curious bubble question

[Anonymous]

is the general consensus regarding concern over microbubbles in a reef environment purely for asthetic reasons or do they actually pose a potential threat against reef inhabitants?

i couldn't find any past threads to answer this question for me and i was just wondering the reason for the alarm.

 

[Anonymous]

^

 

[Anonymous]

^^

 

[Carpentersreef]

Wow, a double bump, and no replies!

Since you're holding a gun to our collective heads...

..

If you own the reef bible, "the Reef Aquarium" vol. 1, by Sprung and Delbeek, look on pages 129 - 130. It says that micro bubbles may indeed have a nutrient value to them. "Proteins, carbohydrates, trace elements, bacteria, and other ""stuff"" attached to bubbles may be a significant source of food to filter feeding or particulate feeding organisms ...."

HTH

Mitch

 

[naesco]

Air bubbles help if you suspect that you are not getting enough movement in your tank and thus risk the possibility of oxygen depletion.
Some critters, like sponge should not be placed near where the bubbles are created.
If I add a new fish I always place an air diffuser in the corner near where the new fish is hiding.

 

[Anonymous]

sorry guys, didn't mean to be so persistant. but i *had* to know!

thanks for answering my question. i honestly didn't think they could do any harm. when i first set up my protein skimmer, the first day or so i had alot but they went away and only a very minute amount still occasionally come out. when they do, i notice that my cleaner shrimp loves to be there "arms" wide open.

i just remember reading a few previous threads and many reeefers commented on how they hated the bubbles because they made the tank look bad. hence, my original question.

 

[monkeyboy]

Shouldn't be anything bad about them, maybe problems w/ them getting stuck in sponges and killing them. Think the waves smacking the reefs don't put any bubbles in the water?!?!

 

[Ben1]

Bubbles getting stuck under certain coral tissue can cause necrotic spots eventually leading to death. SPS that plate/whorl are very prone to this as it is easy for a bubble to get trapped under them.

 

[Anonymous]

monkeyboy: i actually thought about the waves and the foam that seems to collect around the rocks and such in the ocean.

ben: so they can be harmful in some cases afterall. i didn't know the bubbles were so deadly to the sponges or that they could cause harm to certain corals. this is good to know and i shall do my homework and read up more about this.

thanks again, peoples!

 

[monkeyboy]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Ben:
<strong>Bubbles getting stuck under certain coral tissue can cause necrotic spots eventually leading to death. SPS that plate/whorl are very prone to this as it is easy for a bubble to get trapped under them.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Good point, if you imploy strong alternating currents, it can probably be prevented to some extent.

 

[GMH320]

Speaking of bubbles, does anyone intentionally use an air pump to use rising bubbles as a means of water circulation?