Micro bubbles from reefpack500

The bubbles will not stop. I have used coarse media and the 0870 cartridge with and without the bell. I am starting to get a little frustrated as the frequent blasts of bubbles are a distraction in my small tank. My specific gravity is 1.024 with a KH of 10. The single HQI is on for 8 hours. I don't know what else to do except take out the 3166 and go skimmer only. If strong surface agitation is all I need to prevent the film from forming I don't even really need the surface skimming of the 3166. I will just attach the IR sensor from the Osmolator to the side of my 9005 and the float sensor to the glass away from the magnet holder. I wish I would have spent the money on the 9010 hydrofoamer instead.
 
smatter.........
Did you try some of the tips I gave earlier in the thread? They worked for me.......I will tell you what worked.

FILL the 870 cartridge with media that wont clogg the slots. As I said, I have found the Seachem Matrix Carbon works VERY well because its round in shape and a med. size. FILL it and rinse it good. Install the BASE ONLY for the filter bell and install it in the 3166........without the filter bell.

Install the optical sensor for the osmolater ON TOP of the sensor mount tab(inside the 3166) and lock it in place using the wire through the 3166 notch. Its a tight fit and it wont move once you lock it in. The "cone" on the sensor will rest on top of the mount tab.The cover for the 3166 should be able to close. This will bring the water level about 1" higher INSIDE the 3166.

These changes have REALLY reduced the amount of micro-bubbles shooting out of the 3166 in my ReefPack 500.

You will see that when the media in the 870 has been "ignored" for a few weeks and starts to get clogged.........the bubbles will start to shoot out again. That just reminds me to clean out or change the Matrix carbon.

Hope this helps you out..........it worked for me, after trying a LOT of things to stop the bubbles.

Later............Herbie
BTW.........nice Avatar :thumbsup:
 
Thanks Herbie. I did read your earlier post. I will try that, it just seems odd that it does not work the way it is. I hate to have to modify stuff so that it works properly. There is a refillable cartridge that is half the size of the 870, I wonder if that would work better? Then I wouldn't have to monkey with the sensor. Plus, I only have a 37 so the 870 full would be way too much carbon.
 
Oh yea..........About the 9010 hydrofoamer.
After a lot of trial and error.........and having both a 9005 and a 9010 besides ReefPack500 helped a lot with the "experimenting".
My current running ReefPack has a 9005 from Tunze. At first I converted it to a 9010.........hydrofoamer and cup.
I eventually tried out a 9005 cup with the 9010 hydrofoamer. It works AWESOME!!! I do like to skim wet.........but now the skimmer is VERY adjustable. At the standard 3 turns out.........the skimmer now collects a really nice amount of wet-skim.......light/dark--- brown/tan/green with a LOT of particulate matter skimmed out. I can adjust for wetter, or dryer........anywere from 2 turns out to 4 out............it works GREAT. I cant go more than 5 out or take the blue screw out. It will just fill the cup with real light skim in about 1/2 day.The only down side is that it works so good, the cup needs to be dumped every few days. Not just a watered down skim.........this is getting some nasty stuff out.........trust me........it stinks!!!

Later........Herbie
 
It's going to be a while until I can upgrade since I just spent $230 on the 3166, pump, 0870, and magnet. Even if I can get the 3166 to stop spitting bubbles I might take it out, it is a bit obtrusive in my tank. That is the problem with this hobby, you never really know how things will look and work until they are in your tank and then it's too late. You spend days thinking it through, visualizing it in your tank, waiting for the UPS truck, sometimes it is perfect and sometimes it ends up in the big box of tank stuff under the stairs in the basement.
 
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