oxygen reactor

[JackBlasto]

I have a tall 36x18x36 aquarium. 98 gallon. I was told that this would have oxygen issues due to the 36 inch depth...

Anyone ever tried an oxygen reactor in freshwater?

What would this entail? Would I have to buy pressurized oxygen?

I found this reactor online Product Detail

I'm curious what I would need besides this to function?

Anyone know? Thanks.

 

[Fishfur]

Water gets its gases from air, and gas exchange happens at the surface. So really the problem is one of circulation. So long as you maintain circulation so that the water at the lower levels is moved upward in a regular cycle, shouldn't be any oxygen issues.

Temperature also affects oxygen, the warmer the water, the less it can hold, and air stones are often used to assist if temperatures must be raised, say, to treat ich. Having water fall onto the surface so it splashes also helps increase gas exchange. You need a fairly powerful filter and either a pump low down, aimed to create a vertical cycle or an air stone or two at one end running quite fast, so you get a constant cycle around the tank.

Pressurized oxygen might be awfully hard to get. I tried once, wanted to pump it in while pest control was being done, to make sure the tanks didn't suffocate while they were covered. I was told it had to be prescribed by a doctor for the companies who make it to sell it to me, not even my vet would let me have any.

 

[Ilminded]

Put bubbling stones at bottom, and force air through it. Not only does it create circulation, but it also puts air in tiny bubbles. These small bubbles will then have the gas exchange mentioned and will try and make an equilibrium with the gas in the bubble.

 

[Fishfur]

Not really. Most of the gas exchange happens at the surface. The bubbles make the water move, which brings stale water up where it can get some oxygen. But when the bubbles break at the surface they cause some agitation, which increases surface area, thus enhancing gas exchange.

They move so fast through water that not much oxygen has a chance to be exchanged while they rise. If gas could exchange like that, then CO2 bubbles that size would dissolve instead of mostly going into the air. That's why CO2 has to be broken into extremely fine bubbles or otherwise slowed down so it will dissolve before it reaches the surface and gasses out.

 

[Taiken5968]

You could buy one or two of those strong underwater fans. Put one near the filter blowing the oxygenated water down towards the bottom.

 

[Fishfur]

Circulation pumps are what you mean. Like a Koralia nano pump, comes in bigger sizes too. But you would be better off having it lower down facing upward, if you chose to use a pump like that, you'd get better results I think. Koralia is not the only brand, just happens to be what I use.

I'd still be very tempted to use at least one large air stone at one end, since it can sit right on the bottom and help push that water up to the top, so the CO2 can gas out and be exchanged for oxygen.