Why are air pumps not used in saltwater set-ups?

[Salty150]

Why aren't air pumps used in saltwater set-ups?

It seems that oxygen is just as critical for freshwater as it is for saltwater - no?

[BrandonFlorida]

Originally Posted by Salty150

Why aren't air pumps used in saltwater set-ups?

It seems that oxygen is just as critical for freshwater as it is for saltwater - no?

Power heads and protein skimmers make enough oxygen and no body likes micro bubbles in their saltwater tank.

[MichelleMas]

Great question. I'm watching for answers because I don't understand this either. I was told it hurts the fish's scales but why doesn't it bother my freshwater fish if that's the case.

[heathlindner25]

Insane salt creep

[Salty150]

Originally Posted by heathlindner25

Insane salt creep

?

[dbenenh0]

Originally Posted by heathlindner25

Insane salt creep

^^ This

I use one on my QT and salt was taking over the tank, stand, chords, floor, wall, etc. Got so bad I have to put a lid over part of the tank to slow it down.

[Salty150]

Originally Posted by dbenenh0

^^ This

I use one on my QT and salt was taking over the tank, stand, chords, floor, wall, etc. Got so bad I have to put a lid over part of the tank to slow it down.

How does pumping air into a saltwater tank increase salt creep?

Because it makes the water evaporate faster?

[sde1500]

bubbles rise, bubbles pop, tiny amount of salt sprays out everwhere. repeat a few million times, insane salt creep.

[RocketEngineer]

The problem is that popping bubbles of saltwater create salt spray that collects and forms salt encrustations on the rim of the tank. This salt creep is unsightly, highly corrosive to any exposed metals, and can cause problems by burning corals if pushed back into the display.

As stated above, power heads provide plenty of oxygenation whether its FW or SW. In freshwater there is often much less flow within the display which is why bubbles are used. In my FW tank I don't use an air pump anymore since there is a lot of flow from my closed loop on that system.

HTH,

[bif24701]

Originally Posted by Salty150

How does pumping air into a saltwater tank increase salt creep?



Because it makes the water evaporate faster?

Because every single bubble that rises to the surface will pop, when it does and tiny drop of salt water flies through the air. Sometimes they travel pretty far. Multiple this times 1000x a day and the drying droplets start leaving massive amounts of salt where they landed.

[d2mini]

Some people are now experimenting with micro bubbles from an air stone in the sump run at night, pulling the bubble through the return pump and into the display.

[JammyBirch]

Originally Posted by heathlindner25

Insane salt creep

Zackly... most people run some form of a sump where they have a skimmer and if that doesn't make enough O2 then the more common drains like herbie and beans will suck air and produce bubbles.

Salt creep is exponentially increased with water surface area and busrting bubbles. For example in my sump my skimmer chamber, where my drain and
skimmer are located (lots of air bubbles), gets pounded with salt creep.

No way i'd want to deal with that on teh DT.

[slief]

Surface agitation is a huge source of dissolved o2 in our systems and is pretty much a requirement for the health of our systems. It provides a great source for gas exchange which helps remove excess Co2 while also insuring there is sufficient o2 in the water. Surface agitation is incredibly important and should never be overlooked. In my opinion, its something you can never have too much of. Back in the day when we used to run undergravel filtration, the air stones were needed since we didn't maintain the kind of flow that modern powerheads offer us and we didn't have the kind of surface agitation that tanks do today. Then there is our overflow systems and sumps. The path the water follows from the overflow to the sump is generally another place that oxygen enters the water. Lastly is our protein skimmers which also help saturate the water with needed o2. The combination of the above and even the required surface agitation alone generally results in more than enough o2 for even the heaviest stocked tank.

Originally Posted by d2mini

Some people are now experimenting with micro bubbles from an air stone in the sump run at night, pulling the bubble through the return pump and into the display.

Very true.... A new fad being pushed by a small few with very little factual information let alone real science as it would apply to our reef tanks to support the method. In fact, it all started with one individual who in my opinion has a vested interest in the whole nano bubble theory since he is trying to sell stuff for it.

The idea that it helps corals slime and removes detritus are both things that I question. Especially when good flow and required husbandry removes detritus and sliming isn't always a good thing for the corals. Then there is the bubbles being trapped in the rocks and a potential reduction of important anaerobic bacteria within the rocks due to the saturation of excess o2 and bubbles that will inevitably get trapped in and below the rock. Some argue that the micro bubbles can cause issues with fish and coral health as well. From my perspective, maintaining a healthy reef is a relative simple and proven process. Keep good water quality, stay on top of husbandry, provide sufficient lighting in the correct spectrum and watch your parameters. If the above are met, once a tank matures, supporting a wide range of corals is easy. There is no need for nano bubbles from my experience and most of what is being pushed as benefits are lacking science when it comes to our mini reefs and purely anecdotal.

[gogo7]

i use air only.
i'm a pico reefer and do not own an impeller.
i deal with the salt spray and dgas what everyone else says. my corals don't seem to care about bubbles either. my display is only four gallons and is nine and a half inches across. it's mostly lps with a dsb.
impellers are blenders in my world.
i feed live planktons and my gobies breed once a week(ish).

[lpsouth1978]

Proper water movement in a reef tank will create an oxygen rich environment. I use air stones in my QT tanks because flow is not as good, I don't use a protein skimmer, and I have lost fish in QT due to low oxygen levels before I added the air stones..

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by sde1500

bubbles rise, bubbles pop, tiny amount of salt sprays out everwhere. repeat a few million times, insane salt creep.

This.

[d2mini]

The nano bubble thing costs only a few bucks to try, free for those who already have a pump and air stone laying around. I'm the type of person that would give it a shot. It's a common practice in fish hatcheries and so far I've seen nothing negative. If I still had my old tank running I would try it. But I don't. So for now all I can do is sit back and laugh at the arguing from both sides, because neither side has the evidence to support their claims.

[Tweaked]

I have them on all 4 of my displays. They monitor power outages and come on via batteries when loss of power is detected ($12 each). A life saver for sure. Yes we have a generator but most outages happen while we sleep.