Micro Bubbles- HELP!!!

[BC Sparky]

I can't seem to stop micro bubbles from getting into my display. I'm getting very frustrated! I have a bubble trap but it does not seem to force the bubbles out of suspension in the water column.

 

[BC Sparky]

Anyone????

 

[46FiatYamaha]

a major cause of micro bubbles is from possibly a pinhole leak in the plumbing sowewhere letting air in the lines. Another common problem that I have myself is to have too much flow through the sump. Ideally, 3-5x flow in the sump will slow it down enough to allow the bubbles to dissipate before getting pumped back in the display. Filter pads, socks, etc... work to a degree as well, but it's something that needs frequent cleaning to avoid rising nitrates

 

[ibjhb]

Can you slow the pump down and see if that helps any? Then you would know if you have too high of a flow rate.

 

[BC Sparky]

I will try to throttle back my returns today to see if that helps.

I have a Dart as a return pump.

 

[Lambianz]

either have a elbow down on your bulkhead inside your sump, if you have a external pump. With a elbow down or a pc of pvc about 3 to 4 inches long with a cap on the end an a slot cut out on the 3 to 4 inch pc of pvc pointing down, connected to your bullhead, will eliminate the micro bubble process. To if there any restrictions in your plumbing, maybe like Teflon tap, will cause the same thing. If your confused about the layout on the pc of pvc connected to the bulkhead on the inside of your sump, just put a elbow down. Or pm me and I can show you the layout. The layout I have with the pc of pvc connected to the bulkhead, I can crank the flow up as high as the drain will hold.

 

[BC Sparky]

I have a 2" elbow pointed down on the far side of the sump

 

[Lambianz]

and thats the elbow on the bulkhead going out to the return pump to the main display?

 

[BC Sparky]

Yup. 90 down about 1/2" from the bottom of the sump through the bulkhead, through a 2" ball valve and to the return pump


If I turn my skimmer off and have put a filter bag on my returns the bubbles stop. So I don't think it's a plumbing issue. I'll work on the flow in the sump AND getting the skimmer to stop puking out bubbles.

I would like to get away from using a filter bag on my return so that PODS would not get trapped but right now I'll try to eliminate one problem at a time.

 

[Lambianz]

well I pm.d you to try to make this a faster reply. That will only band aid the problem, as soon as the sock is dirty the bubbles will return.
What have you done lately different? Trace your steps back and you find the problems. Any debris caught in lines will cause obstruction and create micro bubble. remove the socks with the skimmer off and see if bubbles are still there. Then add a sock at a time to see what line changes.

 

[blennymower]

I had massive headaches with micro bubbles. There are only two causes. Bubbles from some source (water falling or skimmer) making it into a pump and being chopped up, or air being sucked in somewhere in the pipes.

I currently have that problem with water falling in the last section of my sump which has the return pump. I had to do two things, either keep the water level constant (so no water falls) or add bio balls which helps block bubbles from falling too deep and making it into the pump, which really helped. I'm just going to buy an ATO so I can take the bio balls out.

 

[BC Sparky]

My water falls into the skimmer section of my sump and this does cause bubbles- not sure how you would stop that as a drain has to "drain" right? and yes my skimmer needs to be tuned- I'm currently trying to work out the problem with it.

I just can't figure out why my bubble trap does not force the bubbles out. Both "bubble makers" are in the same section separated from the return section by the bubble trap.