Electrolysis for Aeration of water?

[hansvonlieven]

Sorry Jerry,

I did not see this part. I don't know much about raising fish.

It's a fairly easy thing to try though. All you need are two pieces of stainless steel mesh. A couple of stainless tea strainers will do, connect them to a battery charger or a car battery and you are there.

Good luck with your experiments.

Hans von Lieven

[jsd453]

And Farah,

Yes, I agree.  It is VERY neat.

Jerry

[Farrah Day]

Sorry Hans, looks like it is a kind of mini electrolyser

I hadn't realised it was battery operated until I read a testimonial about it. I thought it was a lump of something reacting with the water. However, you can get catalysts that produce various gases from water, so it was not a stupid assumption on my part. They don't solve the fuel crisis though as you obviously need to keep acquiring and adding the catalyst which eventually becomes inactive as all the active components become exhausted. Take for example adding calcium to water - you get hydrogen rapidly given off... remember it from the chemistry lab at school?

Just had a good look at this, there are a couple of versions of it. Both are just small self-contained units. They say don't use in saltwater, which is obviously because you would get no oxygen given off, but chlorine instead.  Nothing however is said about the hydrogen??

While H2 is not toxic to the fish, surely there is a potential risk of explosion in confined spaces.  Take this scenario.  It is used in an aquarium at home. Overnight the hydrogen builds up in the hood cover. The following morning the electronic starter fires up the flourescent light tube in the hood and... Poof... bye bye fishes!

 

[hansvonlieven]

G'day Farrah,

This is not as dangerous as it sounds. With the hydrogen generated at the top it has little chance of forming H2 O2 ,which is highly explosive, as much of the oxygen gets absorbed by the water.

Hydrogen is lighter than air and disperses rapidly if it is vented and the quantities produced are not enough to pose a serious risk.

In a larger installation one would simply install a small pilot flame at the hydrogen vent that would burn the gas off as it was produced preventing a build up.

Hans von Lieven

[Farrah Day]

Hans,

the hydrogen will be forming H2 as it leaves the electrodes with the O2, and only a small amount of O2 will actually get absorbed by the water. The electrodes are closely spaced in the unit just like our wfcs. This thing is just a mini version of our wfcs.

Anyway, looking at it I don't think its designed for in-house aquariums. And, as you say, would not pose much of a danger in the open with air currents. I sure wouldn't want one in my home. 

Sooner or later though, someone will use one in a confined space where the hydrogen can't disperse, rising up to sit in a pocket causing an explosion when they light their cigar!