nicely.

[mrbeamers]

I appericate your info. I did change the flow of my Fluval 304. That seems to help. Not had good luck with airstones, actually air pumps. Always seem to loud. Any recommendations. I will start a poll.

[snatched]

I have a Tetra powering a UGF on my ten gallon in my bedroom and its not too loud but you can hear it. It doesn't really bother me, the bubbling noise caused by the UGF covers up most of the hum but it does annoy my boyfriend. He's kind of an insomniac though so any noise in the bedroom when he's trying to sleep bugs him.