Foam on the water

[crsublette]

For clarification, the foam is in fact caused by organic matter of a specific size, 0.22 to 0.7 micrometers depending who you ask. The general term is dissolved organic carbon or dissolved organic compounds. This material is responsible for decreasing (not increasing) the surface tension which allow the foam to form. It is the size of the material that allow it to act as a surfactant (soap). It's the same as adding soap to water will decrease surface tension.

When these bits are larger they're called particulate organic carbon. As bacteria break them down more they become dissolved organic carbon and only then act as a surfactant. Break down more and they no longer act as a surfactant.

So saying the surface tension is in some way responsible for foam is kind of like saying if I hit my thumb with a hammer that the hammer is responsible for the action. It certainly would be sort of true, in a weird way, but I would consider myself to be the responsible party. Otherwise we could say lots of things causes the foam, air, water, gravity, bacteria, sun, etc. Not very useful.

Didn't have time to read the rest.

It is odd that you found my post in disagreement with you. In your speed reading, I guess you missed the part where I wrote in that post... "Actually, much of the foam is created due to various organic decaying elements that was forced to be released back into a fluid state throughout the water", which these elements are not so easy to form since they "coagulate" in a sense so to require conditions to be correct for the foaming to occur.

Thanks for the correction, that is it is due to the decrease, not increase, in the surface tension.

If folks want to learn more, then simply read it on the wikipedia Dissolve organic carbon and Foam Line entry.

If decrease in surface tension is not solely responsible, then... Why do environmental factors, such as water's salinity, impact the production of the foam?

 

[Waterbug]

I don't really speed read, it's more of a stop reading thing. I generally find being corrected by someone using incorrect info to be either amusing or irritating depending on my mood, but almost always worth a response unless it's just a troll. But my days of getting into pointless word spin, term splitting and general defending posts at any cost to logic to be pretty much behind me. To be sure there was a time when I would engage for hours. But at some point I saw it as a time sink.

 

[crsublette]

I don't really speed read, it's more of a stop reading thing. I generally find being corrected by someone using incorrect info to be either amusing or irritating depending on my mood, but almost always worth a response unless it's just a troll. But my days of getting into pointless word spin, term splitting and general defending posts at any cost to logic to be pretty much behind me. To be sure there was a time when I would engage for hours. But at some point I saw it as a time sink.

Aahh, so now I am using "word spin" and "incorrect info". My words are quite concise and clear and, even though I will never be as perfect as you, my information is well founded.

By the way, this is a nice duck, dive, and dodge you are doing here... then retreating while throwing rocks at folk who you disagree with... This seems to be your routine...

This self-righteous attitude of yours is quite unfortunate.

Just answer the question...

 

[crsublette]

So saying the surface tension is in some way responsible for foam is kind of like saying if I hit my thumb with a hammer that the hammer is responsible for the action.

Water can't have noticeably sustaining foam without a decrease in surface tension.

Yet, water can have foam without the presence of significant organic decay, such as indicated by using too much liquid pond products or there is a change in salinity or increased concentration of ammonia or pheromones or lipids or hormones/pheromones due to spawning or other chemicals or there is simply very heavy agitation.

Yes, it is possible and common to have foam without a significant increase in organic decay, except, as I stated earlier, "much of the foam is created due to various organic decaying elements."

This was the entire point of my question !!!


So saying the surface tension is responsible for foam is more like saying.... My hand hurts, not due to a hammer hitting it, rather it hurts due to my hand acting as the hammer smacking you in the head.

 

[DoDad]

Dissolved organic carbons (DOCs) are just what the term implies: organic materials that are dissolved in the water. Organic material can come from a variety of sources including plants, uneaten food and fish waste. DOCs may “show” themselves as bubbles on the surface of the water, e.g., foam on the water and/or as a yellowy tinge in the water. Elevated organics in the pond may depress the fish’s immune system which can lead to increased susceptibility to disease. Some fish parasites thrive in high DOCs. Additionally, while organic material decomposes, it consumes oxygen. This may lead to a shortage of oxygen for the fish. Some common causes of a DOCs buildup include a lack of water changes, lack of pond and plant maintenance and over stocking. Correcting these problems will help control DOCs.