Microbubble Dissolved Oxygen enhancer devices

[squarepusher]

Hello. Over the past several months, I have been in working with a Microbubble Device company locally in San Diego reviewing products, and testing some of their products. I made a series of videos of some of their new products, I wanted to post here for everyone who is interested to see.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3HrsK2tFTo[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEb9QSPiT4s[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jsHNt0ljs[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpmbE71FDVw[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnU29itOpuY[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK0D098wswc[/YOUTUBE]


So, these devices look very promising at creating microbubbles and injecting oxygen into the water. There may also be some Japanese studies showing microbubbles can attach to plant roots with good results.

I am hoping to do a hands on test in a RDWC type device sometime to find which units are best for hydroponics and their effectiveness.


It is suggested that it was safe to enrich root zone DO to as high as 30 mg L-1, although the growth benefit was minor by increasing DO from ambient air saturated level (∼8.5 mg L-1) to 30 mg L-1. Higher than 30 mg L-1 could cause reduction in tomato plant growth.



Post here if you are interested or have any questions or input on the matter. Its still very young in our view, the application of microbubbles to hydroponics, RDWC may have large potential.

 

[aSilvrHaze]

im interested. was the point of the end of the last video to show that the oxygenated water cleaned the rag?

 

[Bobby Smith]

It'd be awesome if you did those videos with some audible commentary to explain exactly what's going on; I'm not the sharpest knife (admittedly) but I couldn't really figure out what the deal was - is it just a really big venturi? I'm sure it's not, but that's how it came across to me in the video.....

 

[Lost]

Great stuff, I have been interested in this since it was posted a bunch of months back. Looking forward to seeing a grow :)

 

[squarepusher]

im interested. was the point of the end of the last video to show that the oxygenated water cleaned the rag?

well, the device he had would actually supersaturate the oxygen. So, when he poured it out of the machine, it looked like normal water. However, once you agitate it a bit, the oxygen is released and it becomes cloudy with oxygen! Looked like a magic trick to me

It'd be awesome if you did those videos with some audible commentary to explain exactly what's going on; I'm not the sharpest knife (admittedly) but I couldn't really figure out what the deal was - is it just a really big venturi? I'm sure it's not, but that's how it came across to me in the video.....

The videos had commentary and description, however Riverforest asked me to remove all the audio, and also remove videos showing the demonstration. So, I removed all the audio and edited him out where I could unfortunately :( I respect their wishes however.

Hopefully, Riverforest will be releasing their own videos on youtube, they are much more professional than mine. I told them it would be good PR to release videos of their different models on Youtube (they have some inhouse videos just on their website now).

Anyways, yes a test would be nice. I am not running RDWC right now, so I may ask someone who is running DWC/RDWC to help with the test. Basically, I need to know how fast plant roots deplete the water of oxygen. So, the test would look like this:
1) Measure DO levels of RDWC normally with bubblers running
2) Turn off all bubblers, and monitor DO levels until they fall. How long did it take to deplete DO levels?
3)From a depleted system, turn on bubblers (or microbubblers) and monitor how fast the water will return to original DO levels.

A further benefit from Micro Bubbles, which is not confirmed but possible some research in Japan shows this, is that the Micro Bubbles can attach to the plant roots, thus providing a direct way for the plant get oxygen beyond simple increasing DO levels in the water. In addition, these units also "ionize" the water, which I am told is beneficial for plants, however I am not familiar and cannot comment on this.

 

[Lost]

Whats the price on these units?

 

[Bobby Smith]

Ben Derdundat has/had a similar experiment going on with units like yours and O2 monitors in the water, but he seems to have dropped off the face of the earth.

 

[squarepusher]

Whats the price on these units?

you know, I am not exactly sure, I have mainly just been viewing and going over the specs, haven't talked much about the pricing, although I did hear something around $300 for one of the models used. They look sturdy, long lasting (no holes to get clogged), and are made of PVC type material. I believe the cost to make them is actually very cheap, since it seems to be a complex design to invent, so the large cost is basically covering R&D expenses now. So, with more quantity/bulk orders I expect prices to drop dramatically. So, basically if you factor out development, the physical materials does not look very expensive.

Ben Derdundat has/had a similar experiment going on with units like yours and O2 monitors in the water, but he seems to have dropped off the face of the earth.

man, we gotta get on him. Hes already on the trail I'm sure he would be able to contribute a lot and already knows whats up. (paging Ben)

 

[PhatNuggz]

This seems like it is geared toward a DWC rig. Instead, you could put together a DIY quasi- HPA rig using a high pressure pump/atomizing mist heads, but no accumulator for ~ $300 (I have 3 grows developing this system). You would save a ton of money on nutes in the process. I'm just sayin

hth

 

[f1ydave]

Is there any update on this? I am a bit dissappointed there are no meters used in the videos...

As far as I can tell it looks like a sump pump or large submersible attached to a "spa" venturi (15+ gallons per minute flow).

 

[Budshoteyes]

I can't see the videos cause I use an iPad
Wouldn't a bait aerator for $50.00 do the same?

 

[potberryfin]

yea looks like a spa venturi to me..

 

[Budshoteyes]

Keep alive.net
Check the through hull section.....they even have oxygen injection too!