I've ran air-stones at lights out, I've ran them 24/7 with co2 cranked up to compensate. The battle for good oxygen levels without de-gassing co2 always seems to take place at the water surface which recently led me to an idea/experiment.
What if I create "another" surface which I can aerate as viciously as I like 24/7...and then feed this aerated water gently back into the water column?
I know some folks use a dedicated chamber in their sump to do this, but my tank configuration rules this out.
I do however have an available shelf above my tank, so I have used a little Eheim pump to take tank water into what resembles an overhead aquaponic type tray..minus any media or plants. This water is vigorously aerated...and then some. It goes back out via a bulkhead and is delivered at a nice easy pace into the tank's mid-water column, doubling as addition flow for co2 dispersal.
I've basically just created another surface for my tank. The main surface remains like a crystal clear still-mill-pond thanks to my surface skimmer, and I make no demands whatsoever on it in terms of atmospheric oxygen absorption, which is now being entirely handled by my tank's "second" surface.
I basically figured: " I'm injecting co2 into my water column via a reactor which exists outside the tank, why not make an oxygen reactor, which to some extent, vigorously agitated water continuously exposed to the atmosphere kind of is...is it not?"
Anyway, the water clarity in my tank is off the charts, so that means my external filter is enjoying the oxygen boost, and my plants are loving the stable, rich co2 levels and are pearling away during the photo-period.
Most importantly though, my fish are looking really perky and healthy and don't go to the surface at all unless to feed. Which considering how "still" and un-agitated my surface is, I find the most amazing thing of all!!
I can co2 charge my water column AND oxygen charge it also without so much as a ripple on the surface.
I was considering a wet-dry filter mounted overhead to achieve the same ends, but figured that just giving my external filter improved oxygen levels would be a satisfactory outcome.
Anyway, just wanted to share this with the community.
Although it's still a kind of prototype arrangement, I'll try get some pics up soon.
Cheers
Mike
What if I create "another" surface which I can aerate as viciously as I like 24/7...and then feed this aerated water gently back into the water column?
I know some folks use a dedicated chamber in their sump to do this, but my tank configuration rules this out.
I do however have an available shelf above my tank, so I have used a little Eheim pump to take tank water into what resembles an overhead aquaponic type tray..minus any media or plants. This water is vigorously aerated...and then some. It goes back out via a bulkhead and is delivered at a nice easy pace into the tank's mid-water column, doubling as addition flow for co2 dispersal.
I've basically just created another surface for my tank. The main surface remains like a crystal clear still-mill-pond thanks to my surface skimmer, and I make no demands whatsoever on it in terms of atmospheric oxygen absorption, which is now being entirely handled by my tank's "second" surface.
I basically figured: " I'm injecting co2 into my water column via a reactor which exists outside the tank, why not make an oxygen reactor, which to some extent, vigorously agitated water continuously exposed to the atmosphere kind of is...is it not?"
Anyway, the water clarity in my tank is off the charts, so that means my external filter is enjoying the oxygen boost, and my plants are loving the stable, rich co2 levels and are pearling away during the photo-period.
Most importantly though, my fish are looking really perky and healthy and don't go to the surface at all unless to feed. Which considering how "still" and un-agitated my surface is, I find the most amazing thing of all!!
I can co2 charge my water column AND oxygen charge it also without so much as a ripple on the surface.
I was considering a wet-dry filter mounted overhead to achieve the same ends, but figured that just giving my external filter improved oxygen levels would be a satisfactory outcome.
Anyway, just wanted to share this with the community.
Although it's still a kind of prototype arrangement, I'll try get some pics up soon.
Cheers
Mike