Microbubble help!

[boltzfan]

Ok, so this is driving me nuts. I set up a new 150g reef a few weeks ago. I have two sumps, 1 is a 30g, the other is a 25g. I have two drains in each corner of the tank going down into one sump on the left and one on the right. The sump on the left has no baffles, except for one where the water drains in, and serves as a fuge in the main section, the sump on the right has my equipment in it, with a baffle off of the return area and another before the pump sucks the water out. I have a 1hp pool pump pulling water from each sump and returning it to two bulkhead returns in the back of the main tank. I have unplugged the skimmer and the bubbles seem to increase? I tried putting a foam sponge in front of the pipe entry from the sump to the return pump with no luck. What could be the culprit? Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks.

BTW I heard microbubbles can be damaging to aquatic life, is this true?

 

[Dee12Dee12]

I added filter socks and all my bubbles went away. What's the flow rate on your return pumps. Too much flow in your sump may not give micro bubbles enough time to pop.

 

[boltzfan]

I have filter socks on both drain entries already. Flow rate is pretty large, but even if I throttle it back, via valves, the bubbles remain.

 

[Dee12Dee12]

I have filter socks on both drain entries already. Flow rate is pretty large, but even if I throttle it back, via valves, the bubbles remain.

I wouldn't know what to do then...that's as far as my experience with that topic expands

 

[sirreal63]

It sounds like you have more flow than you need through the sump. As far as microbubbles being harmful to aquatic life, think of it this way, every wave that crests and falls introduces microbubbles into the ocean. I have never seen microbubbles cause any tragedies or issues, other than being unsightly. They occur in nature just as they can in your tank.

The high flow through the sump is preventing the bubbles from dissipating. It is also possible the bubbles are being introduced through the plumbing on the return, think venturi effect, one small pinhole leak can draw air through it.

 

[disc1]

Check the siphon breaks at the top of your return pipes. If they are above the water line they will produce a steady stream of microbubbles. Try to get them just far enough below the water line to prevent them sucking water.