WMAS Discussion Forum : Nitrogen bubbles http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Sat, 20 Jun 2026 15:58:50 +0000 Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:57:36 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.03 360 www.utahreefs.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=1656 <![CDATA[WMAS Discussion Forum]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/1by1.gif http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/ <![CDATA[Nitrogen bubbles : I wonder how many pounds of bacteria...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=15256&title=nitrogen-bubbles#15256 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 1656
Posted: January 16 2004 at 8:57pm

I wonder how many pounds of bacteria are living in our tanks?]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:57:36 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=15256&title=nitrogen-bubbles#15256 <![CDATA[Nitrogen bubbles : My thoughts exactly, Jon. ]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14913&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14913 Author: Jake Pehrson
Subject: 1656
Posted: January 12 2004 at 11:47am

My thoughts exactly, Jon.]]> Mon, 12 Jan 2004 11:47:50 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14913&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14913 <![CDATA[Nitrogen bubbles : My thoughts were... counting bubbles...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14896&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14896 Author: jfinch
Subject: 1656
Posted: January 12 2004 at 8:23am

My thoughts were... counting bubbles from the sandbed to determine denitrification would be inconculsive at best.  Still, it's an interesting topic (where and how nitrogen is exported) and I wish we knew even more.]]> Mon, 12 Jan 2004 08:23:02 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14896&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14896 <![CDATA[Nitrogen bubbles : My thoughts are... interesting. Not...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14894&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14894 Author: Jake Pehrson
Subject: 1656
Posted: January 12 2004 at 8:05am

My thoughts are...

interesting.

Not much more to say other then it is good to know, but I'm not sure how to apply this information.

Thanks for the work Jon.

 

]]> Mon, 12 Jan 2004 08:05:42 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14894&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14894 <![CDATA[Nitrogen bubbles : Sorry for editing after you read...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14837&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14837 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 1656
Posted: January 11 2004 at 3:48pm

Sorry for editing after you read it. I just thought that it was sounding too argumentative yesterday so this morning I edited it.

Since it was Jake that asked the question, I'd like to know some of his thoughts about this.



Edited by Mark Peterson]]> Sun, 11 Jan 2004 15:48:36 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14837&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14837 <![CDATA[Nitrogen bubbles : Mark, you could be right, actually...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14809&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14809 Author: jfinch
Subject: 1656
Posted: January 11 2004 at 12:00pm

Mark, you could be right, actually you probably are right (hey, there's always a first time for everything ).  I think the question and calculations were just to show relatively speaking how much N2 is produced.  Whether it was a boiling froth of N2 or a bubble here and a bubble there.  I thought it was an interesting question that I hadn't really thought about before (or I would have already done the calculation).

edit:  oops you've edited your post.  Now I'm agreeing with a question rather then your proposition.  I agree that much of the N2 produced might just dissolve in the water and enter back into the air when it reaches the surface/overflow/sump/ or somewhere like that. 



Edited by jfinch]]> Sun, 11 Jan 2004 12:00:44 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14809&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14809 <![CDATA[Nitrogen bubbles : Thanks Jon. ]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14768&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14768 Author: Jake Pehrson
Subject: 1656
Posted: January 11 2004 at 2:24am

Thanks Jon.]]> Sun, 11 Jan 2004 02:24:05 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14768&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14768 <![CDATA[Nitrogen bubbles : Thanks Jon. That is interesting.Since...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14738&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14738 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 1656
Posted: January 10 2004 at 8:11pm

Thanks Jon. That is interesting. Since you called it "assumptions" you evidently don't think that all the N2 gas is forming as bubbles that rise up from the sand. What are your thoughts about where it is all coming from and going?

I'm sure thankful for the edit button



Edited by Mark Peterson]]> Sat, 10 Jan 2004 20:11:46 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14738&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14738 <![CDATA[Nitrogen bubbles : Someone asked an interesting question...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14704&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14704 Author: jfinch
Subject: 1656
Posted: January 10 2004 at 12:58pm

Someone asked an interesting question last night regarding how much denitrification is occuring in a tank vs. how much nutrient (nitrogen) uptake is occuring from algae and/or coral.  Denitrification results in NO3 converting to N2 gas, which should bubble away into the atmosphere. 

A lot of assumptions:

  • Generation of 1 ppm of nitrate (NO3) per day.
  • All nitrogen generated, exits tank via bubbles.
  • Denitrification follows this reaction:

Organic + 124 NO3 + 124 H+  --->  122 CO2 + 70 N2 + 208 H2O

  • Nitrogen follows ideal gas law
  • Bubble size = 1 mm diameter

Using those assumptions you get:

8.5 bubbles per gallon per hr

So for a 100 gallon tank, you could expect to see about 14 bubbles per minute from your sandbed if that is where all the denitrification is occuring.

]]> Sat, 10 Jan 2004 12:58:59 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1656&PID=14704&title=nitrogen-bubbles#14704