aeration

[heavenly damsel]

without air stornes how does the water in the SW aquarium become aerated? We have recently converted to SW and my husband insists on have one of the power heads shootng out bubles for aeration. I don't like the bubbles at all. I don't see anything with bubbles in the show tanks at the LFS. Clue me in please.

 

[heavenly damsel]

sorry...should have included my setup. We have an external filter, Tetratec 300 with filter cartridges, 50 lbs LR, 2" crushed coral and aragonite substrate and two powerheads rated at 278 gph. We currently do not have a protien skimmer. Occupants include 7 damsels, 20 blue leg hermits, 20 scarlet leg hermits, 3 emerald crabs, 1 sally light foot crab, 1 CB shrimp, 20 turbo snails and 2 brittle stars. Have a 55 gallon tank. I guess we keep the one powerhead with bubbles?

 

[reefkeeper1]

you really dont want bubles in your tank, it makes a mess with the salt and its very hard to see. It is also not good for the fish if the bubles are small enough it can actually give them eye problems. if you keep your power head disturbing the surface of your tank and with your hang on the back filter dumping water in your tank you will be fine. To make sure you could always test for dissolved oxegen in the water.

 

[tvan]

I've got a 28 gallon bow front with the tetratec 300 as well. The living chamber with the rise and fall of water acts as a wave maker. I also have a prizm protien skimmer. This setup works for my reef so far. (8lbs of LR also).

 

[dathem]

Hello,
Stop the bubble making, all it does is increase the salt creep, and make extra noise. It really doesn't add enough oxygen to the water anyway to make any diff. Just make sure that at least one power head is sending water upwards to the surface to create ripples. The fish will be more relaxed without the air bubbles, try it and see for yourself. I managed to convince the LFS sometime ago to do the same and what a diff that made in there tanks.

 

[marine fanatic]

I used to have a 12" air-bar in my tank but after adding the 2 550 PH's I removed the air-bar....water is fine and NO bubbles at all now.