Friggin microbubbles

Capt_Cully

New member
I'm using a filter sock. No bubbles in return chamber of sump. Billions in display creating a hazy appearance to water. Especially with the 3 foot depth front to back. Compounded by halides.

Its the plumbing right?

Any tips on narrowing it down to the trouble spot?
 
i'd rule out cavitation of the return line first. maybe something funky in the locline or too close to the surface. if not, you look to see where air is sneaking in .
 
I had a ton of them when I built my new sump. I didn't notice any bubbles in my return either. I found that my skimmer's output was full of tiny bubbles.
 
I'm thinkin its the loc-line. Lots of salt creep already. Salt out, air in, I'm thinkin'.

I think I have the same problem here with my loc-line. I'm assuming it's the loc-line because of the salt creep. I imagine that anywhere air is getting in water would be getting out and leaving a trace of salt creep. The loc-line is the only place that I notice any creep. I was hoping that the salt creep would eventually seal the air leaks but it's taking longer than I was hoping. If you find a way to seal the loc-line let me know b/c the micro bubbles are a PITA.
 
Put some plummers tape where the loc line threads into pipe! If not its probaly skimmer if its not sealed properly!
 
double sock the drain into the sump, sock the skimmer. if that doesn't do it it is likely one of the joints in the plumbing or the locline [assuming you are not cavitating the return pump]. Plumbing will not necessarily leak. if you have a small hole the water passing through creates a venturi which pulls in air.

Do you have an external pump? if so it could be the threads going into the impeller (use the pink tape, not the white).

those are the most common ones I can think of.

enjoy :)
 
Put ROX carbon in a bag in the sump and overnight the water looks amazing. Microbubbles have decreased after messing with the loc-line, but they're still present.
 
Nope. Micro bubbles are all gone :ape:

The solution was never posted in the thread you linked. Was it socking the skimmer, reducing flow rate or something else that eliminated them?

Put ROX carbon in a bag in the sump and overnight the water looks amazing. Microbubbles have decreased after messing with the loc-line, but they're still present.

I get very slow drips from my loc-line. Is yours dripping or is the salt creep the only evidence of potential air infiltration in the line?
 
I had some micro bubbles when I first plumbed. I watched the intake chamber to my return pump and about once a minute a bubble could make it down to the intake of my return pump. That bubble chopped up was enough to give me some serious micro bubbles.
 
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