Dear Paul:
Yes, sir, a protein skimmer that’s throwing off clouds of microbubbles certainly can contribute to gas bubble syndrome indirectly, so adjusting your skimmer to prevent the release of the microbubbles was an excellent precaution. Well done!
A few microbubbles in the aquarium are ordinarily not a cause for concern, but if your protein skimmer is releasing a ton of them, then you need to address that problem probably. Such microbubbles are not directly harmful to seahorses and are generally only problematic when they contribute to gas supersaturation. If the aquarium water become supersaturated, gas emboli can form in the blood and tissues of the seahorses, resulting in various forms of gas bubble syndrome (GBS).
On small, closed-system aquariums, supersaturation is often due to the entraining of air on the intake side of a leaky pump, which then chops the air into fine microbubbles and injects it into the water (Cripe, Kowalski and Phipps, 1999). Water and air are thus mixed under high pressure and forced into the water column, which can result in gas supersaturation. An air leak in inflowing or recirculating water that enters the tank below the surface can cause the same thing (Cripe, Kowalski and Phipps, 1999).
Microbubbles in the aquarium can sometimes contribute to gas supersaturation in a similar fashion if they are sucked into the water pump and then pressurized as they pass through the filtration system. So you did very well to eliminate the excess microbubbles that your protein skimmer is producing to reduce the chance of that happening. It sounds like it’s releasing a great deal of the microbubbles, which would increase the chances that some of them can be sucked into the aquarium filters and pressurized, which could contribute to gas supersaturation of the aquarium water.
if it’s a relatively new protein skimmer, most likely the skimmer simply needs to be tweaked or adjusted properly in order to eliminate the excess microbubbles it is producing. For example, the water level inside the main chamber of the protein skimmer is a crucial factor for most units. If the water level is too low, it will inhibit foam production. On the other hand, if the water level is too high, it may result in excessive amounts of very wet foam and overflow the collection cup.
Don’t hesitate to contact the manufacturer for troubleshooting tips to help you eliminate the excess microbubbles that are being released. Some protein skimmers have bubble traps available to eliminate excess bubbles from the outflow of the skimmer. Ask the manufacturer if there is one for your particular skimmer.
Best wishes with all your fishes, Paul!
Happy Trails!
Pete Giwojna
Ocean Rider, Inc. is an Organic Hawaiian-Based Seahorse Aqua-Farm & Aquarium that Follows Strict Good Farming Practices in Raising Seahorses and Other Aquatic Life.
