crazzyreefer
New member
Randy, I came into the possession of a few white papers on the subject of Foam Fracturing in Sewage Treatment Plants, Advanced Treatment Operations, and a studly of the removal of metals during treatment.
Amongst the data was a break down of organics and non-organics, including many heavy metals both ferrous and Non-ferrous. This provided me with the rational that my little skimmer was removing metals in my fish tank. Well No, the more I researched, the more I found that Bubbles has definite laws of physics. I had a lab first test my skimmate, almost all organic compounds, I set up a 40' tube, and did a bubble rise test, and that led to a calculator based on Stokes Law. Next a ran my old tank water through the tube the foam extruded foam like a old comedy film. It poured out the top and blew in the wind, I captured most of the foam and had my friend re-analyze the skimmate, now not only did it have a incredible amount of organics, it had almost every metal conceivable. Basically I replicated the same information I found in the treatment of sewage. On another board, Reef Frontiers, he could have been the founder or just a Mod, I think it was Matt, but he was working on a Wet Head Skimmer, and had success in the rise in the amount of skimmate, I belive his first skimmer was 10-12 round and I think about 6-8' tall, he had his skimmate tested and there was trace amount of metals found, not nearly as much metals as mine, but that could have been from many factors, one his skimmer was still too short, the bubbles were forming yet they would not last out out of the chamber vary long, or my water, that never ever was skimmed and had more non-organics to begin with, My rocks might be leaching more non-organics, Then with more research I came along a paper the explained organic and non-organic adhesion in Bubble Rise/Foam Fracturing . So I began to build a real skimmer, the skimmer I made was 26 feet tall, but the rise chamber is only 18' ( my wife wont let me dig out the foundation of our house, nor let the skimmer penetrate the roof) It is powered by the same air stones that was used in the moderator of Reef Frontiers. (he Donated them to the cause) I use a CO2 compressor for soda, it is food grade and is oil-less, I tried others, non had the power to push almost 20' of water. But all of this came with a price, the powerful dump of the skimmer into my tank unleashed the seams, and we sprang a major leak, losing the entire contents, So on to build a better BIGGER tank, we are through with he tank, the skimmer up-grade, Minor mod to the design so my ceilings dont collapse again when there is a malfunction. (yes Im still Married) We have had the water and some fish in the tank for about a year running without any filtration, once I find a controller I will reconnect the skimmer, and test the skimmate from the first hook up and then months latter to see the removal of metals still continues.
I still have most of the papers somewhere I used and can copy them if you like. I think I have the calculator I designed also, it was spot on, most people found it a bit confusing, but my mind is not linear and nor was the calculator.
Amongst the data was a break down of organics and non-organics, including many heavy metals both ferrous and Non-ferrous. This provided me with the rational that my little skimmer was removing metals in my fish tank. Well No, the more I researched, the more I found that Bubbles has definite laws of physics. I had a lab first test my skimmate, almost all organic compounds, I set up a 40' tube, and did a bubble rise test, and that led to a calculator based on Stokes Law. Next a ran my old tank water through the tube the foam extruded foam like a old comedy film. It poured out the top and blew in the wind, I captured most of the foam and had my friend re-analyze the skimmate, now not only did it have a incredible amount of organics, it had almost every metal conceivable. Basically I replicated the same information I found in the treatment of sewage. On another board, Reef Frontiers, he could have been the founder or just a Mod, I think it was Matt, but he was working on a Wet Head Skimmer, and had success in the rise in the amount of skimmate, I belive his first skimmer was 10-12 round and I think about 6-8' tall, he had his skimmate tested and there was trace amount of metals found, not nearly as much metals as mine, but that could have been from many factors, one his skimmer was still too short, the bubbles were forming yet they would not last out out of the chamber vary long, or my water, that never ever was skimmed and had more non-organics to begin with, My rocks might be leaching more non-organics, Then with more research I came along a paper the explained organic and non-organic adhesion in Bubble Rise/Foam Fracturing . So I began to build a real skimmer, the skimmer I made was 26 feet tall, but the rise chamber is only 18' ( my wife wont let me dig out the foundation of our house, nor let the skimmer penetrate the roof) It is powered by the same air stones that was used in the moderator of Reef Frontiers. (he Donated them to the cause) I use a CO2 compressor for soda, it is food grade and is oil-less, I tried others, non had the power to push almost 20' of water. But all of this came with a price, the powerful dump of the skimmer into my tank unleashed the seams, and we sprang a major leak, losing the entire contents, So on to build a better BIGGER tank, we are through with he tank, the skimmer up-grade, Minor mod to the design so my ceilings dont collapse again when there is a malfunction. (yes Im still Married) We have had the water and some fish in the tank for about a year running without any filtration, once I find a controller I will reconnect the skimmer, and test the skimmate from the first hook up and then months latter to see the removal of metals still continues.
I still have most of the papers somewhere I used and can copy them if you like. I think I have the calculator I designed also, it was spot on, most people found it a bit confusing, but my mind is not linear and nor was the calculator.
