Fine Bubble Flotation Filtration

Joined
7 May 2007
Posts
1,106
Reaction score
11
Location
Hillcrest
During heavy pulse recirculation an air pump is turned on diffusing air near the pumps inlet for 2 – (1 minute) periods. The air injection floods the tank with fine bubbles for a few minutes. The bubbles attach to floating waste particles and assist in floating out the waste and exporting it to the over flow weir. The fine bubbles also causes the SPS coral to release a lot of slime as the bubbles attach to it and floating it off.


Taken From here
What do you think of that idea ? http://www.reefland.com/rho/1105/feature7.php
 
Toyed with this idea a while back.
Saw an awesome cylinderical tank where the guy employed this tactic 4 times a day by setting the pumps on timers.
A natural reef works the same way. Waves crashing over the reef creates a massive amount of bubbles.

My only reservations would be the amount of salt creep it would generate and the actual feeding response / sliming of SPS corals is still such a mystery at the moment as far as how much etc.

I like the idea though :)
 
lol, should have checked the link first, it's the same tank I'm talking about.
 
The added bonus with the bubbles is the clarity of the water of you have turned the pump on. I ran the powerhead that came with my old jebo. I have never seen such fine bubbles from a std venturi. I left it on for 5 mins and the water was much clearer. Maybe I should turn the lights off for a day or two and run an airpump on a random setting on my timer. Simulate some crashing waves ?
 
Hay this is a good idea, when I went to Cape Town a few weeks ago I spent many min. staring at the tank there and noticed that every few mins there is a pump that pushes lots of bubbles into the tank. After walking around the tank for 15 mins I got my ass kicked my my GF as I was gonna miss the flight. Anyone know if this was for the same reason. I wonder who runs that tank - it looks quite good?
 
Nice avatar Rory, kinda looks like my old lady....

I think that the bubble thing could work. If it works in a protein skimmer, then why shouldn't it work in a normal tank environment? but i think it a little unsightly having your tank full of bubbles all the time, so maybe a pump with a venturi on a timer for 15 minutes out of every hour.
 
I think even if it comes on at night when the lights are off so you will not ever really see it, then it should be OK. The bubbles do disperse fairly quickly. The added bonus is I doubt you will get Cynao
 
I was talking about the tank at Durban - Are these bubbles bad for fish and/or corals in anyway?
 
how about if you place an airstone near your return pump in the sump,and run it off a timer?wouldnt that have a better effect?
 
mekaeel that could work, but you want to inject the bubbles as close to the bottom of the tank as possible.
The theory is all DOC, particles etc attach to the bubbles and are lifted to the surface so that they can drain off to the sump and into your skimmer.
 
Would this mass of bubbles not present problems with air pockets collecting under some corals?
 
Sponges do not like exposure to air and you may find trapped air pockets under rock and stuff causing sponges in that area to die off. Also constant fine air bubbles are not good for fish. I do like the idea of helping to get particulate matters up and out of the tank, and new methods to help encourage this is a step in the right direction. Must investigate further.
 
Good point Mille, Clams are also sensitive to trapped air bubbles.

I defineatly see merits with this idea though. I know that the tank featured in the article was doing this about 3/4 years ago. I would be interested to know wether he is still doing it and what problems he might of had.
 
Maybe I should try it but not as many bubbles as he did.... any ideas what pump one would need?
 
Back
Top Bottom