whos using air stones ?

[mtc1966]

I was thinking of getting a combination blue led light bar air bubble bar http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260707968431&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

and running it from 11am to 11 pm any thoughts on this ?

 

[rayjay]

Well be prepared for a LOT of salt creep and continual cleaning as long as you use it.
I would never use one in my reef tanks but I DO have one rigid air line tube in each of my seahorse tanks. Even at low flow, the salt creep can be a pain and that's with only one bubble source in one corner of the tanks.
I use it as a water mover for when the power heads and return pumps are off for feeding. A small mini power head and the air line are all that keeps the food in the water column while the seahorses are feeding.

 

[kichikoi]

I also use two 12" bubble bars along the very back length of my tank. Rather than create a "wall of bubbles" it's more like a stream here a stream there of bubbles. Salt creep is a way of life...

 

[FlaJohn]

I was thinking of getting a combination blue led light bar air bubble bar http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260707968431&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

and running it from 11am to 11 pm any thoughts on this ?

It will look cool on a seahorse tank but as Ray points out bubbles in a saltwater tank = a huge mess in the long run.

 

[mtc1966]

what is it about bubbles in s/w that causes salt creep ?

 

[NEK-ap24]

bubbles rise to the surface and pop, splashing a tiny bit of salt water in all directions...the water evaporates and leaves the salt.

rinse, lather and repeat. ad nauseum, and you have a bunch of salt creep.

 

[mtc1966]

bubbles rise to the surface and pop, splashing a tiny bit of salt water in all directions...the water evaporates and leaves the salt.

rinse, lather and repeat. ad nauseum, and you have a bunch of salt creep.

ah that makes sense so i think i will have a real slow buble rate then to try and offset the effect .

 

[NEK-ap24]

I am not sure how effective that will be, I think you will still see a surprising amount of creep, and also loose out on the effectiveness of the oxygenation of the water. My understanding is that much of the bubbles effectiveness comes from the columnar movement of water, rather then the fact that you are "injecting" oxygen into the water. Therefore slowing the rate significantly would also decrease the vertical water movement, and defeat the purpose of the bubbler in the first place. (unless the purpose for your bubbles is strictly aesthetic)

In a reef or FO tank you can point powerheads, or return pumps at the surface and get enough agitation/water movement, without splashing or bubbles, to get the proper amount of oxygen into the water.

I believe that the draw for the sea horse bubbler is that most do not use rapid waterflow in a sea horse tank, because the horses would get pushed around too much.

 

[FlaJohn]

ah that makes sense so i think i will have a real slow bubble rate then to try and offset the effect .

Unfortunately slow bubbles make just as big of mess (maybe more). If you want to deal with the mess no prob. But you do have a skimmer on this tank so any bubbles in this tank are just for decor and not the health of the tank.

If you want that look go for it.

 

[FlaJohn]

\ \I believe that the draw for the sea horse bubbler is that most do not use rapid water flow in a sea horse tank, because the horses would get pushed around too much.

NEK actually seahorse's take quite a bit of flow. They do love to be massaged by air bubbles from a coarse air stone and I don't blame them as I like a Jacuzzi too!

 

[mtc1966]

well i really just wanted some blue night lighting figured the bubbles would be a bonus . my local f/s ordered me one so i will try it out if the salt creep gets to be to much of a pain i will just use the lighting portion of it.