Airstone
An airstone is a piece of
aquarium furniture, traditionally a piece of limewood or
porous stone, whose purpose is to gradually diffuse oxygen
into the tank, eliminating the noise and large bubbles of
conventional air filtration systems, and providing other
benefits to the health of the
fish. Airstones are sold in a very wide variety of
shapess, sizes, and levels of coarseness--from extremely
rough, producing larger (though still typically
unnoticeable) bubbles and letting in more oxygen--to very
fine, producing minuscule bubbles. Airstones are
increasingly being made from bonded glass beads and
synthetic products like fiberglass.
There is some controversy as to the efficiency of airstones versus the conventional powerhead system. Arguments can be made in favor of both systems, and both possess certain advantages and disadvantages. Among aquarists, the choice is very much a matter of personal preference, although the question is sometimes a shibboleth in Internet discussions.
External links
- http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/protein_skimmers_Airstone.html -- Website of an aquarium supplier
- http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/airstone.html -- Information on the airstone controversy
