Algae Scrubber and refugium, same/same or different?

[theMeat]

Have a hard time understanding how a scrubber doesn’t help with ph. I mean if water is falling through air in a thin film I struggle with how that wouldn’t increase ph. Maybe the scrubber being closed tight enough to stop noise it also stops effective fresh air exchange, idk

Anyone?

 

[Maxx]

It's most likely going to depend on the air quality surrounding the ATS.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Have a hard time understanding how a scrubber doesn’t help with ph. I mean if water is falling through air in a thin film I struggle with how that wouldn’t increase ph. Maybe the scrubber being closed tight enough to stop noise it also stops effective fresh air exchange, idk

Thinking about high ambient co2 levels, the air water interface created at the algae scrubber screen isn't some magical sponge sucking said ambient co2 into the tank water. High ambient co2 will increase tank water co2 without any help from an algae scrubber.
Where the air water interface created at the algae scrubber screen becomes beneficial is when tank water co2 becomes limited, & somewhat limiting photosynthesis.

 

[atoll]

Thinking about high ambient co2 levels, the air water interface created at the algae scrubber screen isn't some magical sponge sucking said ambient co2 into the tank water. High ambient co2 will increase tank water co2 without any help from an algae scrubber.
Where the air water interface created at the algae scrubber screen becomes beneficial is when tank water co2 becomes limited, & somewhat limiting photosynthesis.

CO2 being a very soluble gas I doubt very much many tanks will suffer from low CO2. More the probability is that CO2 will be more than adequate to sustain algae. More people suffer with low PH than high it would appear from the number of posts on forums. CO2 scrubbers attached to skimmers are becoming more popular along with drawing air from outside the building. The take up and eventual lack of iron causes algae growth issues.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

CO2 being a very soluble gas I doubt very much many tanks will suffer from low CO2. More the probability is that CO2 will be more than adequate to sustain algae. More people suffer with low PH than high it would appear from the number of posts on forums. CO2 scrubbers attached to skimmers are becoming more popular along with drawing air from outside the building. The take up and eventual lack of iron causes algae growth issues.

I wonder how much available co2 there would be in aquarium water that has reached oxygen super-saturation as a consequence of photosynthesis when the oxygen itself was created from the aquariums co2 content?
The reintroduction of new co2 molecules into the aquarium water through solubility couldn't be faster than the take up of co2 through photosynthesis or the pH of the water could never rise.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Perhaps when aquarium water reaches oxygen super-saturation it is oxygen degassing into the ambient air rather than co2 being absorbed into the water. Water at typical atmospheric pressure can only hold a finite number of gas molecules.
????

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Also worth considering is marine photosynthesising organisms, to one degree or another, convert bicarbonate back into co2 for photosynthesis. This is because the fraction of co2 in ocean water, as a gas or hydrated as carbonic acid. is tiny.

 

[atoll]

I wonder how much available co2 there would be in aquarium water that has reached oxygen super-saturation as a consequence of photosynthesis when the oxygen itself was created from the aquariums co2 content?
The reintroduction of new co2 molecules into the aquarium water through solubility couldn't be faster than the take up of co2 through photosynthesis or the pH of the water could never rise.

Interesting question. Remember the aquarium also produces CO2 during hours of darkness hence the PH drop. CO2 is dissolved from the air mainly during the day when it is at its highest from human respiration providing the aquarium is situated in an unocupied room at night. CO2 therefore is constantly fluctuating.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Interesting question. Remember the aquarium also produces CO2 during hours of darkness hence the PH drop. CO2 is dissolved from the air mainly during the day when it is at its highest from human respiration providing the aquarium is situated in an unocupied room at night. CO2 therefore is constantly fluctuating.

Each system would vary. Photosynthesis via corals, algae, etc during the day, & via algae filtration at night.

 

[Maxx]

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