Aquatic air: Do you pay attention to dissolved oxygen in your reef?

[Peace River]

Aquatic air: Do you pay attention to dissolved oxygen in your reef?

Oxygenation is important to your reef tank for many reasons including aiding in respiration, the decomposition process, stress reduction, overall health, growth, and much more. There are many ways that oxygen can be added to the water such as surface agitation, aeration, filtration, flow, and surface skimming. Whether using DO (dissolved oxygen) meters to test water oxygen or using another indirect method, some reef keepers have found that paying attention to dissolved oxygen in a reef tank can be helpful. Others simply look for stagnant surface areas or dead zones where detritus collects and there is minimal flow. Please tell us if you pay attention to dissolved oxygen in your tank.

Pro Tip: One often overlooked area of low or no flow can be the sump. In addition to potentially low oxygenation, detritus can collect in these areas and create other challenges with water parameters and add stress to your reef.

Photo by @dragon_lee


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.topshelfaquatics.com

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[cwerner]

I don't really pay any attention to it other than making sure I have surface agitation. My protein skimmer probably oxygenates the water quite a bit too.

 

[Aspect]

Having 4 sharks I needed to add another skimmer for fully saturated DO in the water.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I check it with a YSI every other water change. Not that I care but it's a number it spits out at me.

You folks have got to get one of these things.

 

[c_ronius]

I don't test for it, but I like to think I'm well oxygenated. I never turn off the skimmer. When I don't want it to pull skimate I just let it overflow. All the tanks including the sump are turbulent throughout, all the time, especially at the surface. I have always assumed this is enough, but I have no proof. I'm curious where this thread will go and what I may be able to improve on.

 

[c_ronius]

So what's a good value? That meter looks fun.

 

[GARRIGA]

Have a meter but need to replace the sensor. Goal isn't to ensure enough oxygen but to test that it's low enough in the effluent of my denitrification process. Carbon dosing eliminated that need for the moment. Observing fish behavior enough for me to assume oxygen levels in the display are adequate.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

So what's a good value? That meter looks fun.

Oh I'm kidding. It's nice and easy but it's because I don't have to maintain it. My wife is a Geologist/hydrologist. She uses it in her work often. So it is calibrated by a professional geologist weekly and a couple of the probes are calibrated daily.

If I had a huge tank id maybe want one. Maybe. More like if I maintained all the tanks at the tampa bay aquarium it would be great.

You can pick up a used meter and probe (separate items) for about $1500 us.

 

[shakacuz]

I don't really pay any attention to it other than making sure I have surface agitation. My protein skimmer probably oxygenates the water quite a bit too.

same for me.
however, i've since put my skimmer offline due to having 2 clams that clean the water for me.

 

[EricR]

No skimmer so have wondered but really have no idea.
*fish are all still alive and never seem to be gasping for breath so that's all I know

 

[Sharkbait19]

I lost some freshwater fish a while back due to a low oxygen issue, so I’ve been pretty careful about providing proper aeration since.
I have a chemical test for freshwater - I don’t use it much and it doesn’t work for sw anyway.
I mostly make sure there is always surface agitation from the filters/powerheads.

 

[franx]

I have lots of good surface agitation but I have concerns about oxygen because the tank is fully enclosed in a built in cabinet, so there’s not a lot of exchange with fresh air. It’s also on an interior wall in the basement, so no easy way to run a skimmer intake line outdoors.

I’ve been thinking about drilling a hole to the next room at least, but I’m not sure that would be worth it.

 

[Pelagikos]

Of course I make sure there's plenty of surface agitation, but the macro algae in my display is constantly releasing tiny oxygen bubbles into the water column via photosynthesis. Fascinating to watch!

 

[Tavero]

I lost a lot of animals during the years because of low oxygen and had no idea why. Only figured it out when i borrowed a DO meter. I have no skimmer but I was able to increase oxygen during night with an air stone. Then i've added a co2 absorber to reduce ph drop during night. Now ive completely switched to constant H2O2 dosing.

So what's a good value? That meter looks fun.

Value for fully saturated water is at approx. 7 mg/l. My tank dropped under 0.5 mg/l during night.

 

[EricR]

I'd be interested to see how many actually ever use a cheapie dissolved oxygen test kit (like Salifert at $14 on Amazon). No idea if they actually work well.

-- if poll had that as one of the options (separate from "meter")

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I'd be interested to see how many actually ever use a cheapie dissolved oxygen test kit (like Salifert at $14 on Amazon). No idea if they actually work well.

-- if poll had that as one of the options (separate from "meter")

We can check one off of my YSI

 

[Pelagikos]

I also run a skimmer, as well as micro bubble scrubbing for 5 minutes every other hour with an air stone. I'd be really interested to see what my oxygen levels are.

 

[Minifoot77]

I said not really but I run a skimmer and microbubble scrub for a half hour before lights out till a half hour after lights come back on

 

[jtroxel1]

I don't test for it, but assuming I did - what are good numbers? Is there a range that is best? Is there any documentation of increased coral growth, fish health, or other? Is this binary - either it's okay or it's not, or is there a target we should be aiming for?

 

[Ceti]

I check it with a YSI every other water change. Not that I care but it's a number it spits out at me.

You folks have got to get one of these things.

Cost and where to order it?