Bubbles

[RevJDA]

I added a new mh light to my 75 gal tank a week ago (Orbit 2-10,000K mh, 2-95W actinic). Now I am noticing small, clear bubbles on some of my stony corals and rock. Do you think this is from the added illumination? Is it harmful to the corals? I have used a turkey baster to remove it.

[charlie]

I myself have never heard of lites causing bubbles, I hope someone will correct me if I am wrong.

[mungus728]

I had the same thing when I changed from pc to mh on my 75. I didn't have a lot of them on the corals and rock but I did have a ton of them in the substrate. It cleared itself up in a few weeks.

Brian

[reggiepe]

I just had this happen yesterday in a Nano tank. I moved from about 27 watts of power compact lighting to 96 watts. The little bubbles can be visibly seen coming from the sand.

[Reefland]

I don't know that the lights would have anything to do with bubbles attaching to the corals.

[reggiepe]

The bubbles that are coming from the sand get washed around and then attach themselves to everything......corals included. Each night I have to take a turkey baster and blow the bubbles off of everything. It seems odd that the higher wattage lighting caused this.

Rich

[reseter5]

perhaps the higher amount of lighting is causing some kind of algae bloom...in the substrate or on the corals/rock

[Reefland]

Typical nuisance algae will not grow on live coral tissue. The bubbles are probably just sticking to the coral tissue but you shouldn't have an increase in bubbles in the tank from an increase in lighting.

[reggiepe]

Does the light cause the breakdown of nitrates to happen quicker? possibly these are nitrogen bubbles. I did not see these microbubble until I increased my lighting. It wasn't the lighting that allowed me to see them either. They were just non-existant before.

[Reefland]

No, lighting has no correlation to nitrate.

[Mr.Firemouth]

It has been reported that upgrading lights to MH on an established system will cause photosynthesis to take place with CO2 in the substrate. These bubble blooms are common when the light is upgraded to 3w or more per gallon. This last about 2 weeks top and is harmless. Just make sure that your nutrients are low or else you will have an algea bloom soon.

I have had this happen to me before with the bubbles. I am not sure of the actual cause.

[mad_dog01]

Just upgraded to MH's, bubbles are comming out of my sand....so i believe the lighting is doing this.

[wozza]

Yep me to, went from 117w of T8 to 150w of MH and got tiny bubbles on my sand bed and rock, not that many just a few!