Dear Tammy:
Okay, that’s a brilliant idea to convert the output from your filter to a spray bar return using the loc-line, Tammy! The spraybar will provide excellent surface agitation across a wide area to facilitate better oxygenation and more efficient gas exchange at the air/water interface, which will raise the levels of dissolved oxygen in the aquarium and reduce the levels of carbon dioxide.
When I am using a spray bar, I like to position it a short distance below the surface of the water in the aquarium, and then point the jets upwards ever so slightly so that they roil the surface of the water. You’ll want to avoid releasing clouds of microbubbles into the aquarium since that can be unsightly and can also cause problems if the bubbles are drawn into the intake for the filtration system. That can possibly airlock parts of the filtration system or the bubbles drawn into the pumps for the filter may be injected back into the aquarium under pressure, which can lead to low-level gas supersaturation under certain circumstances.
Adding a refugium to the tank to further increase the water volume and surface area for gas exchange should also be extremely helpful, Tammy, so those are both excellent modifications!
How has the seahorse responded since you installed the spray bar return? Is his breathing more relaxed? Is he eating better now? Or is it still too soon to tell if the changes have made much difference in your pony’s behavior?
Best wishes with all your fishes, Tammy!
Respectfully,
Pete Giwojna, Ocean Rider Tech Support
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.
