Surface scum in Sump/fuge area

[ifirefight]

I installed my sump/fuge a few weeks ago. https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=284483 I seem to be getting some film on top of the water down there. Im sure its due to not havining a lot of surface aggitation....BUT if I do that,I will have micro bubbles. The tube from the overflow is about 1 inch below the surface with a filter sock on it..same thing for the skimmer return. The return pump is outside the set-up and draws the water from a low point. The only area the surface gets broke is the bubble trap area. Any suggestions on how to fix the problem without creating micro bubbles?? Thanks.

 

[krazy302]

I have a small powerhead in my sump that i point up to give it surface aggitation.. That might help..

 

[digitydash]

You could try running some carbon to see if this will remove it.

 

[frankthetank]

I don't have my sump up and running yet, but by this weekend I will. I do plan on using a maxi jet 400 in the fuge to add a little flow.
You could do the same thing.

 

[ifirefight]

I guess I will put some tiny power heads in to create some surface movement. I just have not seen another post/similar problem...relating to this. I would have thought somebody would have mentioned it...and said " be sure to included this feature "... in one of the DIY sump threads. Thanks

 

[al mc]

Easiest way has been mentioned with a small powerhead, but a more expensive solution to increase water motion is a bigger return pump as you will be moving much more water through the system. When I put a bigger return pump on my sumps at work and home it eliminated the need for the powerheads to aggitate the water that I was using before.

 

[mmm33732]

as mentioned before, you could use a powerhead. however, you would need one per chamber where there is no agitation. you might try using a powerhead attached to a hose or pvc that went over each chamber and had a hole or outlet in it so it sprayed water onto the surface of each chamber that needed agitation...

 

[frankthetank]

Originally Posted by mmm33732
as mentioned before, you could use a powerhead. however, you would need one per chamber where there is no agitation. you might try using a powerhead attached to a hose or pvc that went over each chamber and had a hole or outlet in it so it sprayed water onto the surface of each chamber that needed agitation...
Now there is a DIY project.

 

[reed haubert]

Do you have a protien skimmer? You might be feeding your fish to much food. The same problem happened to me and put i put a protein skimmer on and pointed a pump at the surface and the scu line was gone in about 4 days.

 

[hurt]

Could you post a recent pic of your sump/fuge with the scum? Is it in all chambers or just one?

 

[ifirefight]

Originally Posted by Al Mc
but a more expensive solution to increase water motion is a bigger return pump as you will be moving much more water through the system.
Not sure I can actually run a bigger return pump. I am running a Little Giant 4-MDQX-SC that pumps out 1325 GPH.... So I dont think the pump is the problem.

 

[wattsupdoc]

Can you put a prefilter in between the baffles before the fuge? Maybe a sponge cut down and slid in between them? That would help.
What about lowering the water level so that the water leaving the fuge slightly drops into the baffles. This will cause the scum to be skimmed off as the water drops. I have the same problem in my DT, and i just let the water drop slightly into the OF. Scums skimmed away almost immediatly.

 

[mmm33732]

Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
Can you put a prefilter in between the baffles before the fuge? Maybe a sponge cut down and slid in between them? That would help.
What about lowering the water level so that the water leaving the fuge slightly drops into the baffles. This will cause the scum to be skimmed off as the water drops. I have the same problem in my DT, and i just let the water drop slightly into the OF. Scums skimmed away almost immediatly.
even if there is a drop, that will only cause agitation up to the next baffle that extends above the water level. so in that diagram, it would only cause agitation for the 1 inch or so of water. that very last chamber would still get nasty. i know this because my sump is EXACTLY the same (minus the sponge) as that diagram and i get it above my return pumps once and a while because of that last bubble baffle.

 

[wattsupdoc]

Your right, but the scum is not blocking the light in the fuge. Because it is being skimmed out into the return compartment. It can be easily removed from the return compartment by taking a paper towel and laying it on top of the water then removing it. Or syphoning it out when doing water changes. Surface scum in the return chamber will also get redistrubted via the return pump and then skimmed/filtered out. The prefilter to the fuge collects it also. Mine works this way except the sponge is in the baffles before the return compartment. Which may be a better solution, but the water level then fluctuates in the fuge as the filter plugs up. Prefilter before the fuge and the fuge will not fluctuate, some stuff will be removed before it enters it and result in less scum in the fuge. But the first set of baffles will fluctuate then, and with less allowable volume, may need cleaning more frequently.
Why run an additional pump when its not needed?

 

[ifirefight]

Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
Can you put a prefilter in between the baffles before the fuge? Maybe a sponge cut down and slid in between them? That would help.
What about lowering the water level so that the water leaving the fuge slightly drops into the baffles. This will cause the scum to be skimmed off as the water drops. I have the same problem in my DT, and i just let the water drop slightly into the OF. Scums skimmed away almost immediatly.
Guys..If you look at this picture you can see my design.. It is not your "normal" design..I had to do it this way due to size limitations. As you can see.. the water drops into the area the skimmer is in ( far right)...BUT instead of your regular OVER,UNDER,OVER .. I have a 3/4 inch gap about 7 inches off the bottom..kind of like a mail slot. Then the water goes into the fuge area, then it goes OVER,UNDER and into the return area. The design works great...no micro bubbles etc...only a little scum. If you look at the pic you will see the only place the water breaks the surface is when it goes OVER the one baffle.Right by the thermometer.

 

[mmm33732]

i'm telling you bro, try the powerhead with an output over each scummy chamber...

 

[ifirefight]

Originally Posted by mmm33732
i'm telling you bro, try the powerhead with an output over each scummy chamber...
I agree with you MMM that your sugestion will work......Im just trying to keep any more heat/higher electrical bills... out of the system.

 

[wattsupdoc]

Try lowering the water in the return compartment. It'll divert the scum to there. Then you can remove it from there. Put a sponge in between those baffles.

 

[ifirefight]

Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
Try lowering the water in the return compartment. It'll divert the scum to there. Then you can remove it from there. Put a sponge in between those baffles.
I dont think a sponge will help..I have a filter sock on the pipe coming from the overflow...it does catch alot of junk....... I understand the concept behind that....lower the level = more flow....but I wonder if it will pull SURFACE scum from the far right hand side ( the part the skimmer is in). Since the right side has the water movement 8 inches BELOW the surface. Like I said ...my design is not the "norm". BTW...I DO NOT have alot of scum....just more than I used to in my wet/dry set-up

 

[wattsupdoc]

Its not a more flow thing. Its a gravity thing. The lower water level holds the scum in there. It cant move uphill. With the water level in the fuge being only enough for the water to run over the top of the baffle it skims whatever is floating on top, wich will be moved to the lower water level. it will collect there because it cant flow uphill. The flow is the same. Its just that your skimming the surface. Just for laughs try the lower water you can take a little out, then put it back if you dont see at least some improvement in the refugium. It's really that simple. Then a paper towel will remove it.
The filter socks not catching enough.