For survival of the fish, oxygenation of the water in which they dwell is extremely important. When these aquatic animals live in oceans, ponds, rivers and lakes there is natural oxygenation of water because of the larger surface area. However, in an aquarium, the surface is smaller, as compared to the surface of a river or an ocean. Let us understand how oxygenation happens in water. Water and air exchange gases at the surface level. Oxygen from the air dissolves in the water while carbon dioxide that is produced by the respiration of the fish is released into the air. When the surface of the water is disturbed, the oxygenation is more. Hence, it is important to break the surface tension frequently for better exchange of gases and ultimately for the survival of the species.

Advantages of Aerating Aquarium Water

• The first and the foremost benefit of aerating aquarium water is the increase in the oxygen level that contributes to the survival of the fish.
• Secondly, the production of toxic gases from the biological wastes is reduced by aeration which creates a clean and healthy environment for the fish.
• Another advantage of aeration is that it helps to adjust the temperature and oxygen concentration of the aquarium. When the temperature of the tank increases, the amount of oxygen in it decreases which is harmful for the fish. At such times, by using aeration devices suggested below, you can provide enough oxygen to your fish.

Various Aeration Systems

By now, you must have understood the need and process of aeration in an aquarium. Now, take a look at the techniques of aerating the water in your aquarium. There are several ways in which you can provide a healthy pond for your pet fish like the use of airstones, air pumps, spray bar aerators, venturi aerators, etc.

Airstones and Air Pumps
This is the most inexpensive and commonly used method of aerating your aquarium. Airstones are connected to air pumps to produce bubbles. There is a common misconception that the bubbles provide oxygen to the fish, however, it’s the disturbance that is created by the bubbles at the surface that enhances the exchange of the gases. Some people feel that the air pumps are too noisy and prefer using only airstones. However, if the air pump is placed on a large sponge, it will lower the noise to a great extent. When it comes to the placement of the air pump, it should always be placed above the level of the aquarium so that the water does not drain back into the pump and damage it at the time of power failure. The size of an air pump is also a matter of concern while purchasing one for your aquarium as there is a lot of variety in the sizes of air pumps.

Spray Bar Aerators
Spray bar aerators throw small streams of water to the surface forming air bubbles. When these bubbles burst, the surface tension of the water gets disturbed. Hence, the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide gas takes place. The bubbles produced by these spray aerators are larger than those produced by airstones.

Venturi Aerators
These aerators come in two types, floating aerators and bottom aerators with suction cups. These aerators have the capacity to produce large amounts of smaller air bubbles which produces more oxygen for the fish.

Powerheads
These devices are placed inside the tank on the side connected to an air hose. With an inbuilt electric pump-action, the powerheads draw the bottom layer of water and send it to the top with great force for the process of aeration.

Steps to Install an Aeration System

Requirements:

• Transparent Plastic Tubing
• Air Pump
• Accessories (suction cups, connectors, valves, and clamps)

Steps:

1. Decide the location of the air pump and the direction of the pumped air, i.e., how it will go to the airstones.
2. Once it is determined, measure the distance from the air pump to the air stones and cut the plastic tubing accordingly.
3. Attach the accessories to the tubing following the intended layout of your aeration system.
4. Now, attach the ends of the tubing to the airstones. The capacity of the pump will determine how many airstones can be attached to the pump. It is better to have a shorter tubing with minimum aeration devices (airstones) because longer tubing and several aeration devices hamper the air pressure.
5. Connect the air pump to the electrical outlet and turn the power on. Adjust the airflow as required with the help of valves and connectors.

Combination of Aquarium Filters and Aeration Devices

Aquarium filtration is as important as aeration. A filter attracts all the debris and dirt produced in the aquarium and cleans the water by giving it constant movement. If you are planning to aerate your tank why not have it in combination with filtration. It will enhance the overall maintenance of the aquarium. There are three types of aquarium filters, corner filters that are placed inside the tank and are filled with activated charcoal and aquarium floss, under gravel filters that use the gravel (pebbles and rock fragments) as a substance for filtering debris, mechanical or biological filters that hang on the back of the aquarium wall, containing a sponge, activated charcoal and small stones to clean the water. As far as the combination is concerned, corner filters and airstones or air bars can be a good option for small tanks. For medium or large tanks, mechanical or biological filters with powerheads will be a better combination.

So, choose a suitable combination of filter and aeration device and provide a healthy atmosphere to your aquatic pets to live in. Apart from contributing to the process of oxygenation, aeration devices also offer a beautiful look to your aquarium. Many people use live plants for oxygenation which is a very good option. They provide oxygen to the fish naturally and offer a refreshing green look to your aquarium.

Last week an iTunes TV show menu suddenly started showing up on international Apple TVs, didn’t work, and subsequently disappeared. This week iTunes Match suddenly started showing up for international iTunes users, didn’t work, and Apple subsequently offered refunds to those who’d tried to purchase it.

Whether or not Apple is planning to officially launch iTunes TV shows and iTunes Match in more regions and someone accidentally lent on the big read “launch” lever at iCloud central a tad early — twice — or there’s some stranger problem going on is uncertain.

International licensing agreements are complex. Cloud services are complex. But false starts and pull backs seem decidedly un-Apple-like.

Here’s hoping iTunes gets their international launches back in order, and officially out the door, asap. If you saw either the here-today-gone-tomorrow TV show menu on Apple TV, or tried and failed to buy iTunes Match outside the US and Brazil, let us know in the comments below.

In response to a recent Gallup poll which recorded record-high anti-incumbent sentiment toward Congress, Yahoo! Voices asked contributors whether their representatives deserved to be re-elected.

COMMENTARY | I took an unofficial poll of my friends and family. When I asked them how they thought our congressional representatives were doing they overwhelmingly said, “Terrible!” But then when I asked them how they would rate Zoe Lofgren’s performance, they all said, “Who?”

This, I think, gets to the heart of the problem with representatives like Zoe Lofgren. They are so mediocre and irrelevant that people who are in their districts can’t distinguish one from the other. The district of San Jose needs someone who stands out, and that person is no longer Zoe Lofgren. Here are three reasons why:

She has been serving since 1995: In many jobs consistency and long standing are a plus. However, with the changing state of the world and the economic instability we’re experiencing in California, we need a representative who is able to be at the cutting edge, finding creative solutions.

SOPA: Lofgren has been spending an inordinate amount of time and resources attacking SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act). In an interview to CNET she stated, “This would be the end of the internet as we know it.” Lofgren even tweeted to Justin Bieber on October 31, requesting that he support her in opposing SOPA. I applaud Lofgren’s zeal for stopping censorship, but is this really the most pressing issue facing California right now? What about job creation? Immigration reform? And the state of California schools?

Ineffectual Immigration Reform: Over the years Lofgren has attempted to reform immigration laws with little success. In 2007 she saw comprehensive immigration reform (the STRIVE Act), die in the senate. In June of this year, Lofgren introduced the IDEA Act (Immigration Driving Entrepreneurship Act), which would provide more visas for entrepreneurs to begin start-ups in the U.S. The IDEA Act, however, died a quick death when it received no Republican support.

Undoubtedly, Lofgren served her district well at one time, but it is time for some new blood. We need efficient problem solvers and people who care enough about their districts to go against the grain and discover new ways to address the urgent issues facing all Americans. Zoe Lofgren is no longer that person.

Sources Used for this Article:
Zoe Lofgrens Twitter Page
CNET News
WhorunsGov.com
Lofgren’s Home Page