My skimmer is sending micro-bubbles to my tank! PLEASE HELP!!

[AngeloM3]

Anyone use the Jebo PS75 skimmer???
Cause I got one and I'm having problems.....
50gal tank, 10gal sump, jebo ps75 skimmer

I've had this skimmer running about 2 weeks now and for 2 weeks straight now its sending micro-bubbles in my tank
The skimmer is about 1' tall and has a needlewheel pump that does 396gph (that came with skimmer). Whats happening is that the entire skimmer is filled with the micro-bubbles, so the return tube (that goes all the way to bottom) is sucking up all those micro bubbles. There is no "non-micro-bubble" water at the bottom. The pump has an attachment on it to add air lines. I only have 1 air line hooked up to pump. And I have plenty of mechanical filtration, but the bubbles go right through this.
I replaced the tubingââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦ the tube between the pump and skimmer is 3 /4ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ Eheim and the tube from the exit valve going to the sump is 3 /4ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ Eheim.
Please see pics below!! Please help!!

This is the only thing holding me up from adding livestock. Please let me know of your suggestions and/or advice.

Sump & Skimmer
Skimmer
Bottom of Skimmer
Notice the constant stream of micro-bubbles

 

[crumbletop]

Hmm. I'd loose the bioballs. Your 60 lbs of LR should be plenty, but I digress.

I'm not familiar with that skimmer, but a general method for getting rid of microbubbles is to run the ouput of the skimmer (or the drain to the sump) through baffles in the sump that make the water travel a cicuitus route to the return pump. The baffles get the bubbles close to the surface and allow them to escape the water before it gets sent back to the display tank. What I'd probably do with your sump is set up 3 baffles - one low, one high, and one low with the last baffle letting water run over it down to the return pump. Then I'd route the output from the sump to before the first baffle.

Here is a link to a sump that has baffles like I am describing. There is lots of info on sumps there too.

http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/a/sump_model_a.html

Jack

 

[crumbletop]

Oh, and one other thing. Your water in the return part of the sump looks like it is barely covering the return pump. You can get air into the return line if the water isn't deep enough. You might start off by adding some water to the sump and seeing if this helps your situation. Be careful to make sure you still have enough room in the sump to accomodate tank water should the pump/power fail...


Jack

 

[AngeloM3]

Yah that was just before I topp-ed off my water. Your saying I dont need bioballs if I have LR??!!

I've never head of that

 

[crumbletop]

Bio balls don't have the beneficial bacteria that process the nitrate to nitrogen gas, so they can cause a build up of nitrate in the system. This is fine for fish only (as long as you do water changes), but you don't want any nitrates in the system if you are going to be keeping corals.

The LR has the same beneficial bacteria that process Ammonia to Nitrite, and then Nitite to Nitrate, and also contains extra stuff deep in the rock (anaerobic bacteria) that process the nitrate to nitrogen gas that then diffuses out of the tank.

If you keep the bioballs, you'll be generating excess nitrates, which aren't good for corals, and it is also redundant with the LR.

Hope that helps.

Jack