FLUIDIZED BED w/K1 MICRO - with or without air?

[billberet]

hey everyone,
ok I'm slowly phasing out my FX5's on my 150 gal.
I took the media in the FX and added it to my sump, the new addition is the K1 Micro. Right now I'm fluidizing it with a power head, and it's flowing nicely, slowly colonizing and dropping, the pic below is 3 days old.

I've done tons of research but no one says it is mandatory to aerate the bed in order to fluidize it, I'm thinking you can use water to fluidized it. one benefit is it is super quiet. and I don't have air lines all over the place.

are there any experts with fluidized beds, do you use air or water to move it.
I mean my system is running efficiently and effectively, but I would like to consult with others.

Numbers don't lie. all my chems are 0
and I do a water change once every 6 months (I have drip system)

 

[Fresh2o]

I'm no expert in fluidized beds, but as long as there is movement, then it should not matter if you use air or water. As long as a film does not form on the surface of the sump (where gas exchange will be occurring) then it will be fine. Bubbles tends to break up the formation of any films as does decent water movement.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[billberet]

thanks, I think your right, all I have to do is have the media moving.
but I figured, aeration couldn't hurt and I have the parts I needed to build one.
so what I did was make a quick bubble wall, all diy, cause I wanted bigger bubbles than a standard wall. so I took some 3/16 and 5/16 tubing and went to town. and the result was a super bubble wall, large bubbles that churned the hell out of the media. between that and the power head, that bed is in high gear. after it becomes established I might shut down the power head and just use the air. after it's fully colonized.

then I took a magnet and attached it to the sump wall.