Airstone facts for kids

An airstone is a special tool used in water tanks, like those for pet fish or plants. It's made from materials like soft stone or wood that have tiny holes. Its main job is to blow air into the water, creating lots of bubbles!

What is an Airstone?

An airstone is a simple but important device. It helps keep water healthy for living things. Think of it as a tiny bubble machine for your aquarium or plant growing system.

How Does an Airstone Work?

An airstone connects to an electric air pump with a tube. The pump pushes air through the tube and into the airstone. Because the airstone has many small holes, the air comes out as tiny bubbles. These bubbles then float up through the water.

Why Are Airstones Important?

The bubbles from an airstone do a very important job: they add oxygen to the water. Just like we need to breathe air, fish and water plants need oxygen dissolved in the water to survive. Without enough oxygen, fish can get sick or even die.

Airstones in Aquariums

In an aquarium (a tank for keeping fish), airstones make sure your fish have enough oxygen. The bubbles also help to circulate the water. This means the water moves around, preventing "dead spots" where oxygen might be low.

Airstones in Hydroponics

Airstones are also used in hydroponics. This is a way of growing plants without soil, using only water that has nutrients. Plants need oxygen for their roots, even when they are in water. An airstone makes sure there's plenty of oxygen for healthy root growth.

Different Kinds of Airstones

Airstones come in different shapes and sizes. They can also make different kinds of bubbles:

• Some airstones have very tiny holes. These create fine, misty bubbles.
• Others have bigger holes. These make larger, more noticeable bubbles.

The type of bubbles you need depends on the size of your tank and what you are using it for.