why are micro-bubbles bad?

[mollymonticello]

I know they are bad, I just don't know why...

 

[Jeff]

I have heard that can irritate some corals. I just dont like the look of them myself.

Jeff

 

[mollymonticello]

every time I change anything in my tank...even feeding, my skimmer whacks out, and I have to readjust it and then it spews out micro bubbles for a half hour. Am I just dumb?

 

[mwwhite]

We had a similar issue with our new RS-180 when we upgraded from a 72 to 150 a couple of months ago. It was the skimmer output line splashing through/over the foam cover. Very sensitive to water level. To fix, we installed the mod - a PVC "T" to a gate valve to a 90-degree elbow that drains into the filter sock. Use the gate valve instead of raising/lowering the output line. In our case, we had to rais the skimmer (on a eggcrate platform - about 2") so it would clear the sump to the filter sock.

'Not sure what kind of skimmer you have or how it's plumbed, but if it's similar, this may help.

 

[Percula9]

Microbubbles are unsightly, they can irritate the skin of fish. Try using a foam block as a bubble trap.

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

First of all, for the purpose of consistancy, are we talking about microbubbles or mini-bubbles? Mini-bubbles would be the ones that are small but still visible. Microbubbles would be ones that are too small to see. Agreed that mini-bubbles are unsightly, but irritating to fish? You realize that mini-bubbles are quite common in the ocean (perhaps not for deeper dwelling fish though). As far as microbubbles go, even if they are doing damage (which I highly doubt they do), I don't think you're going to be able to avoid them.

 

[customanimalart]

boy do I have bubbles in my tank. I have a hang on ref and the output has a "bubble trap sock screen" that doesn't trap them it just deflects them and I also have a emperor 400 for carbon filtration (55g softie tank) and the bubbles just pour out from the bio wheels. Then my powerheads just spit the bubbles everywhere making more.

It just drives me crazy but I can't get them to stop. I shall say that my tank is well aerated. I also do not have a skimmer yet.

Any help on what to do to eliminate my bubble issue without removing the emperor?

 

[mollymonticello]

Ooohhhh. There's a difference between micro and mini bubbles. Ok. How on earth would you know that you have microbubbles if you can't see them? So neither are really all that harmful, unless they are so numerous they are irritating the fish. That's relieving. mwwhite, thanks for that...but I have no idea what you said. I just have a regular old Prizm pro. I didn't know you could modify it. It has this basket before the outlet, and I put some foam in there, but it doesn't completely stop the bubbles. I think it probably helps, though.

 

[cayars]

Bubbles being bad is a myth.

Carlo

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

"Ooohhhh. There's a difference between micro and mini bubbles. Ok. How on earth would you know that you have microbubbles if you can't see them?"

Yes, there is a difference. If you read my full post, I clearly stated that you won't be able to avoid them, which goes hand in hand with not be able to see them. Point is that when people mention microbubbles when describing what they are seeing, they are mis-naming it. If you were to say reference literature that talks about the effects of microbubbles, you might make the mistake of thinking of this as a mini-bubble issue.

Read this:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/eb/index.php

 

[suphew]

The bubbles block the light in your display, they also cause salty mist/spray as they pop on the surface of your display which can also get on the lights.

 

[bertoni]

I agree that bubbles can spread salt, and they can block light. Some deep-water animals might have problems with them, too. '
Certain sponges would be one possible example.