Microscrubbing... I'm Ready to Try It!!!

klp · Oct 28, 2016

Following. Interested to see what your results are.

SchnitzelReef · Oct 28, 2016

Wondering, what is the point of the needle valve? I understand it's to adjust how much air is going into the air stone, but why not just run it full blast?

Think I'm gunna give this a try. See what happens

jacoviii · Oct 28, 2016

fsamir said:
Not really, that is not the aim of this method anyway. Even if some people noticed it, is likely to be attributed to something other than micro scrubbing.

Why would this not add to the reduction in nitrate and phosphate the micro bubbles are removing more debris from the DT / water column and aiding in skimmer production.
I have been adding NoPox from red sea with not much luck but, once I set a RW-8 to drat in air and blast it down at a 45* it started to do the job. The skimmate took off and my Nitrates started to come down.

john.m.cole3 · Oct 28, 2016

SchnitzelReef said:
Wondering, what is the point of the needle valve? I understand it's to adjust how much air is going into the air stone, but why not just run it full blast?

Think I'm gunna give this a try. See what happens

I will try to regurgitate some information. The wooden air stones don't produce more nano bubbles with more air volume flowing through them. Nano bubble production is based off of pressure. The needle valve allows you to open up the air pump to increase pressure, but then reduce flow via the needle valve. It can be done without the needle valve, but with it is better.

SchnitzelReef · Oct 28, 2016

john.m.cole3 said:
I will try to regurgitate some information. The wooden air stones don't produce more nano bubbles with more air volume flowing through them. Nano bubble production is based off of pressure. The needle valve allows you to open up the air pump to increase pressure, but then reduce flow via the needle valve. It can be done without the needle valve, but with it is better.

Ok. I'll take your word for it. I've never used an airstone before, but I just assumed more air more bubbles.

Gunna get things ordered today.

Have you been running it 24/7?
Do you have lots of sps, and if you do, do they seem irritated at all? That is my main concern.

john.m.cole3 · Oct 28, 2016

I'm running it 24/7 for the first 3 days. I have 9 different SPS in there and the polyps are extended on my green slimer more than I've ever seen. The montipora had some stringy slime coming off of them yesterday, but not much. I've read about several SPS dominant tanks doing very well with microscrubbing. I'm not sure if you're familiar with @Diesel and his SPS tank, but he's been doin it for a year and he likes the results.

I don't fully understand how the needle valve and the 3 psi pump create more nano bubbles, but I ran it for a day without the needle valve and I have to say, with the needle valve flooded the tank with nano bubbles. There's a difference for sure. I bought all of my equipment according to @Cruz_Arias recommendations.

Bearded Reefer · Oct 28, 2016

Just a thought here. Pump the air in via lime wood air stone and pump that into a needle wheel water pump to further reduce the size of the bubbles and pump that into the tank.

Thoughts?

ChuzUThisDay · Oct 28, 2016

I'm liking the sounds of this. Any chance you got before pics of your tank when you started the three day process?

jd371 · Oct 28, 2016

I just started to do this last night, but I didn't have a needle valve and just placed an order for one. One thing I noticed was the level in the return was higher than normal while I was making the nano bubbles.

-Logzor · Oct 28, 2016

Interesting! I already have a couple airstones in the sump I was using when I dosed dr. tim's waste away. Maybe I'll hook these up onto my Apex and run them at night as a test.

john.m.cole3 · Oct 28, 2016

ChuzUThisDay said:
I'm liking the sounds of this. Any chance you got before pics of your tank when you started the three day process?

Certainly. I'll link them tonight when I get home from work.

john.m.cole3 · Oct 28, 2016

jd371 said:
I just started to do this last night, but I didn't have a needle valve and just placed an order for one. One thing I noticed was the level in the return was higher than normal while I was making the nano bubbles.

Mine was a bit higher also, but it didn't effect my ATO much. I heard it kick on several times last night and even once this morning while I was getting ready for work.

john.m.cole3 · Oct 28, 2016

-Logzor said:
Interesting! I already have a couple airstones in the sump I was using when I dosed dr. tim's waste away. Maybe I'll hook these up onto my Apex and run them at night as a test.

first, run it with the lights on so you can see the size and amount of the bubbles. What kind of air stones are they?

-Logzor · Oct 28, 2016

john.m.cole3 said:
first, run it with the lights on so you can see the size and amount of the bubbles. What kind of air stones are they?

These, two of them:

https://www.amazon.com/CNZ-10-inch-...E2A7SF2QECVW0YSS0&ie=UTF8&qid=1477691939&sr=1

john.m.cole3 · Oct 28, 2016

-Logzor said:
These, two of them:

https://www.amazon.com/CNZ-10-inch-...E2A7SF2QECVW0YSS0&ie=UTF8&qid=1477691939&sr=1

The wooden air stones are recommended to produce the super small nano bubbles.

https://www.amazon.com/Lees-2-Inch-...77693921&sr=8-1&keywords=lees+wood+air+stones

ebeez · Oct 28, 2016

As of 11pm tonight I too will be on the band wagon. I am using TopFin pump and air stone. The stone is set underneath the return pump in my sump and I still have the foam on the intake to assist in breaking up the bigger bubbles. I tested it and the bubbles are nice and small. I may need a bigger pump though but will test it first. Tank is a 120gal with a 30 gal sump. Was a FWLR but added 1 purple candelabra 1.5 months ago.

hawkinsrgk · Oct 28, 2016

jacoviii said:
Why would this not add to the reduction in nitrate and phosphate the micro bubbles are removing more debris from the DT / water column and aiding in skimmer production.
I have been adding NoPox from red sea with not much luck but, once I set a RW-8 to drat in air and blast it down at a 45* it started to do the job. The skimmate took off and my Nitrates started to come down.

That's basically why I asked the question. To me that would seem to be a side effect

john.m.cole3 · Oct 28, 2016

Coral pics the wee

k before I started this

john.m.cole3 · Oct 29, 2016

Ok folks, it's been a little less than 48 hours since I've been bubbling non stop. the results so far are exactly what I was hoping for. I was a bit skeptical at first, but I gotta admit, this is pretty amazing. first was water clarity. Better than using rox .8 GAC. Second, improved polyp extension. It's more apparent on my euphyllia more than anything. Third, reduced nitrates. This one was the most shocking. I test my water every weekend with Salifert kits. Last week I had a reading of 35-40 nitrates.

screenshot_2016-10-04-11-40-32-png.405083

My tank had been holding fairly steady there and things looked good so I didn't sweat it.

TODAY, they look to be about 6!!!!!!!!!!! 6??? No way! I re-tested. Yup, 6.

I almost forgot to mention how much my skimmer is pulling. I was thinking that my skimmer was too big for my tank bc the skimmate production has never been fantastic. Til now.

Looking forward to see what else will happen. I'm still shocked. 42 hours...

Shaun Sweeney · Oct 29, 2016

I had planned to put a long air stone, down low at the back, of my new 140 build. I thought to mount it horizontally in a manner that caused it to work as an Archimedes pump. The bubbles won't be as small but from what I see of this discussion, they might accomplish some of the same goals. Comments anyone?