bacteria in filter using airstone

[tropicfishman]

ok, as everyone knows beneficial bacteria needs oxygen to survive, for those with a HOB type filter, why not try putting an airstone in the filter itself to produce more oxygen, wouldn't this in turn boost the bacteria growth?

 

[toddnbecka]

There is a wet/dry HOB filter, the Millennium, available in a couple different sizes, that has an adjustable air intake for that purpose. Air notwithstanding, bacteria growth is dependant on the amount of surface area in the filter media.

 

[BrianNY]

The bubbles themselves don't add oxygen to the water. It's the gas exchange caused by water movement. The bubbles agitate the surface causing the gas exchange. As long as water is flowing freely through your filters, that's enough oxygen for the nitrifying bacteria.

 

[TomK2]

I would worry that air in a HOB filter might work its way into the intake tube, interfering with flow into the filter. Also, air in the media compartments could cause bubbles large enough to create dead/dry spots? However, wet/dry filters are the most efficient nitrification filters. But they are usually not designed to have air bubble up through them. Rather, the water usually trickles down over the media, or the media rotates through the water (biowheel).

I think more like BrianNY, bubbles or other surface agitation will likely make your tank fully saturated with oxygen for its temperature and salinity, and if you have enough oxygen for your fish to thrive you have way more than you need for your biologic filter.

 

[7Enigma]

tropicfishman,

The only time this might have some benefit is during a fishless cycle at high temps (above 80F) with little to no surface agitation (say you have the water level right up to the HOB so there is no waterfall effect). Then this might help somewhat, but I would imagine it would be more efficient to plumb the intake of the filter to the air stone. Several people do this when injecting DIY CO2 as it creates a LOT of surface area for gas exchange (impeller).

But again, I don't see this as doing much good in a normal tank setup.

 

[tropicfishman]

well that stinks, I was hoping it would work lol