Bubbles, BUBBLES!!!

[gliderjohn]

Please help. My tank has been up for almost a month and I am having a continuing problem with (you guessed it!) bubbles.
1st it was my Aquafuge2. The return was putting bubbles into the DT. I bought somesort of netting sock from Aquafuge to put over it - it is 99% better.
Then I got my Coralife Super Skimmer 65 going.... I had the initial mass bubble problem, but after 4 days it slowed down to just a ton of microbubbles.
I researched on this site, the internet, and questioned the LFS. Some suggestions were:
1. Silicone the slots in the bottom of the overflow box (haven't done that yet)
2. Remove the overflow box and replace it with some sort of foam sleeve (I can't find one online, at the LFS or anywhere).
3. LFS suggested additional filter pads in the bottom of the overflow box. That helped tremendously. No bubbles out through the slots, now just overflowing the box. Microbubbles that the PH picks up and blows through out the tank (I think I should move my PH to the other side of the tank).
Sunday I did a water change. After turning all the power back on to the tank, the skimmer began bubbling madly again but slowed down after about an hour. But still lots of micro bubbles.
I have bubbles on the glass, on the rocks, on the underside of rocks, and on all the equipment in the tank. I have algae growing over bubbles...It's driving me crazy!!
Other than hitch hikers, I don't have any fish or inverts in the tank yet. Cycling completed last Saturday (after 13 days).
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[browniebuck]

Yellow tangs love bubbles....or at least the one in Finding Nemo did

Moving the powerhead would help prevent the spread of the bubbles from side to side...aside from that, I will leave the advice to the experts!

 

[zoobileezoo]

are there any supplements or medicines you are putting in the water. I had a similar problem with my superskimmer 65 after medicating the tank with melafix.
So if you are continually adding supplements this may be causing the bubbles.

 

[gliderjohn]

No supplements or medicines of any kind. Just the saltwater.

 

[gliderjohn]

 

[usirchchris]

Hmm...by chance is the return water from your skimmer near your return pump? or if you do not have a sump is there any bubbles close to your intake? I have had both of these problems...if it is either of these let me know, and I can tell you how I fixed it.

 

[gliderjohn]

Sorry I haven't had a chance to reply earlier.
I do not have a sump, only the skimmer and a fuge. I experimented with filter pads and added one to the top of the skimmer's overflow box. I took a little adjusting, but it tremendously reduced the bubbles.
However, there were still a tremendous amount of micro-bubbles coming from some source and being blown around the tank by the PH.
We began adding a CUC today. When my wife looked at the bubbles, she noticed that they were not "bubbles" at all! Rather, they are some sort of extremely tiny creatures! They are white and no bigger than the period at the end of this sentence. (BTW, I will be making an appt. on Monday to see my optometrist!!

So, my bubble problem is pretty much under control now. Thanks for all the suggestions.
I tried to research these things on the hitch hiker thread, but didn't find the answer. I've found references to "the snow effect", tiny jellys or starfish. They are not jellys or starfish. They are just tiny critters that are crawling all over the glass and floating through out the water. And I have no idea what the snow effect is.
Does anyone have any idea what these creatures may be?

 

[wyndraven]

The tiny creatures you see are probably pods. I've had them in my tank for about 3 weeks. I noticed them first - my boyfriend still cannot see them, lol. It's gotta be a guy thing with not being able to see the little teeny bugs, hahahaha!

Needless to say - they are a very good thing and mean your tank is coming along nicely.

 

[spiderwoman]

I think we have the same problems and I've got a ton of pods in my tank as is. We've checked everything for bubbles and they are not coming in from anywhere. YAY for pods!