what to do? top of the water = murky.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
aeri;2600013; said:
+1

all you need is an air pump. better gas exchange.
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Air pumps are not necessarily better at gas exchange than a power head or spray bar. The little bubbles do very little for gas exchange, it is the surface agitation and the currents bringing depleted water up from the bottom to exchange gasses at the top that make the difference.
 
Merbeast;2600047; said:
Air pumps are not necessarily better at gas exchange than a power head or spray bar. The little bubbles do very little for gas exchange, it is the surface agitation and the currents bringing depleted water up from the bottom to exchange gasses at the top that make the difference.
Click to expand...

Gees, that crap won't die if you light it on fire and run it over with a train. :nilly:
 
Yes. I don't know who starts the missinformation or even how it happens, but it seems that it is always the wrong stuff being repeated. Anyway I had a detailed explanation on how gas exchange really works but it got deleted when I had an unexpected computer shut down. I don't have the energy to write it again. I'll be working on a very large aquarium this weekend but maybe Monday.
 
Just because I hate to be wrong, I did about 10 seconds of google searching and found these three links:
http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/aquainfo/air_pump.html
http://www.hollywoodfishfarm.co.nz/article_detail.php?id=23
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/waterquality/a/aa122997air.htm

They all seem to agree (if I am reading them correctly) that air pumps are good for some reasons, and not so good for others. They are good for:
1) Bringing fresh air into a tightly sealed (or relatively so) aquarium.
2) Cheaply powering UGFs and skimmers.
Powerheads are better for:
1) Creating good flow in the tank
2) Moving more water, especially if you are limited to low risers on an UGF.

So, unless you wow me with something new and exciting, I am sticking with my statement that: "Air pumps are not necessarily better at gas exchange than a power head or spray bar. The little bubbles do very little for gas exchange, it is the surface agitation and the currents bringing depleted water up from the bottom to exchange gasses at the top that make the difference."
 
I've read the same thing about little oxygen dissolving into the water from the bubbles. I don't really care if its true or not, I don't use air stones. Aiming the output of the filter at the surface works just fine.
 
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