Read interesting thread on R2R. Wondering if anyone has or does use microbubbles?
http://www.reef2reef.com/threads/micro-scrubbing-bubbles.224373/page-1
http://www.reef2reef.com/threads/micro-scrubbing-bubbles.224373/page-1
Micro bubbles?
- Thread starter Balz3352
- Start date
I've been following it for the last week. Glad you asked here, was planning on asking myself. Seems like there are a number of potential benefits. If the setup is done incorrectly I could see gas bubble disease being a risk for the fish, especially if you pressurize the bubbles with a long pipe and strong pump. In essence, it turns the entire tank into a giant skimmer, right? Floatation tanks have been used for years by municipal wastewater treatment plants as waste removal. That theory is sound. The concerns would be the health of our fishy friends.
I asked on one if the smaller threads, and didn't get a great response, I have a small 24gal nano without a skimmer. Do you think mechanical filters would catch enough of the organics removed by the "micro bubble treatment" to make it worthwhile? It seems most people who have tried it, all run skimmers. Thanks for any thoughts.
I asked on one if the smaller threads, and didn't get a great response, I have a small 24gal nano without a skimmer. Do you think mechanical filters would catch enough of the organics removed by the "micro bubble treatment" to make it worthwhile? It seems most people who have tried it, all run skimmers. Thanks for any thoughts.
The "whole tank skimmer effect" is one thing I took from all the rhetoric as well. From reading most of the links posted I didn't see any negative affects on livestock. Maybe if you were injecting pure O2 from a bottle but the general idea is to set an air pump and stone in front of a return pump. This would only be 20% O2 and shouldn't over oxygenate the tank.
Im interested in the same for my biocube. But also thinking for my big build implementing it also. Seems there is a lot of information but not a lot of info how to do it safely.
I didn't understand the whole strong return big bubbles pressure thing. On this post. If someone could explain that id appreciate that.
I didn't understand the whole strong return big bubbles pressure thing. On this post. If someone could explain that id appreciate that.
I'm not an expert, if at any point I have it wrong, please correct me.
A strong return will pressurize the water stream to lift the water back to the DT. With basement sumps, that return is much stronger than one needed for a small biocube. Most common description of this lifting pressure is "head".
10 ftH2O (head) = 4.335 psi (pressure) (basic basement sump)
1 ftH2O (head) = 0.4335 psi (pressure) (basic nanocube)
Add bubbles to the flow of water, and the gasses contained within the stream will be pressurized as well. Because we are pumping water through a pipe, the gasses will be condensed, no space for expansion, and then the water column has the potential of becoming supersaturated with pressurized gasses, namely nitrogen and to a lesser extent oxygen. Its important to know that you cannot supersaturate your water column in seconds. It takes time for the gasses to be held under pressure for supersaturation to occur.
Now, little 'Dory' swims along and starts breathing from a supersaturated solution containing pressurized nitrogen and enters the bloodstream. Any change in temperature or pressure can release the gas and the poor fish is now 'bent' (scuba diving term) or more appropriately has gas bubble disease.
From all I have read, I do not think supersaturation from using a microbubble treatment is a risk for most home aquaria managed under common practices. Those that have basement sumps will run a higher risk because they are running much stronger pumps and therefore more pressure, and i would research more before experimenting with microbubbles. Someone reported on the R2R forum that it should be safe to run at less than 4.3psi (if I remember).
A strong return will pressurize the water stream to lift the water back to the DT. With basement sumps, that return is much stronger than one needed for a small biocube. Most common description of this lifting pressure is "head".
10 ftH2O (head) = 4.335 psi (pressure) (basic basement sump)
1 ftH2O (head) = 0.4335 psi (pressure) (basic nanocube)
Add bubbles to the flow of water, and the gasses contained within the stream will be pressurized as well. Because we are pumping water through a pipe, the gasses will be condensed, no space for expansion, and then the water column has the potential of becoming supersaturated with pressurized gasses, namely nitrogen and to a lesser extent oxygen. Its important to know that you cannot supersaturate your water column in seconds. It takes time for the gasses to be held under pressure for supersaturation to occur.
Now, little 'Dory' swims along and starts breathing from a supersaturated solution containing pressurized nitrogen and enters the bloodstream. Any change in temperature or pressure can release the gas and the poor fish is now 'bent' (scuba diving term) or more appropriately has gas bubble disease.
From all I have read, I do not think supersaturation from using a microbubble treatment is a risk for most home aquaria managed under common practices. Those that have basement sumps will run a higher risk because they are running much stronger pumps and therefore more pressure, and i would research more before experimenting with microbubbles. Someone reported on the R2R forum that it should be safe to run at less than 4.3psi (if I remember).
