Has anyone tried micro/nano bubbles ??

[SchnitzelReef]

Read about in online, and it seems like people are seeing positive results from filling their tanks with micro or nano bubbles. Healthier corals, clearer water, more production from their skimmers etc.

Wondering if anyone around here has tried it out, and if you have, have you seen any changes.

I'm gunna try it out. For me it's mainly to try to keep my ph more stable, but if corals end up liking it, win win.


For people that don't know what it is
Method
wood block air stone near the return pump creates micro/nano bubbles
8 hours during the night for the first week then 2/3 hours per night
variation 15 min injection each hour of the night

Claims
Better Ph stability in the duodenal period
Makes corals slime, helping them get rid of waste, yes they will slime
Better Coral growth
Cleaner Sand
Less Algae Diatoms Cyano
Higher Orp

Concerns
Embolism in Gills of active fish
Salt Creep

observations from people who are trying it

Positives
Sand is cleaning up
Rocks look cleaner
Skimmer is pulling more out
Corals have increased PE
fish are more active
ORP as high as using Ozone @430

Negatives
return pump has reduced flow when the air stone is on
makes a mess in my sump, lots of debris
Hydrogen Sulphide Smell for the first few days

 

[wishntoboutside]

Very interesting. I will follow this one for sure.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Very interesting. I will follow this one for sure.

It's raised my ph from 7.92 to 7.97 in just an hour. I'm more concerned with PH levels at night, they have been dropping down to 7.6.

 

[twinight]

I thought people complain that their skimmers eject microbubbles. I had no idea there's a benefit to them.

 

[bblumberg]

It's raised my ph from 7.92 to 7.97 in just an hour. I'm more concerned with PH levels at night, they have been dropping down to 7.6.

Substantial pH drop at night suggests that something (probably plants or algae) is producing CO2 during the dark cycle. Have you tried simply turning on heavy aeration at night rather than going to the trouble of generating microbubbles? That would drive out CO2, I believe...

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Substantial pH drop at night suggests that something (probably plants or algae) is producing CO2 during the dark cycle. Have you tried simply turning on heavy aeration at night rather than going to the trouble of generating microbubbles? That would drive out CO2, I believe...

What would be heavy aeration? I'm open to suggestions

 

[m0nkie]

neat! following along. I remember researching this earlier this year and lots of good reviews. You must use wooden air diffuser right?

can't wait to see your results.

 

[OG Reefs]

Mike used to do this. He got really good results. his tank always looked amazing. I'm planning on doing it with my current build.

 

[bblumberg]

What would be heavy aeration? I'm open to suggestions

Good sized airstone _3-4" e.g., Bubble Bubba

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/718Ml7xlRrL._SL1024_.jpg


with strong pump (e.g. Coralife Luft pump)_. I did this with my FW planted tank when I ran CO2 and it kept pH from going too low at night.

I am sure that there are many other options, but the idea is to make a strong stream of bubbles which will drive out dissolved CO2

 

[BeanMachine]

Some of the well known public aquarium guys seem to question its effectiveness.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Some of the well known public aquarium guys seem to question its effectiveness.

Yea yea yea. I wanna know who's actually tried it and what their results are. Go finish your darn house!!! [emoji6]

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Has anyone tried micro/nano bubbles ??

Good sized airstone _3-4" e.g., Bubble Bubba



https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/718Ml7xlRrL._SL1024_.jpg





with strong pump (e.g. Coralife Luft pump)_. I did this with my FW planted tank when I ran CO2 and it kept pH from going too low at night.



I am sure that there are many other options, but the idea is to make a strong stream of bubbles which will drive out dissolved CO2

What's the difference between that ^ and what I'm doing? Sounds like the same thing to me.

Last night my PH was 7.72, it was 7.64 the night before. It made a difference, but not all that much. :/ that was running 2 of the Lees wood stones. The Eheim air pump has 2 outputs, so i figured I might as well try running them both.

I just ordered new PH calibration solution, I'm gunna double check my ph probe. It's new, and I just calibrated it 3 weeks ago. Maybe it was old calibration fluid or something.

As far as noticing a difference in water quality or coral health, I'm assuming its too early to tell. Im expecting it will take at least a week or more to start seeing a difference. (If at all)

 

[acesq]

I tried it for two weeks, bubbling overnight only. I didn't notice any difference in my tank except my leather closed up within an hour of the first time I bubbled and didn't open again until a few days after I stopped. The other corals, LPS and SPS had no reaction either way. My tank is pretty clean though, low nitrates and phosphates, no cyano on the sand. I think would have a greater benefit on tanks that have high nutrients.

If your goal is to raise ph, you'll have to draw air in from outside. Your skimmer is pretty good already at degassing the CO2, its just limited by the CO2 content of your inside air.

 

[thegrun]

Back in the good old days it made some sense, but with the advent of needle wheel skimmers I just dont see the point. I suspect most of those reporting great results either didn't have a quality skimmer or the improvements were caused by other changes made to their systems.

 

[BeanMachine]

Yea yea yea. I wanna know who's actually tried it and what their results are. Go finish your darn house!!! [emoji6]

Haha I think Richard Ross is one. Do a facebook search.

 

[bblumberg]

What's the difference between that ^ and what I'm doing? Sounds like the same thing to me.

Last night my PH was 7.72, it was 7.64 the night before. It made a difference, but not all that much. :/ that was running 2 of the Lees wood stones. The Eheim air pump has 2 outputs, so i figured I might as well try running them both.

I just ordered new PH calibration solution, I'm gunna double check my ph probe. It's new, and I just calibrated it 3 weeks ago. Maybe it was old calibration fluid or something.

As far as noticing a difference in water quality or coral health, I'm assuming its too early to tell. Im expecting it will take at least a week or more to start seeing a difference. (If at all)

Difference is in the complexity of the setup. Your sketch suggested several components and plumbing. At the end of the day, it might be interesting to give this a try, but hard to know whether it will make much of a difference. As was already noted, skimmer may be getting rid of most CO2 already.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Difference is in the complexity of the setup. Your sketch suggested several components and plumbing. At the end of the day, it might be interesting to give this a try, but hard to know whether it will make much of a difference. As was already noted, skimmer may be getting rid of most CO2 already.

I think you mis understood the sketch. The pump and plumbing is the existing return pump. All it wants you to do is add an air pump and wood stone to the sump. The return pump picks up the bubbles and pumps them into the display.

 

[s2k]

Interesting concept - are u experiencing salt creep outside the sump from the bubbles popping?

 

[bblumberg]

I think you mis understood the sketch. The pump and plumbing is the existing return pump. All it wants you to do is add an air pump and wood stone to the sump. The return pump picks up the bubbles and pumps them into the display.

Yup, my bad. I interpreted the sketch as indicating that you were creating a new device to do this.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Interesting concept - are u experiencing salt creep outside the sump from the bubbles popping?

Non so far. Only been 2 days, so we'll see what it does long term