BANG GUY-Need your help
- Thread starter teresaq
- Start date
fbm
Active Member
What I did to elimnate my problem was a get micro mesh bag and put over my pump intake and that seemed to filter out the micro bubbles from my skimmer. It has been running for about 3 weeks now and I don't have any buildup on the bag. But I am running a mechanical filter then there is a bubble sponge before the water goes through the bag.
turningtim
Active Member
Where are the bubbles coming from?
turningtim
Active Member
On the drain side of the sump do you have baffles in place for a bubble trap before the water goes to the return pump? How big is the sump and how much flow is going through it? Do you have a fuge?
teresaq
Active Member
55 gal tank with three sections and two baffels on each side. baffels are about 1 1/2 to 2 inch apart. from left to right skimmer section -about 10 inches, then bffls the return pump section about 9 inches the bffls, the remander of tank fuge. running a mag 1800 return pump.
tank has duel returns. drain from tank into first section and fuge section. the fuge is then split to the middle section.
tank has duel returns. drain from tank into first section and fuge section. the fuge is then split to the middle section.
turningtim
Active Member
OK cool center pump design! So the drain water is coming in and causeing bubbles that are making there way through the baffles? something like this? Can you direct some flow from the sump to the fuge? What size is the main tank.
turningtim
Active Member
Any chance you have a pic? I'm a bit confused. Is this a new set up?
moorea2
Member
Hey, I dont want to hijack here but I was just about to post the same question.
Hopefully my setup is close to TeresaQ's and my diagram could help both of us!
Mine has been setup for about 8 mo's now and I've been fighting bubbles since day one.
If I keep up on my top off's and fill the return chamber to the very top of the baffles then the bubbles aren't so bad, but as soon as the return chamber gets even a little low, bubbles become a problem!
Hopefully my setup is close to TeresaQ's and my diagram could help both of us!
Mine has been setup for about 8 mo's now and I've been fighting bubbles since day one.
If I keep up on my top off's and fill the return chamber to the very top of the baffles then the bubbles aren't so bad, but as soon as the return chamber gets even a little low, bubbles become a problem!
turningtim
Active Member
In my estimation. The problem lies in the baffles. Most of your flow should be coming in on the skimmer side and reduced flow should be coming in on the fuge side. The way this is set, the bubbles from the drain and skimmer are just being carried over the top of the baffle and being returned to the tank. A second baffle 2" off the bottom would help trap them in the skimmer chamber.
Also the second baffle on the fuge should not be nessasary b/c of the reduced flow to the fuge. The other issue is that there is a dead spot between these to that will catch yuck.
The other thing that I know first hand is that you can out run your sump. Meaning if there is to much flow and the sump is to small no amount of baffles will keep the bubbles from the return. I have to throddle down my return b/c of this. Sump is just to small for the flow.......
The other thing I've played with is the length of pipe on the drains and how far down in the water they go. I remember at some point squidd had a way of doing this I just can't remember.......
HTH
JMO
Tim
Also the second baffle on the fuge should not be nessasary b/c of the reduced flow to the fuge. The other issue is that there is a dead spot between these to that will catch yuck.
The other thing that I know first hand is that you can out run your sump. Meaning if there is to much flow and the sump is to small no amount of baffles will keep the bubbles from the return. I have to throddle down my return b/c of this. Sump is just to small for the flow.......
The other thing I've played with is the length of pipe on the drains and how far down in the water they go. I remember at some point squidd had a way of doing this I just can't remember.......
HTH
JMO
Tim
lubeck
Active Member
I feel your pain. i had a long hard struggle with bubbles after building my sump/fuge..
turning tim is on the right track... i had squidd help me build/move/design my sump when i moved filtration down to my basement...
first you will have bubbles because of a new system... IME i had them for 2 almost 3 months solid. i was ready to throw it out the window...
about the drains going into your sump/fuge... they should only be submerged 1-1/2" into the water... also you should drill a hole just above the water line from your drain lines going into the fuge/sump.. this will help release pressure and will minimize the bubbles..these two adjustments will help out tremedously..
the next thing is your return pump... i run a mag18 on my sump too. i have a 110gal with a 75gal fuge/sump. however, i run my mag18 up 14ft before it gets to the DT. you may have to adjust it but i think its right since you have two return lines..
i would give it time and make the two adjustments and see what happens. it may take some time though. no matter what... it will take time. especially if its new glass or equipment.
Did you make the sump/fuge?
turning tim is on the right track... i had squidd help me build/move/design my sump when i moved filtration down to my basement...
first you will have bubbles because of a new system... IME i had them for 2 almost 3 months solid. i was ready to throw it out the window...
about the drains going into your sump/fuge... they should only be submerged 1-1/2" into the water... also you should drill a hole just above the water line from your drain lines going into the fuge/sump.. this will help release pressure and will minimize the bubbles..these two adjustments will help out tremedously..
the next thing is your return pump... i run a mag18 on my sump too. i have a 110gal with a 75gal fuge/sump. however, i run my mag18 up 14ft before it gets to the DT. you may have to adjust it but i think its right since you have two return lines..
i would give it time and make the two adjustments and see what happens. it may take some time though. no matter what... it will take time. especially if its new glass or equipment.
Did you make the sump/fuge?
moorea2
Member
I have tried it all!! Some of the things we have tried have helped a little but nothing has solved the problem.
The system has been up and running for 8 mo's now! Squidd assisted me in design of my sump fuge and closed loop from start to finish
Gotta love squidd!!!!
I tried putting the holes just above the the water line but water was actually spraying out of the holes. It wasn't like a water fall coming out, but if I had left it like that for any amount of time there would have been a puddle on the floor eventually.
We placed valves on the end of the pipes going into both skimmer and fuge chamber and we have increased/decreased the flow in every possible combination to these two chambers.
We pulled out the pipes in the overflow and replaced them with a home made stockman standpipe. This was the biggest help but still bubbles! Now the problem is everynow again the hole system goes out of whack and bubbles shoot everywhere until it is readjusted. And I do not know what throws it out of whack!
I used to have it setup so that the pipes were not going down so deep into the sump but we did a bunch of playing around with it and found that the bubbles are a little less with the pipe low in the tank.
Also the second baffle on the fuge should not be nessasary b/c of the reduced flow to the fuge. The other issue is that there is a dead spot between these to that will catch yuck.
I actually have been using this "dead spot" I have a little carbon bag in there and a filter sock. It has been 8 mo's and there is nothing collecting in there, at least nothing that can be seen by the
[hr]
eye.
The other thing that I know first hand is that you can out run your sump. Meaning if there is to much flow and the sump is to small no amount of baffles will keep the bubbles from the return. I have to throddle down my return b/c of this. Sump is just to small for the flow.......
Is mine to small it is a 75 gallon sump/fuge for a 120 gallon display????
Some possible solutions I have picked up from this thread:
1. If I added the second baffle, I am assuming it would be on the skimmer side of the existing baffle, not the pump side. Two problems here, I do not know if there is room (does it have to be 2" away from the existing baffle) Second problem is there any way to ad a baffle without draining it???? I'm sure theres not, but it ant hurt to ask.
2. Adjusting the return pump. How I do this and how much of an adjustment do I need?
The system has been up and running for 8 mo's now! Squidd assisted me in design of my sump fuge and closed loop from start to finish
I tried putting the holes just above the the water line but water was actually spraying out of the holes. It wasn't like a water fall coming out, but if I had left it like that for any amount of time there would have been a puddle on the floor eventually.
We placed valves on the end of the pipes going into both skimmer and fuge chamber and we have increased/decreased the flow in every possible combination to these two chambers.
We pulled out the pipes in the overflow and replaced them with a home made stockman standpipe. This was the biggest help but still bubbles! Now the problem is everynow again the hole system goes out of whack and bubbles shoot everywhere until it is readjusted. And I do not know what throws it out of whack!
I used to have it setup so that the pipes were not going down so deep into the sump but we did a bunch of playing around with it and found that the bubbles are a little less with the pipe low in the tank.
Also the second baffle on the fuge should not be nessasary b/c of the reduced flow to the fuge. The other issue is that there is a dead spot between these to that will catch yuck.
I actually have been using this "dead spot" I have a little carbon bag in there and a filter sock. It has been 8 mo's and there is nothing collecting in there, at least nothing that can be seen by the
[hr]
eye.
The other thing that I know first hand is that you can out run your sump. Meaning if there is to much flow and the sump is to small no amount of baffles will keep the bubbles from the return. I have to throddle down my return b/c of this. Sump is just to small for the flow.......
Is mine to small it is a 75 gallon sump/fuge for a 120 gallon display????
Some possible solutions I have picked up from this thread:
1. If I added the second baffle, I am assuming it would be on the skimmer side of the existing baffle, not the pump side. Two problems here, I do not know if there is room (does it have to be 2" away from the existing baffle) Second problem is there any way to ad a baffle without draining it???? I'm sure theres not, but it ant hurt to ask.
2. Adjusting the return pump. How I do this and how much of an adjustment do I need?
moorea2
Member
Teresa, are you having any luck??? I am so with you on hating the plumbing! Everything I've added since the tank went up has been a "drop in" because I dont want to plumb anymore.
I am getting ready to add a UV sterilizer (not a drop in) and I am terrified it will just add more bubbles....
Wouldn't be nice if there was some simple product or fish you can add that ate bubbles before they got to the display!
I am getting ready to add a UV sterilizer (not a drop in) and I am terrified it will just add more bubbles....
Wouldn't be nice if there was some simple product or fish you can add that ate bubbles before they got to the display!