 Koi and aerobic bacteria in particular are extremely reliant on well-oxygenated water requiring a minimum of 6mg per ltr. Realising the importance of oxygenation in today’s fish keeping environments and especially due to the increasing popularity of heating.
The Microbubbler is manufactured from strong, “ENTIRELY FISH SAFE”, medication and UV resistant materials.
- There are no raised or sharp edges to damage your fish.
- Suitable for salt or fresh water and any temperature.
- The Microbubbler is used on our own premises to introduce fantastic aeration!
Efficiency of all aeration devices is reduced as water temperature increases since the solubility of oxygen is less at higher temperatures.
There are two basic types of diffused aeration systems,
• Course bubble
• Fine bubble
The factors of importance relating to the efficiency of a diffused aeration system are the bubble surface area in contact with the water and the amount of water that the bubbles move by airlift effect. The greater the surface area the more efficient the transfer of oxygen from the air bubble to the water.
For example as bubble size is reduced by 1/2 the surface area is increased by a factor of 4. Therefore if bubble size was reduced from 4mm (course bubble) to 1mm (fine bubble), surface area is increased by a factor of 16. Contact time of the bubble as it passes up through the water column is also important, as water depth is increased oxygen transfer is increased since the bubble will be in the water column for a longer period of time. However, more importantly is the speed at which the bubble rises up through the water. With the fine bubble the vertical velocity of the bubble is very much slower than a course bubble, so there is a greater period of time for the oxygen to dissolve into the water from the fine bubble. The reason for the fine bubbles slower vertical velocity is due to the greater surface area of the bubbles, and the increased friction there is between the water and the bubble surface.
Rising air bubbles do not push water vertically but drag the water. Therefore with the increased friction of the small bubble very much more water will be moved than in comparison to the same volume of air with course bubbles. Course bubble aeration looks very impressive because of the very visible disturbance of the water. However in actual fact most of the energy is being expended in blowing air into the atmosphere. The efficiency of fine bubble aeration is therefore in the order of 10 to 20 times greater than that of course bubble diffused aeration systems. Fine bubble diffused aeration is therefore seen to be a very different and much more efficient system than the course bubble process.
Visually, it is difficult to see the impact of fine bubble diffusers in a pond environment, however on close inspection of the pond a mass upward movement of slow moving water will be observed. This water rises from the base of the pond, progresses out over the surface and then submerges back down to the base providing excellent vertical mixing of the water. Since no energy is wasted in throwing water into the air, the efficiency of the fine bubble process tends to be very high in comparison with other systems.
Fine bubble diffused aeration produces a vertical rotating water motion. This motion creates a momentum that results in the mass movement of a tremendous volume of water. We estimate that the entire water volume in a pond can be recirculated approximately every 10 minutes. Water circulation increases as the depth increases, ponds where water depth is in the order of 1 to 3 metres, every cubic metres of air will move between 10 and 50 cubic meters of water per hour. Fine bubble diffused aeration is seen to be a very efficient process, in that it induces excellent mixing and movement of water, reduces the potential development of anaerobic sediment, improves water quality and stabilises the environment.
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