Bubble scrubbing

sergifed91

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I have had my tank running for almost 2 years. Never done bubble scrubbing before. What are the benefits to this and disadvantages? How often should it be done? Daily every other day or twice a week? I'm trying it tonight. I'm not hooking up an air pump. I'm leaving the stand doors open and a fan running in the room the dt is in. I have an external refugium and I just took off the pvc 90 degree elbow for the emergency drain and that's what's creating the air bubbles. Or should I actually put an air pump in the sump and use the pump?
 

Arego

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It's where you're basically CO2 degassing by pushing alot of microbubbles throughout the system. In a nutshell anyway, among other noted, yet anecdotal, benefits.
 

Poof No Eyebrows

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Hope their not talking about the bubbles that scrub!

9B7477BD-6AE1-4CCE-88CD-044469F1B179.jpeg
 

danieyella

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From what I understand, you have to use one of the wood stones to create the appropriate sized bubbles or you won't see any benefit. I've never actually attempted it myself, but I've encountered a few people who absolutely swear by it.
 

Waynerock

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I do it every once in a while after water change. Got a wooden air stone on an air pump under the return pump and the bubbles get sucked up and blown in the tank. I’ll take a turkey baster and blast my rocks to get as much stirred up as possible and run the air pump for about 20 min. It works very well. The corals will also slime up and the bubbles help clean the corals too. Check out fish of hex or Reef Dudes they both have videos on the process and benefits. My filter socks pick up a lot of crap so I know it works.
 

coralfishreef

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The air pump and air stone are used to create smaller bubbles. I had this setup for a while until the wood air “stone” disintegrated. In my opinion it looks like the display is turned into a massive skimmer.

The micro bubbles get inside and under the rocks and corals, detritus and such attach to the bubbles which are in turn pulled down the overflow and into the filter socks or filter floss.

The bubble scrubbing was automated via Apex and set to run 4 times a day for 30 seconds per run. This is a very short time frame. I’ve seen people with run times between minutes to hours.
 
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Randy Holmes-Farley

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It's where you're basically CO2 degassing by pushing alot of microbubbles throughout the system. In a nutshell anyway, among other noted, yet anecdotal, benefits.

Actually, whether CO2 is added, or removed, or no change, depends on the relative CO2 in the air used for the aeration, and the tank water itself. Don't believe claims that suggest this type of aeration is "special". They make no scientific sense. In my tank, such bubbles would add CO2 because the pH ran high.

One of the impacts is to make the whole tank like the inside of a skimmer, which may help reduce organics, and may help pull organic "gunk" off of surfaces (whether that is a positive or a negative).
 

revhtree

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Actually, whether CO2 is added, or removed, or no change, depends on the relative CO2 in the air used for the aeration, and the tank water itself. Don't believe claims that suggest this type of aeration is "special". They make no scientific sense. In my tank, such bubbles would add CO2 because the pH ran high.

One of the impacts is to make the whole tank like the inside of a skimmer, which may help reduce organics, and may help pull organic "gunk" off of surfaces (whether that is a positive or a negative).

And you have to go getting all scientific on us and stuff! :p
 

sfin52

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From what I understand, you have to use one of the wood stones to create the appropriate sized bubbles or you won't see any benefit. I've never actually attempted it myself, but I've encountered a few people who absolutely swear by it.
@Eagle_Steve I know does it. It is basically a very deep clean for your tank. Think about turning your whole tank into a skimmer for a bit. All the micro bubbles lift the gunk and your overflow removes them.
Best to do it at night. Some corals get a little irritated but no harm is done.
If I missed anything Steve please correct.
 

Eagle_Steve

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@Eagle_Steve I know does it. It is basically a very deep clean for your tank. Think about turning your whole tank into a skimmer for a bit. All the micro bubbles lift the gunk and your overflow removes them.
Best to do it at night. Some corals get a little irritated but no harm is done.
If I missed anything Steve please correct.
Nope, you got it.

I use a massive air pump and wood stones. Place 2 stones at the return pump, 1 under each gyre, and put the lids on the tank. Lids are just to stop salt creep. Also run filter socks during. Never run them any other time but then. skimmer gets set a little wetter than normal and has usually pulled a ton out at the end of the 6 hours set for the “bubble bath”, as my wife calls it

I do it at night and everything is fine. Was doing it every month, but my nutrients are hard to keep up to detectable levels, so now do every 3 months.

Both 180s are the only tanks I do it on, as the others are small, macro only or frag tanks. Nothing cares that I can tell. SPS do get tons of PE, like they are grabbing food, but I don’t know that for sure.

Note: Tanks have everything from zoas, sps, lps, shrooms, gorgs, sponges, multiple types of nems, and anything else that I get lol.
 

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