Bubbles microbubbles what is it?

stimpy4242

Member
I am tired of this, tell me from the video posted if you think I have too many bubbles in my tank?
I have baffles, sponges in those baffles, drilled holes in the lines from the main tank to allow for air to escape, i have put a T at the end of those lines...i still think I have way to much stuff floating in my tank...I want CRYSTAL CLEAR water.
What do you think?
http://depalo.com/
 

travis89

Active Member
Well, I couldn't see anything in the video but you will have some really fine particles in the water column no matter what.
 

luke01

Member
What you need. I dont know what is on your video. Dont worry i am unable to post a simple freaking picture. I have a 75 g with crystall clear water and it did not start out like that. What i have. Wet and dry filter with carbon bag change it once a month. Large filter bag on top of balls. mag 5 pump. aragonite 30 pounds. 60 pounds live rock. And the most important thing is a minimum of 4x65 watts of light. 1 day off a week and algea eaters. snails and tangs and lawnmower blenny. Now i can read a newspaper from end to end thru the tank. Any more questions ask. It did take me forever to get it clear. And absolutly no bubble makers.
 

thanson

New Member
I resolved my microbubble problem by doing two things. First, I added baffles to my sump - which you indicate you have already done. This did not eliminate the bubbles for me either. I next added a 20g refugium which feeds into my original sump. This nearly doubled my total "sump" volume and increased the flowtime for the water through the refugium+sump allowing sufficient time for microbubbles to be removed by the baffles. Don't know if my engineering analysis is accurate, but once I put the refugium into service the microbubbles immediately disappeared. Now tank is crystal clear.
I would recommend increasing your sump volume if it is small relative to your pump flowrate.
 

stimpy4242

Member
Everything is fixed, check out my previous posts about my tank. I have a 55 gal sump fuge with the return in the center plenty of time for bubbles to be let out...
The real question I want to know is whether or not you think there are a lot of bubbles in the video i posted...I have cleaner crew and all the stuff the newbie luke was talking about.
 

luke01

Member
Luke is everything but a newbie but a very lazzzzzyyyyy. writer. The free time i have not woking on my reef is staring at it.
 

stimpy4242

Member
Great, now I just need to figure out what is causing it. I have large baffles, I have sponges in those baffles, I have a big sump...I have to have an air leak somewhere...I have a CL system which handles most of the flow. I just don't understand.
 

stdreb27

Active Member
I see you have bubbles, can you take pictures of your sump? Maybe tell us the flow rates. If you have to much flow, and not enough length in the sump for the bubbles to dissapate you will have micro-bubbles. I've had friends who have had alot of luck with Micron filter bags to eliminate bubbles in short sumps. But the downside is you need to wash them a couple times a week. Post some pictures of your sump, and maybe we can try to see if your bubbles are comming from that or your closed loop.
 

stimpy4242

Member

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by stimpy4242 http:///forum/post/2465864
You can view pictures of my tank here:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/243583/my-new-tank-125g-rr
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/268209/my-new-tank-125g-rr-part-ii
They show my entire setup. I am not sure how bubbles can come from my closed loop. I know it is all sealed and was pressure tested originally and it held pressures for 24 hours. Bubbles have been there since the tank started.
The only thing not show in the picture is blue foam that is in between the baffles.
I didn't read all the way through it. But I will later tonight. I really haven't played with the closed loop system. But if it isn't sucking any air. And you pressure tested it without leakage. I would rule that out.
I think what you need to do, is turn the CL system off, and see if the bubbles dissapate. Then turn on the CL and turn off the sump. And see.
So we can be sure where to look for the micro bubbles cause.
As for your sump. Personally I'm not a fan of the design. The return chamber in the middle makes it easier to regulate the flow in the refuge and the sump, but it cuts down on the distance the bubbles have to dissipate before getting returned to the display tank.
I personally would go out and buy some micron bags. Just to see how much that reduces the microbubbles in the tank. I've seen guys with 3 feet sumps and 1500 gph flow and no microbubbles using 200 micron filter socks.
In the pictures, I also noticed. Water falling from one of the baffles down to the water level. If there is now foam inbetween, that should be addressed.
My final question is, what happens when the power goes out. It look like the sump is running rather high. And the backsiphon may overflow your sump, when the pumps aren't running...
 

stimpy4242

Member
Where would i put the micron bags in the sump? What would i put in the micron bags? Also the sump is designed with still about 2 inches from the top when power turns off...not a newbie. The skimmer chamber is quite low compared to the fuge side. I am not really willing to change my sump setup unless it is the only possible way. I am williing to try these micron bags though.
 

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by stimpy4242
http:///forum/post/2465940
Where would i put the micron bags in the sump? What would i put in the micron bags? Also the sump is designed with still about 2 inches from the top when power turns off...not a newbie. The skimmer chamber is quite low compared to the fuge side. I am not really willing to change my sump setup unless it is the only possible way. I am williing to try these micron bags though.
Ok, just making sure. The people I've seen had them on the inputs to the sump.
 

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by stimpy4242
http:///forum/post/2465940
Where would i put the micron bags in the sump? What would i put in the micron bags? Also the sump is designed with still about 2 inches from the top when power turns off...not a newbie. The skimmer chamber is quite low compared to the fuge side. I am not really willing to change my sump setup unless it is the only possible way. I am williing to try these micron bags though.
Ok, just making sure. The people I've seen had them on the inputs to the sump.
 

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by stimpy4242
http:///forum/post/2465940
Where would i put the micron bags in the sump? What would i put in the micron bags? Also the sump is designed with still about 2 inches from the top when power turns off...not a newbie. The skimmer chamber is quite low compared to the fuge side. I am not really willing to change my sump setup unless it is the only possible way. I am williing to try these micron bags though.
Ok, just making sure. The people I've seen had them on the inputs to the sump.
 

stimpy4242

Member
So the just put the bag over the sump input lines? Is that supposed to just capture all the air bubbles and what they finally release somewhere?
 
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