do aquitic plants give enough air to keep fish alive?

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If i have a heavily planted 10 gal tank do i still need a aerator. (all plants are real).

 

[Dennis D]

Aquatic plants do not give air. The aeration (mixing of water and oxygen) takes place on the surface of the water and plants rely on this as much as fish do. Also, plants require CO2 while fish require O2, so the plant cannot create proper O2 or live without CO2 being mixed with the water at the surface. The action of a filter will aerate the water while plants will not. This is not to say plants are not helpful, they will turn Co2 into oxygen and also they are good for fish.

 

[larry h]

that depends on how many fish and the kind of fish,, plants + surface area will handel most fish that are small and not fast swimmers

 

[s h]

An aerator as in a bubbler is not necessary, as you SHOULD have a filter. The filter should provide adequate water movement to allow for surface oxygen exchange. Plants alone cannot produce enough, plus, stagnant unmoving water allows certain types of bacteria to thrive, such as the bacteria that causes the disease columnaris.

Filters are needed to provide water movement, and a place for healthy bacteria to colonize. Filters don't 'clean' by removing detritus, they 'clean' by action of the friendly bacteria to break down ammonia and nitrite into nitrate. Nitrate is then removed by weekly 25% water changes. Plants use SOME nitrates, but are NEVER a replacement for weekly water changes.