BAD BUBBLE PROBLEMS (not the skimmer) w/pics

mrinelfrlz

mrinelfrlz

Member
ok im starting this thread for my brother inlaw since hes not signed up here YET!
anyways i finally talked him into getting a real light so he went with 560 watt metal halide outer orbit he did have a 260 watt power compacts
but the tanks corral was looking bad so he went with this but now im wondering if he has to strong of light because he has lots of micro bubbles!
i went over a few hrs ago to see for my self and took pics and before i went i had him unplug his skimmer and still bubbles then he checked his canister for any bad seals exc...
nothing all good
so my question is this anyone think its his new light giving the bubble problem or is it something else?
he called the LFS but you know them well im not sure (of course!) so i thought i would try to help him out and ask people who actually might have some real ideas of whats going on and how to possibly fix it

ps. he will have this link so (ALL) encourage him to sign up here you all have been a real help to me thats for sure!

here are the pics




 
keri

keri

Active Member
Are the bubbles trapped in something? (slime?) like a cyano outbreak? when did he put on the new lights?
oh, and to the owner of the tank: JOIN US lol
 
apos

apos

Member
Any obvious source of new bubbles? Could be that the new light is causing tons of respiration in something, and then the gases are getting trapped in algae.
(Side note: seems like all PetSmarts have this sort of bubble problem in epidemic proportions (yuck). I just stopped in one today looking for sand for a remote deep sand bed, and they even had a tiny tang with obvious ich all over it. Why would you show that off to customers!!!! I'd never buy livestock from there with a gun to my head.)
 
keri

keri

Active Member
Originally Posted by Apos
http:///forum/post/2454778
Any obvious source of new bubbles? Could be that the new light is causing tons of respiration in something, and then the gases are getting trapped in algae.
(Side note: seems like all PetSmarts have this sort of bubble problem in epidemic proportions (yuck). I just stopped in one today looking for sand for a remote deep sand bed, and they even had a tiny tang with obvious ich all over it. Why would you show that off to customers!!!! I'd never buy livestock from there with a gun to my head.)

no, no no! That's not a tang with ich! it's a "spotted tang" and it's $10 more!!
 
rtspeed

rtspeed

Member
this is going to sound crazy but only run one of the lights for next few day and cycle between them, if this gets rid of the problem, then the lights are to close to the water making the gasses heat up and expand which in turn causes these bubbles.
 
mrinelfrlz

mrinelfrlz

Member
Originally Posted by b bauer
http:///forum/post/2454772
how did you check the canister for leaks.imo its the filter sucking in air.
we checked all the seals went over the entire system tubes exc...
still nothing
also when he 1st got the light he left it on for all day till i caught on to what he was going
i forgot to warn him to break it in slow OOPS MY BAD!
 
mrinelfrlz

mrinelfrlz

Member
Originally Posted by rtspeed
http:///forum/post/2454787
this is going to sound crazy but only run one of the lights for next few day and cycle between them, if this gets rid of the problem, then the lights are to close to the water making the gasses heat up and expand which in turn causes these bubbles.
he cant only run 1 halide @ a time but maybe run them just a few hrs instead of more possibly?
 
mrinelfrlz

mrinelfrlz

Member
bubbles seem to die down after the halides are off too
or maybe cant see them as easy just with the actinics on?
 
keri

keri

Active Member
Originally Posted by MrineLfRlz
http:///forum/post/2454795
he cant only run 1 halide @ a time but maybe rubn them just a few hrs unstead of more possibly?

Meaning that the bulbs are on the same ballast? just unscrew one of the bulbs :)
 
apos

apos

Member
Most people do not run their halides very long. Some say that they only need to be on for two to four hours at most every day, depending on what you have stocked.
 
mrinelfrlz

mrinelfrlz

Member
Originally Posted by Apos
http:///forum/post/2454848
Most people do not run their halides very long. Some say that they only need to be on for two to four hours at most every day, depending on what you have stocked.
i have to say i leave mine on @ least 7 hrs daily and my tank is overgrowing (it wont slow down
)
proof

 
apos

apos

Member
Looks like you have two return lines with PVC in there: is that plumbed so that it alternates somehow? I've been thinking of replacing my returns for better flow (tank is undrilled like yours), but if I go through the effort of doingt his, I'd definately want some sort of alternating system. Do you have that splitter thing or what?
 
mrinelfrlz

mrinelfrlz

Member
Originally Posted by Apos
http:///forum/post/2455480
Looks like you have two return lines with PVC in there: is that plumbed so that it alternates somehow? I've been thinking of replacing my returns for better flow (tank is undrilled like yours), but if I go through the effort of doingt his, I'd definately want some sort of alternating system. Do you have that splitter thing or what?
i got a 55 gal basement sump/fug
return comes through floor then splits

 
steven1

steven1

New Member
this is my tank that has the problem with the bubbles. i would like to thank you for your help. its going slow but they are going away
 
apos

apos

Member
So you don't have any wave/alternation action then?
I'm still trying to figure out a cheap DIY solution for such a system. Though that 35$ splitter wavemaker gadget that does it automatically may just be the best bet.
 
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