microbubbles Still!! AHHH!!!

[Gma]

I've just recently changed from a 125g undrilled tank to a 125g drilled tank. I have a 20inch surface skimmer to a "bean's" silent, failsafe overflow. This flows down into a sump where the water is sucked up into a 2" pipe that takes it to a Reeflo dart. I have a 1 1/4 " return pipe that goes up 3 1/2 feet, tees and then drops down to a 1" crossbar. This further drops down to four 3/4" returns. I have microbubbles coming from all four returns. The sump pipe is completely submerged and has no visible bubbles near it. I have checked all my connections and even used electrical tape to ensure no air entry. I have plugged the sump pipe, closed the return valve and turned off my pump to see if anything leaked and it all stayed dry. I currently have the flow at ~1/4 to 1/3 open and the bubbles aren't too bad, but Where Are They Coming From??? If there's no air going in, how is there air coming OUT?? HELP! this is making me...
CRAZY(er)

 

[jbomar3771]

with mine it was coming from where it drains down to the sump. put filter socks on the drain pipes and that solved the problem, no more micro bubbles.

 

[Gma]

Thanks, but I already have filter socks. That's not it.

 

[clownaround2]

I had so many micro bubbles coming in. Drove me crazy, too. Exspecially at night. Just got a Mega Flow Sump Filter/ blue bubble diffusing sponge from drsfoster&smith and that $3.50 thing did the trick.

 

[Gma]

bump

 

[Typlus5]

Do you have any threaded PVC connections? If so did you use teflon tape? I've switched to using only the PVC rated joint compond and stopped my issues with bubbles...on my pool and aquarium.

 

[vanillagorila]

its probably just left over air in the lines, I'd give it a couple of weeks to work all the way out.

 

[dahenley]

I hate teflon tape! i would use liquid teflon. it works way better. it seals up all the small things that tape wont. if there arnt any bubbles through the sump going in to the intake, but here are bubbles going into the display then there is a leak on the suction side. (i had this same problem, but it was because i glued my 90 on the threaded fitting before so i couldnt tighten it up all the way.) take a picture of your set up and i am sure we can fix you up. (i am 90% sure it is in one of the connections between the pump and sump.)

 

[dahenley]

oh, and the bubbles arnt that bad when the ball valve is shut because it isnt sucking the volume that i would be wide open.

hope you get it fixed. (dart pumps are great!)

and you might want to make sure you didnt overtighten and break your housing. shut off your pump for about a hour and look for a drip. it might not drip if there is a hole or if it is sucking air through the teflon, but i will leak or drip if you have a broke housing