Hi Uncle. I'm sorry everyone is getting upset. I do indeed wish for my system to run correctly. I also don't wish to buy another pump if I don't have to.
If you refer back to the pictures I originally posted of the set up I have corrected the direction of the 90° elbow's.
What do you feel is most important that I correct? Do you feel I should glue the screw on cap at the top of the standpipe? Also do you feel that I should seal the pipe inside the overflow box?
Was there anything else that you feel I need to correct?
Personally I don't feel I should have to glue the On the standpipe for the open channel or for the emergency channel. likewise on the connections inside the overflow box for those two channels.
The main problem lies with the main siphon channel and getting the air bubbles out.
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The only immediate issue I saw, or inferred from your original post and images concerning configuration was the upturned elbow on the open channel. Beyond that, air was being entrained in the siphon. Were it not for the upturned elbow, I would have had nothing to say about the configuration; but getting air in your siphon is an implementation issue, in one way or another.
The reason that all standpipes need to be sealed (open channel a seperate case, but still should be "sealed," otherwise) is they all need to be capable of reaching "siphon mode." They cannot do that, unless they are sealed.
I do not want to see you glue the cap on the siphon, it is there so you can access the inside to clean it and/or clear a blockage. Also, using tape on threaded PVC fittings is not recommended by the manufacturers of the fittings. They say to use a non-hardening thread sealant. There is the deal with the slip fitted els; if it turns out they are not causing a problem, great; but if they are, gluing is the most certain way to eliminate the problem.
When chasing an intermittent "bubble" problem, those are things that need to be looked at. An air leak further down the drainline, would "most likely" give a steady stream of bubbles. But frankly, it won't mean a whole lot, unless the system is adjusted "properly," which brings us to the votices; and can't really do adjustment unless...
Then there is the open channel being 1". At ~50gph (estimated) it is going to start acting like a typical durso, and drive you nuts. It is going to be touchy, or not... but there is only so much you will be able to raise the water level in the box, before you have another headache. I have often recommended 1.25" pipe on the open channel, as it will give you more room to play.
A flow rate problem usually shows itself when the bulkheads are "large" (1.5") and the flow rate is "low," like 500gph on 1.5" bulkheads, (example) may not fully start for a very long time, if at all. With a flow rate issue you would see instability, and/or inability to maintain a siphon; binge and purge type of thing, rather than the intermittent output of some micro bubbles. However, closing the valve on the siphon more, in increments, would most likely solve the instability issue. Also, air can get trapped at the top of the standpipe, and release micro bubbles, similar to air trapped in the volute of a centrifugal pump. Time would *probably* take care of that, unless more air is being added at the top end.
I am all about more flow, more flow. I am a proponent of 10x++, but I don't want to see someone buy a new pump until it becomes a last resort sort of thing. If I were to recommend a new pump at this point, it would be because you are using 2 pumps to do what a single pump would do more efficiently.
I would not do anything, until you get it adjusted as close to "right" as you can. See what you have at that point. It is not going to hurt anything to close the siphon valve till the open channel starts acting up and then open it up till the open channel is not acting up, then open it a bit more, to give a wider bandwidth. You will know when it is acting up. Where ever the water level is at that point is close to where it "should" be. "Raise the water level till water just flows in the open channel." If you are still getting vortices, you can use a couple of the suggestions that Doc gave to deal with that.
