Sump help

[ninjamini]

Here is my sump. As you can see I have a felx tube dumping into area 1 where I house a heater. I dought this ever goes on as I am in florida. Section 2 has live sand, live rock, 2 urchins and some cheto. It also has a 13 watt bulb. and a thermometer. Section 3 houses a return pump.
I plan to add a second pump to section 3 to feed both a protein skimmer and a UV. That is this weekends project.
I had a sock for my overflow to reduce bubbles. It helped by my nitrates have crept up and I figure that is the culprit.
What can I do to reduce the amount of bubbles coming out of this overflow? Some times it spits out white water.
O'yea those plugs will get tacked up this weekend too.

 

[daninct]

I've seen some with a foam pad between baffles of section 1 and 2 to cut out the bubbles.

 

[reefkprz]

if you added a third baffle at the red line it would slow the bubbles or cut your down tube (flex) about where the blue line is so its barely below the water level of your sump (in the pic your down line is at the very bottom practicly blowing the bubbles past your baffle) the bubbles would have to travel all the way down then back up again.
the sponge idea would work too but kep in mind it will trap detritus and have to be cleaned regularly.

 

[ninjamini]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
if you added a third baffle at the red line it would slow the bubbles or cut your down tube (flex) about where the blue line is so its barely below the water level of your sump (in the pic your down line is at the very bottom practicly blowing the bubbles past your baffle) the bubbles would have to travel all the way down then back up again.
the sponge idea would work too but kep in mind it will trap detritus and have to be cleaned regularly.

A third baffle humm that means taking it out of commission for a day or two. I thought about the sponge but I don't want the maintenance.
Anyone know If I hooded up PVC plumbing to the system if that would work better? How about clear tubing instead of the flex stuff. I kinda need to replace the flex stuff so that I can include the flex tube in the wet dry when I sell it.

 

[reefkprz]

you dont have o take it out of commision just make the baffle out of lexan, cut it a little bit too wide and flex it into place, the pressure will hold it in place, it doesnt really need to be sealed as long as you make a nice clean cut it will be good enough. you could also tip the third baffel like the yellow line indicates and it would make it even harder for bubbles to get out.