# using surface skimmers to increase dissolved oxygen?



## jarthel (29 Dec 2009)

has anyone used a surface skimmer to increase dissolved oxygen in a tank? If yes, please share your experiences.

thank you


----------



## daniel19831123 (30 Dec 2009)

don't think we pay much attention to O2 saturation in the tank since if it's a planted tank, the photosynthesis should be adequate for fish to survive in the tank. Further we don't tend to keep the tank at 30 degree or more as discus keeper so O2 readily dissolve into the water to reach equilibrium with the atmosphere.


----------



## jarthel (30 Dec 2009)

daniel19831123 said:
			
		

> don't think we pay much attention to O2 saturation in the tank since if it's a planted tank, the photosynthesis should be adequate for fish to survive in the tank. Further we don't tend to keep the tank at 30 degree or more as discus keeper so O2 readily dissolve into the water to reach equilibrium with the atmosphere.



you seemed to throw around the word "we" a lot. I do not think you speak for all the forum members


----------



## squiggley (30 Dec 2009)

I believe JamesC and a few others have tried surface skimmers, I  searched and found the article yesterday. My personal interest was to remove the surface film that builds up and to help the exhange of co2.


----------



## jarthel (30 Dec 2009)

squiggley said:
			
		

> I believe JamesC and a few others have tried surface skimmers, I  searched and found the article yesterday. My personal interest was to remove the surface film that builds up and to help the exhange of co2.



can you please share the link? thank you very much


----------



## Robert1979b (18 Jan 2010)

Angling one of you filter returns or such so it create a *slight* surface ripple. this should get rid of any surface build up. I would think that anything that skims like on a marine is just going to remove CO2 as much as it increases O2.


----------



## CeeJay (18 Jan 2010)

Hi all

Just my experience.


			
				squiggley said:
			
		

> My personal interest was to remove the surface film that builds up and to help the exhange of co2.


I would have to be concerned about what is causing your surface film build up. One cause can be unhealthy plants. I find if you sort the plants, you sort the surface scum. Win win situation .


----------



## Themuleous (19 Jan 2010)

There is also the issue of a skimmer removing CO2.  Also, just to throw it in, if the plants are healthy then they will be producing more than enough O2 for the fish, indeed, pearling is a sign that the water is saturated with O2.

Sam


----------



## chilled84 (19 Jan 2010)

You dont need a skimmer, You will only lower the co2 in the water by too much surace movement, If your tank  is plnted to a degree, The plants alone will take care of co2 levels within the tnk, As stated the plants will pearl to notifiy healthyness and o2 within the water. If you have surface film you need to figure out why you have the film there in the first place? Over feeding can cuse this, Or setups that are new and hve plants that as yet have not bedded down and rooted, Plants that are unhelthy one one or more reasons throw of that film that you see on the surface, Feed your plants, higher the co2 and keep an eye on them. Eventualy the plants will sort it all out for you. If you have floating plants such a frgbit, Remove enought so that they have enought caps between them for water to flow between smoothley! That will help too.


----------



## dw1305 (19 Jan 2010)

Hi all,
While it is true that the tank water in aquaria with actively growing plants may be oxygen saturated during the photoperiod, when light levels fall below the plant compensation point oxygen usage during respiration will exceed the production of O2 from photosynthesis, and the plants will become part of the oxygen utilising bioload.  During the dark period the amount of oxygen utilised by the plants and tank is dependent upon a number of factors (surface area, whether plants are emergent or submerged, chemical oxygen demand, substrate etc ) and it maybe that oxygen depletion does occur in warmer water and effect fish with a higher oxygen demand, particularly rheophilic species from cooler environments (Hill stream Loaches, _Chaetosoma_ etc.).

CO2 is a factor too, particularly for those who leave there's on at night, fish showing symptoms of respiratory distress are unlikely to be suffering directly from low oxygen levels, but are more likely to be stressed by high levels of carbon dioxide in the water. Without a sharp gradient between CO2 levels in the blood and CO2 levels in the water, it becomes increasingly difficult for the CO2 in the fishes blood to diffuse out across their gill surfaces into the water (due to the "Bohr effect").

Having said that I've never seen any signs of oxygen depletion in my tanks including one with Otocinclus in it where I turned the filter of to clean it before going on holiday, and failed to turn it back on before I left. When I came back 10 days later fish were still fine, although some surface scum had developed.

cheers Darrel


----------

