Microbubble problem getting old.....

[rigdon87]

Originally Posted by The_Bandit
http:///forum/post/3161544
Well I already drilled holes in side the cap but I did what you suggested. I put the tubing inside it pretty far. Not sure if it did the trick but Ill wait and see.
You only need the airline tubing in the cap like 1/2 inch if that.just make sure the tubing in the overflow isn't submerged.

like this.The blue line(im assuming) is the water level in the overflow.

 

[the_bandit]

Well the water level inside the overflow box is as high as the blue line but inside the PVC piece its only passing through. Its never full with water. The black arrow shows how hgih the water level inside the PVC is.

 

[sir mixxalot]

using all those spunges and a sock your going to have some MASSIVE detrus build up all in those areas if they are not cleaned often,.... keep an eye on nitrates

 

[the_bandit]

Well, I gave it a night and after shortening the straw to about 2'', it didnt work.
I don't know what else to do. I tried putting a pretty thick sock on that I made and all that did was slow my water flow down to were after 20min my return pump ran dry.
........

 

[rigdon87]

hey bandit,i just now noticed this but i think you have your fuge backwards.in the first chamber there is three baffles, that is usually where the return pump goes and the overflow chamber really only needs one.here a picture of my 40gsump/fuge.

water flows right to left

 

[the_bandit]

I didnt notice but that's really not a concern for me now. I dont have a skimmer for the tank. DOnt really need one. Just need to get these GD bubbles outta the tank.

 

[rigdon87]

Originally Posted by The_Bandit
http:///forum/post/3161815
Just need to get these GD bubbles outta the tank.

see here if the bubbles do travel down that baffle they will disperese towards the botom near the retun inlet.if you had a third baffle(like the other side) they would form at the top and woudln't be sucked down

 

[posiden]

The water level in your black pipe isn't going to be any higher then it is. The T fitting just below the cap establishes a wier. I think that is just fine the way it is.
Have you tried removing the sponges? If they aren't catching thses bubbles, then they aren't helping you any. I would get them out of there.
Have you tried increasing the water level in the sump, in order to get the return pump fittings all the way under water? If there isn't a hose clamp on there, any off pressure is going to cause that tubing to sit funny. With the water being pushed up to the display, it could cause it to suck in air.
You mentioned using silicone for your pipe fittings. I have never done this but I have seen others do it. I myself see the idea as asking for troubles. You have no way of knowing "if" it/they are sealed.
The style of drain you are running will always have air in it. That is what makes them quiet, or more quiet. The tube idea, is so that you can tune the drain to make it more quiet.
Your OF. Is it a built in or a HOB? If built in, do your drains go through the bottom of the tank or out the back? If built in and out of the bottom, how far does the water go over the falls to get to the drain? What I mean is how much space is there from the top of the OF to the water level in the OF?

 

[the_bandit]

I have kept some of the sponges in because they help to a certain extent. Once I figure out the problem or at least subdue it, I will remove most of them.
I have raised the water level very high, clost to the point of overflowing. I cleaned the return pump yesterday and retightened the clamps on it. Tomorrow I will go through and tighten all clamps.
I did use silicon after I used clamps. I just did it around the fittings. I didnt use silicon by itself.
I guess I will take a quiet tank but if I can I would like to do as much as possible to fix this problem.
My OF is built in. The drains go through the bottom. The water level is about 2'' from the OF teeth.
I hope you have an answer. I also am trying different thickness socks to see which holds bubbles the best and doesn't restrict the flow.
Ugh......

 

[posiden]

I wish I had an answer for you. I am just trying to work out the issue with ideas that haven't been posted yet.
Do you have a hole in your return line to prevent back siphon? I am wondering this, and thinking if there is a hole it is either out of the water or to colse to the surface. Perhaps, some Loc-line that is exposed to the air?
I am stuck on your fittings. Or the other thing it might be, is the ball valves them selves. Some how it is sucking in air. Again, I am leaning toward the return valve but don't rule out the drain. There is just more volicity on the return side. Maybe volicity is the wrong word, but there is no air in there. Not supposed to be anyways.
How about a shot of the display? Maybe some one will see something??

 

[the_bandit]

Im not sure. Im pretty sure I dont have a hole to prevent back siphon. Im not good at all the different things Sumps can do or what I should do. Sump was already built when I bought it. This is my first overflow/sump. First pic is of the intake pipe without a sock or anything to prevent bubbles, with the ball valve open all the way.

 

[the_bandit]

Here is the rest.

 

[ifirefight]

I dont see any bubbles in that pic where the RETURN pump is. Lets see a better pic. The only way you can have bubbles where your return pump is if that water is CRASHING down...and that doesnt look to be happening. Water will over flow that last baffel and your bubbles should only go down and inch or two...its not possible for them to go down 10 inches unless that thing is like a waterfall...it should be gently flowing over the baffels...and it looks like it is. I would double check fittings...you have to be sucking air in from a line. Post a pic of just the section where the RETURN PUMP is please.

 

[posiden]

Ok, I am wondering about all of the return line on the display side. I would check you adaptor where you go from the slip fitting to the threaded side for the loc line. I am interested in the slip side of that one. I also wonder about the loc line itself, wether or not any one of thos nuckles is sucking in air.
Do you see the bubbles comming out of the return line nozzels themselves?

 

[the_bandit]

ifirefight.
The return pump baffles on have crashing water when the water level gets lower. I have placed some sponges there to help with that. The return pump area doesnt have microbubbles. Its got to be somewhere between the overflow and intake to the sump.
Posiden.
I dont see microbubbles coming from the return line nozzles but there is almost a cloudy substance coming from it. I have made a couple different thickness socks to see which holds bubbles the best. As long as I can keep minimal bubbles in the sump via the sock, I think I'll be fine.

 

[ifirefight]

Bandit, are you concerened with the micro bubbles in the AQUARIUM or in the SUMP? The more I read this,the more it seems like you are talking about the bubbles in your sump.

 

[renogaw]

i agree...there should be no issues with bubles in your sump, and no matter what you do, unless you do a reverse durso stand pipe, you're going to get bubbles into that first chamber.
here's some issues i see:
1) those household sponges have antibacterial agents built into them and may cause havoc with your tank
2) your last baffle is way too high, which will cause a water fall effect creating bubbles in the return chamber. that's probably where your bubbles in the sump are coming from.
what size sump do you have (if not answered already) and what size pump is that. it seems awfully big, so it may be moving the water too fast through the sump, and not letting the micro bubbles pop through the sump.

 

[renogaw]

my sump/fuge, and the only time i get micro bubbles is if the water level gets down to the pump:

 

[the_bandit]

ifirefight.
Im not concerned about the bubbles. They are just a pain in ***. The bubbles are in the sump and DT. They are coming from inside the intake tube. They then travel into the sump and make way back to the DT. I really dont mind if they are in the sump as long as they can be removed.
renogaw.
I guess I have the reverse durso stand pipe. I didnt make the overflow, sump, or anything in between. I bought it as it was.
The sponges aren't the issue. Ever since a reassembled it, it had bubbles flowing through the intake pipe. Air bubbles and microbubbles. I didnt see how it looked before and cant contact the previous owner.
If I could completely redo the sump I would. But financially that is not possible and I dont want to make the problem worse.
The sump is a 20g long and the pump is a Mag 9.5 I do have problems with the overflow not being able to keep up with the pump.
This has turned out to be one big headache. Its really making me dislike sumps and all this plumbing but if I would have built it, it wouldn't have these problems. Thank you everyone for sticking around and helping out. I understand this is a big mindboggle.

 

[posiden]

Ok, T off the return line so you can put water back into the sump as well as put water in the display. This will allow you to get less flow to the display, making it better for you drain. It will also slow down the flow through the sump allowing the air bubbles to disapate. It will be better for the pump as well, since it wont be choked down.
I hope that makes some sense.
You will have the ball valve on the line going back into the sump. Basically you will be recirculating water in your sump since you don't need it all in the display. I mentioned this idea since it will cost you just a few dollars to do. You can either choose to leave it be, or buy a smaller pump later on.