Herbies silent overflow
- Thread starter derick75
- Start date
crumbletop
New member
The funny thing is, I remember asking where the light diffuser stuff was and described it, and the fellow at home depot had no idea what I was talking about. Then I said "it looks kind of like eggcrate" and he said "Oh, eggcrate" and pointed me to the isle. In fact it was called eggcrate on the label and price tag that marked the spot. Maybe it varries by region.
Also, in the home depot here it wasn't in the lighting section at all. It was in the section with the false ceiling tiles.
Jack
Also, in the home depot here it wasn't in the lighting section at all. It was in the section with the false ceiling tiles.
Jack
derick75
New member
hey jack still getting microbubbles with this setup not as many as before but still there, you dont have any at all?? i received a message from a gentleman here telling me it is imposible to remove all microbubbles from the tank.. again i tell you when i leave on the seio's and the maxii 1200 microbubble everywhere
Your main drain should contribute no bubbles to the sump. Your emergency drain (with its trickle of water) will contribute a small amount of medium bubbles that should quickly dissipate in a sump.
Are you seeing a lot more bubbles being produced by your overflow drain than that?
jayo
Are you seeing a lot more bubbles being produced by your overflow drain than that?
jayo
derick75
New member
no, i can only see microbubbles coming from my 2 seio's and my 2 maxii jets, i can not visualy see microbubbles coming from the return line. not to say they are not coming out i just cant see them . Herbies method has helped the microbubble problem some but not completly. Nor can i see any microbubbles in the sump go figure i will be fighting this problem for ever
Scrap that overflow setup for a bit lower than normal in the overflow chamber durso and put some baffles in your sump... the bubbles will always end up in your sump, you just need enough baffles to kill them before they get to the return pump.
Unless your MJ or seio are sucking air tornado style from the surface (obvious) there is zero chance they are the source of your micro bubbles.
Unless your MJ or seio are sucking air tornado style from the surface (obvious) there is zero chance they are the source of your micro bubbles.
Mike.B
New member
No this overflow method is the best.
Heres pictures of mine for you to get a good idea.
Emergency on the right, main on left.
Look where water level is, right below emergency drain. The top off line runs into the emergency.
The water level is about where the vortech cord is.
The ball valve tanks a lot of time, very hard to fine tune, it took me about half hour to set the level in the overflow.
Heres pictures of mine for you to get a good idea.
Emergency on the right, main on left.
Look where water level is, right below emergency drain. The top off line runs into the emergency.
The water level is about where the vortech cord is.
The ball valve tanks a lot of time, very hard to fine tune, it took me about half hour to set the level in the overflow.
subzero - how long has your overflow maintained that water level? When I tried to tune my overflow level below my drain I found that the level was not stable and over time (a few days) would creep up or down.
derick - if you turn off the powerheads for a while, do the microbubbles go away? Would they then return if the powerheads were turned back on? How long have you let the system just run to see if the bubble issue works itself out?
jayo
derick - if you turn off the powerheads for a while, do the microbubbles go away? Would they then return if the powerheads were turned back on? How long have you let the system just run to see if the bubble issue works itself out?
jayo
crumbletop
New member
I don't have a single microbubble -- but I use a low flow return pump and have my skimmer output run through all the same baffles as the drain does.
Jack
crumbletop
New member
The really odd part about your microbubbles is that you seem to get them if the sump isn't on at all (i.e. you get bubbles from your powerheads in the display).
Jack
Jack
derick75
New member
I have shut off the mag7 for 15 hours with the current setup and just let the powerheads run..to see if the bubbles would reside they did not, I know powerheads do not produce microbubbles unless they vortex but mine are.. all powerheads are under water at least 5 inches i cant explain the reason for this.. I am going to make another video showing my current setup , it may be difficult to see the microbubbles ...give me an hour
derick75
New member
i made a quick video like i said it is is very difficult to see the micobubbles with my camera at the end of the video you might be able to see the seio shooting out bubbles. My maxii jets were off at the time so only 2 seio runing.
I am fighting hair algae as you will see, some of my snails look like trees...but thats another story.
quick video
I am fighting hair algae as you will see, some of my snails look like trees...but thats another story.
quick video
crumbletop
New member
You know, you're not supposed to use seltzer water for your topoff 
Well your fish seem happy in there. Where does your UV line empty out? I think I remember you saying your UV pump is the one on the left side of the sump and the return is on the right.
Jack
Well your fish seem happy in there. Where does your UV line empty out? I think I remember you saying your UV pump is the one on the left side of the sump and the return is on the right.
Jack
Mike.B
New member
Also, if water is evaporated, it will affect the level in overflow. With this system it helps to have an auto topoff. The sump level has direct impact on overflow level.
Ive had no problem maintaining that level in my ovberflow for a month easy. Then I tinkered with my system and had to reset it. With ball valve its a ***** adjusting it an inch, so I would suggest getting a $10 gate valve.
Ive had no problem maintaining that level in my ovberflow for a month easy. Then I tinkered with my system and had to reset it. With ball valve its a ***** adjusting it an inch, so I would suggest getting a $10 gate valve.
That's cool that you were able to get it so stable. I guess I didn't have enough patience to get the setting perfect (I was using a ball valve so control was difficult). I just set it so that I had a trickle through my emergency drain (maybe 20g/hour) - this was still silent and had some play for sump level changes (I had a float switch topoff that allowed a bit less than an inch of level change in my sump).
jayo
jayo
