My 500G Osama Reef-2
- Thread starter Osama
- Start date
SPotter
Active member
great video Osama. I can see the bubbles coming out but not sure if its from your skimmer. What are you using for a return pump? Where does your skimmer drain empty in the sump? Is it near the outlet of the sump?
On my last tank I had a lot micro bubble problems for a few months and couldn't figure it out. I checked fittings for air leaks, thought something is stuck in the line causing interference and then I finally slowed down the flow that was going thru the sump. Once I did that there were no more bubbles. So I would check the fittings for small leaks that are sucking in or try slowing down the flow that is going thru your sump. I could be wrong but I don't think the skimmer is your issue.
On my last tank I had a lot micro bubble problems for a few months and couldn't figure it out. I checked fittings for air leaks, thought something is stuck in the line causing interference and then I finally slowed down the flow that was going thru the sump. Once I did that there were no more bubbles. So I would check the fittings for small leaks that are sucking in or try slowing down the flow that is going thru your sump. I could be wrong but I don't think the skimmer is your issue.
Osama
New member
I thank you and I and the wife think also that it is a great start. I had fish in there that I rushed in and they died of I think Ich so now I have three fish I have in a QT and will be exposing them to the DT water for 2 weeks making sure they will be OK then I will move them one at a time into the Frag tank then the DT as they are impossible to catch in the DT. they have been in 30% DT water for few days now.
Osama
New member
We have four DC10500 pumps Two for DT third for skimmer and fourth for frag sump kalk and reactors. The skimmer is in the closet and drains into a return pipe that drains into the back section of the sump. All flow from the returns drain into the back section of the sump.
Our installer just placed a valve to the outlet from the skimmer to do exactly (I think) what you are saying about slowing down the flow from the skimmer. Bubbles in the back section of the sump appear to be mainly from the skimmer drain. Matt is really trying to tackle this bubble thing. He placed the valve and maybe he will close it even more ( Hopefully the skimmer function will not be impaired) and also put a large container in the sump under the skimmer drain so bubbles have to move up that container & flow out into the back section of the sump. not sure if what I am stating is clear. Bubbles are a real distraction in an otherwise a beautiful tank... All the equipment needs fine tuning and that will be done soon as well!! Bubbles are really frustrating me for now..
SPotter
Active member
is the outlet of the sump where water is returned to the tank in the same area of the drains or on the other side of the sump? If you are running two dc10500's at full blast you are pumping over 5500 gph thru your sump which is over 10x turnover. How big is your sump?
EDIT.....I just went back to the beginning of your thread and if I understand correctly your sump is one of the 60g tanks. IMO thats too small for the amount of flow you have going thru it. I could be wrong but I definitely think that the bubbles are coming from the high flow rate you have going thru the sump and not from your skimmer. There are varying debates over what is an appropriate turnover rate thru a sump and most seem to agree on 3-5x per hour. So, if your return pumps are on full power I would talk to the installer about turning them back a notch and see what happens. Worst thing that could happen is I am wrong and you still have bubbles.
EDIT.....I just went back to the beginning of your thread and if I understand correctly your sump is one of the 60g tanks. IMO thats too small for the amount of flow you have going thru it. I could be wrong but I definitely think that the bubbles are coming from the high flow rate you have going thru the sump and not from your skimmer. There are varying debates over what is an appropriate turnover rate thru a sump and most seem to agree on 3-5x per hour. So, if your return pumps are on full power I would talk to the installer about turning them back a notch and see what happens. Worst thing that could happen is I am wrong and you still have bubbles.
Last edited:
Osama
New member
Thanks Steve Thanks a lot...
First you are correct all drains come to the same area in the back section of the sump
Second I also think that the sump design is faulty in that the sump is smaller than it should & could have been BUT I am not qualified to judge that. Relied on my trusted installer and he may have goofed and now he is trying to solve this issue and we hope he succeeds
Now we troubleshoot the problem.
Skimmer is running on its own DC pump at the lowest rate possible ( Steve do u know what that is?).
Tomorrow I will take a picture of the flow as it shows where most of the bubbles are coming from into the sump
I can close the skimmer outlet further and see if that helps
then reduce flow from each of the two main pumps taking care not to overflow the small sump by cutting back too much on the flow/return from the sump. Will see how it goes in the am and thanks.
From my perspective to be confirmed by pictures tomorrow I also think that the issue is mostly from the skimmer and I do not know how much flow does the skimmer need to function effectively. Is it getting too much flow now???
First you are correct all drains come to the same area in the back section of the sump
Second I also think that the sump design is faulty in that the sump is smaller than it should & could have been BUT I am not qualified to judge that. Relied on my trusted installer and he may have goofed and now he is trying to solve this issue and we hope he succeeds
Now we troubleshoot the problem.
Skimmer is running on its own DC pump at the lowest rate possible ( Steve do u know what that is?).
Tomorrow I will take a picture of the flow as it shows where most of the bubbles are coming from into the sump
I can close the skimmer outlet further and see if that helps
then reduce flow from each of the two main pumps taking care not to overflow the small sump by cutting back too much on the flow/return from the sump. Will see how it goes in the am and thanks.
From my perspective to be confirmed by pictures tomorrow I also think that the issue is mostly from the skimmer and I do not know how much flow does the skimmer need to function effectively. Is it getting too much flow now???
SPotter
Active member
There's an easy way to test this....turn the skimmer off all together....if the bubbles go away then you know for sure the skimmer is the problem and if the bubbles are still there then you know it's not the skimmer. Sorry I don't know what the flow is for the DC pump on the lowest setting. Like I said though I don't think this has anything to do with the skimmer pump. I think this is all about your return pumps.
dave.m
Active member
The sump is too small. 60 gallons for 500 gallons? Seriously?
There are a couple of things you can do to reduce micro-bubbles if it is the skimmer return: add a couple of 90° elbows to the return pipe, install a filter sock where the skimmer returns to the sump, add baffles to the sump to trap bubbles before the return pumps section (these suggestions made blindly as I can't really see your set-up).
Dave.M
There are a couple of things you can do to reduce micro-bubbles if it is the skimmer return: add a couple of 90° elbows to the return pipe, install a filter sock where the skimmer returns to the sump, add baffles to the sump to trap bubbles before the return pumps section (these suggestions made blindly as I can't really see your set-up).
Dave.M
Osama
New member
Sump configuration
Sump configuration
Sump configuration Sump is small for my large system but configuration is looks great.
Few asked about my sump configuration. I have produced this video to show the bubbles around the skimmer return and it is a good video for those interested in the plumbing of my sump, as well. Hope you find it helpful and thanks for watching
In the front are the four supply lines from the four DC 10500 Diablo pumps.
The two risers at the end one goes to the right side front and the other to the left side back on the top of the tank. The middle two one supplies the skimmer and the other supplies the frag tank, the fuge tank, the two small reactors and the CR.
Between the risers and the down/returns is a partition glass that forces flow from the back to flow to the right and left segments of the sump and flow back into the front. so water travels down then R/L under the end segments then over a short piece of glass overflow into the pumps compartments
Sump configuration
Sump configuration Sump is small for my large system but configuration is looks great.
Few asked about my sump configuration. I have produced this video to show the bubbles around the skimmer return and it is a good video for those interested in the plumbing of my sump, as well. Hope you find it helpful and thanks for watching
In the front are the four supply lines from the four DC 10500 Diablo pumps.
The two risers at the end one goes to the right side front and the other to the left side back on the top of the tank. The middle two one supplies the skimmer and the other supplies the frag tank, the fuge tank, the two small reactors and the CR.
Between the risers and the down/returns is a partition glass that forces flow from the back to flow to the right and left segments of the sump and flow back into the front. so water travels down then R/L under the end segments then over a short piece of glass overflow into the pumps compartments
dave.m
Active member
I would stick a filter sock on the skimmer return (get rid of that wide pipe - it does nothing). If that fixes your micro-bubbles then you know it is the skimmer return that is creating the bubbles. The sock is a cheap and easy solution. Pull the top of the sock right up out of the water.
Dave.M
Dave.M
Osama
New member
Thanks Dave & Steve..
Steve: I will be shutting off the skimmer to determine if it is or is not the culprit. Unfortunately a lot of the piping is kind of inaccessible after the wooden framing has been installed. Which piping would be the culprit the return or the supply?? AND
Dave: Matt had put a sock for a week on the skimmer and it did not do the trick either, which in my mind reinforces Steve's point.
I still will shut off the skimmer and check that route. Although I believe that Matt (Installer) did shut off the skimmer for one reason or another... I will report back here after I test with skimmer off. Thanks for the thoughts
Steve: I will be shutting off the skimmer to determine if it is or is not the culprit. Unfortunately a lot of the piping is kind of inaccessible after the wooden framing has been installed. Which piping would be the culprit the return or the supply?? AND
Dave: Matt had put a sock for a week on the skimmer and it did not do the trick either, which in my mind reinforces Steve's point.
I still will shut off the skimmer and check that route. Although I believe that Matt (Installer) did shut off the skimmer for one reason or another... I will report back here after I test with skimmer off. Thanks for the thoughts
Osama
New member
Bubbles Bubbles Go Away!!
Bubbles Bubbles Go Away!!
Turned off the skimmer for three hours. Had a very significant reduction in the bubbles (not totally eliminated, say 65% reduction). We'll see what Matt does Tuesday. He has been trying to fix the bubbles issue and I would like him to check all the joints as well as the skimmer...... Stay tuned.
Bubbles Bubbles Go Away!!
Turned off the skimmer for three hours. Had a very significant reduction in the bubbles (not totally eliminated, say 65% reduction). We'll see what Matt does Tuesday. He has been trying to fix the bubbles issue and I would like him to check all the joints as well as the skimmer...... Stay tuned.
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