Why are air bubbles bad for a saltwater tank?

fishtaco

fishtaco

Active Member
Just read a post further downstream that air bubbles are bad for a saltwater tank. Both my nano's have powerheads that inject a small amount of air bubbles into the tank and I have not noticed any ill effects and indeed thought it was beneficial to keep the surface from being calm.
F.T.
 
jayson417

jayson417

Member
Originally Posted by Fishtaco
http:///forum/post/3059481
Just read a post further downstream that air bubbles are bad for a saltwater tank. Both my nano's have powerheads that inject a small amount of air bubbles into the tank and I have not noticed any ill effects and indeed thought it was beneficial to keep the surface from being calm.
F.T.

I hope thats not the case because i have air stones running in my tank :(
 
renogaw

renogaw

Active Member
think of how skimmers work... protiens attach to the air bubbles and get brought up to the surface.
also, air can get trapped under rocks, on corals, etc.
 
hlcroghan

hlcroghan

Active Member
Originally Posted by Jayson417
http:///forum/post/3059487
I hope thats not the case because i have air stones running in my tank :(
Unfortunately that is the case. I would remove those. There is also some speculation that air bubbles can get trapped in the gills of the fishes and cause breathing difficulties. You actually want the water to roll across the surface to cause air exchange. Think of the ocean....
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I am going to disagree here. I have never seen any published scientific research stating that air stones in a marine aquarium are detrimental to both coral and fish. Air bubbles help to move the tank water vertically towards the surface, assisting with oxygen and other gas exchanges. If you were to lose power to your circulation pumps and protein skimmer your air stone would keep the DO level from falling to low.
I personally do not use an air stone, but I am confident in my gas exchange.
In the ocean oxygen bubbles are constantly introduced to the water via photosynthesis, this is the reason we use reverse daylight in our refugium to prevent low DO at night
as always I am open to debate the subject
 
salt210

salt210

Active Member
the only thing that I would be worried about is the salinity change from the salt being removed from the tank by the bubbles popping at the surface and of course the ugly look of salt creep from those said deposits
 
fishtaco

fishtaco

Active Member
Interesting POV's, I figure that since my multi-chamber filter system on my nano's draws water from below gravel level to the very top of the tank and I don't run a skimmer that the small amount of air I do run is probably removing protiens from the tank into the filter. I have ceramic bio materials in the top of second chamber of the filter and when I rinse the sock out with my water changes there is always a fair amount of gunk in it. I keep LR in the first chamber, maybe I should switch it around?
F.T.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by salt210
http:///forum/post/3059574
the only thing that I would be worried about is the salinity change from the salt being removed from the tank by the bubbles popping at the surface and of course the ugly look of salt creep from those said deposits
IMO you are absolutely right. Salt creep is the major drawback to air stones
 
salt life

salt life

Active Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3059608
IMO you are absolutely right. Salt creep is the major drawback to air stones
this is probably a stupid question but what is the "difference" (maybe not the best word to use) from natural salt creep VS using a air stone? I don't use air stones but I do get salt creep in my sump from the water flow through my sump and somethings on the rim of my DT's I get some, I don't have that many micro bubbles going into my DT's either.
IDK if I asked clearly so sorry if I didn't. basically, does "natural salt creep effect your salt level as much as if you used an airstone too?
I have one of those shitty marineland hydrometers so I havent been able to check my salinity that accurately, I don't think... everytime I do it reads at like .024-.026... which Idk if that is really accurate.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I have one of those shitty marineland hydrometers so I havent been able to check my salinity that accurately, I don't think... everytime I do it reads at like .024-.026... which Idk if that is really accurate.
You have been looking to spend money on denitrifiers..and you don't even have a refractometer.....ohhh salt salt salt....BUY a REFRACTOMETER
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3059616
You have been looking to spend money on denitrifiers..and you don't even have a refractometer.....ohhh salt salt salt....BUY a REFRACTOMETER

Just so you know you have to take what she says with a GRAIN OF SALT
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Salt Life
http:///forum/post/3059610
this is probably a stupid question but what is the "difference" (maybe not the best word to use) from natural salt creep VS using a air stone? I don't use air stones but I do get salt creep in my sump from the water flow through my sump and somethings on the rim of my DT's I get some, I don't have that many micro bubbles going into my DT's either.
IDK if I asked clearly so sorry if I didn't. basically, does "natural salt creep effect your salt level as much as if you used an airstone too?
I have one of those shitty marineland hydrometers so I havent been able to check my salinity that accurately, I don't think... everytime I do it reads at like .024-.026... which Idk if that is really accurate.
All devises that cause water movement will add some bubbles to your tank. These bubbles cause a mist as they come to the top and brake. As the mist evaporates it leave the salt behind so the addition of anything that creates this mist will add to the amount of salt creep you can have occur
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3059624
%%...Buying a refractometer happens to be good advice

Yes but its all about priorities. If you are maintaining your salinity with a hydrometer (and not using it to test hypo salinity) and are clearing it after every use, your first priority may be getting your nitrates down
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3059626
Yes but its all about priorities. If you are maintaining your salinity with a hydrometer (and not using it to test hypo salinity) and are clearing it after every use, your first priority may be getting your nitrates down
Sometimes I just don't think I'll ever be able to say anything that satisfies you....
pffftt
 
hlcroghan

hlcroghan

Active Member
I genuinely think at this point in my life that that, right there, is the secret to all men, Ms. Kitty...
...Sad I know......
 
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