Adding bubbler to 29gal tank

[LadyR]

I've got a question and I'm hoping that someone will be able to help. I've got a planted 29g bowfront tank, stocked on the heavy side with community fish. It's been very stable with water changes twice a week and nitrates under 30ppm. I just got a new LED light for the plants as they were struggling a little with the old one. The new one is awesome and the plants should take off. They were growing before, just slowly. I've also just begun to use Flourish products for them.
My husband love the colored bubblers and would like to add one to the tank. Would that mess up anything? I know it would be great for the fish, just not sure about the plants (would I need to increase the Flourish Excel?). Our area's ph is high with my tanks at 8.0, occassionaly 8.3, but that's been stable since the beginning. I do have a big piece of driftwood in the tank too. It seems like I read somewhere about increasing the ph adding the O2 but I'm just not sure. Ideas??

 

[KcMopar]

The air stone will just make the co2 out gas faster so the pH might jump up a little but nothing that should harm anything, they are perfectly safe. OC knows a lot about planted tanks, she might have more insight on this then myself.

 

[OrangeCones]

Thanks KcMopar!

My husband love the colored bubblers and would like to add one to the tank. Would that mess up anything? I know it would be great for the fish, just not sure about the plants (would I need to increase the Flourish Excel?).

Adding aggitation to the water's surface will add O2 but take out CO2. Plants need a source of carbon, and CO2 works well when its dissolved in the water.

That being said, if you are using Excel, be sure to add it only when the lights are on, as the plants need to have light on to be able to use it.

Excel is not affected by the bubble wand as its not a dissolved gas, so if it would make your hubby happy to have the colored bubbles, and you're willing to pay to use the Excel, its a good compromise!

Post pics of your plants!

 

[LadyR]

Thanks OC! I checked out a few bubblers and found one that has multiple colors, kinda like the yard solar stuff. I'm sure that's what my hubby would like. LOL I managed a couple of pics and I'm hoping I've resized them so they load ok. Thanks for the help!!

 

[KcMopar]

Thats very nice!! I like the substrate.

 

[LadyR]

thanks i went with the Flourite black so the plants would show up better and then used some cool gravel from the old set up on top. I think I should have gone a little deeper with the Flourite but one day maybe. so far the new lights along with the added Excel have done wonders with everything. On that note too it's time for a PWC! gotta get to work!

 

[se-r altima]

Looking good LadyR.