Need some help....bubble problem started last night.

[benf]

Little info 1st on setup....200gal Acrylic tank with 5ft overflow with 3 2" durso's draining into a 3" pipe into a 35gal sump (soon to be replaced with 47gal sump), my return pump is a Sequence Hammerhead with 2" inlet and outlet with a three way into 2 1.5" returns and the third line splits again into my chiller and refuge. I have ball valves on everything to control my flow. Tank has been up for just over a week now and last night i started getting bubble blast every couple of mins in the tank. At first i thought it was low water in the sump, but even though i have more in there i still get the bubble blast in the tank. I should mention that on the inlet side of the pump inside the sump i have placed a small pipe with a 45 degree angle facing toward the bottom of the sump, thinking it would be less likely for the pump to suck air if the water lever drops from evaporation.

So, any ideas what to ck? where the air is being sucked in from.

all drains and returns feed into filter bags..i have 2 of them! I havent changed anything, so why now after a week?

 

[NICERICAN4YOU25]

HEY BEN

I HAD THE SAME PROB ON MY 600GAL I FOUND THE PROB, MINES WAS A UNION ON THE PUMP WHERE THE PIPE COMES IN TO THE PUMP HAS A SMALL LEAK BUT SINCE THE PUMP IS PULLING THE WATER THERE BE NO WATER LEAK JUST PULLING AIR. CK ALL UR UNIONS.

HOPE IT HELPED

CARLOS

 

[Warnberg]

benf, sounds to me like the pump is sucking air somewhere. I know it's a pain in the a$$ put your going to have to really look, I had the same issue a couple of times, first one of the return lines (between the sump and the pump) wasn't quite tight enough and every once in a while it would draw a little air, another time I found my skimmer would dump tiny little air bubbles back into my sump which would make it to the display.
Just keep looking you'll find it. You say that you thought it was low water in sump, did you happen to measure and mark the water level in the sump (pump running) when you didn't have the problem? Another question is how are you topping off now? The water level may still be low, I had that happen too, water gets low in sump, the pump was powerful enough to draw a little air. I put 90's on mine and have an auto top off system now.

Good Luck

 

[guntercb]

Ben,

Have you always had the bubbles or did they just start? Did the bubbles get better or worse when you put on the 45 degree angle toward the bottom of the sump? Are all ball valves going into and out of the pump fully open?

When I pick up your/my mag flake, maybe I can help you out.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[benf]

Problem just started last night....i do have 5 unions (1 on the sump input side) and the rest are on the output side. Maybe the sudden drop in temp last night did something to one of them. 3 of the unions are outside .... my chiller and refuge are outside.

Thanks for the heads up on this nightmare...will ck those when i get home and report back...

Ben

 

[BillyFSU]

Hey Ben,

That hammerhead pulls alot of water and might be creating a vortex at the intake that comes quick enough to draw air into your return and then disappear again. My maxi mod was doing it for awhile. If its possible I'd change the 45 degree intake to a 90.

Might not have had the problem earlier because the pump wasn't fully broken in. Good luck.

 

[mflamb]

I would try tightening all your unions. I have had a tough time with those in the past.

 

[DaddyJax]

I was thinking something similar to Billy.


BTW Billy, is that avatar a pic of a research subject? If not he should be!! GO GATORS!!

 

[benf]

well, just got home and ckd the unions 1st and the 1st 4 were tight, but the one on the inlet side of the pump could use a turn and so far so good, if it happens now, i will go ahead and replace the 45 degree with the 90.

thanks for the help, the bubbles were ******* me off

 

[BillyFSU]

Yep its a research project actually funded by the university of florida for what qualities a good coach should have...

 

[DaddyJax]

What qualities is that, dementia? C'mon, even the most diehard fan knows he should retire and take Joe Paterno with him. Mickey Andrews has been the heart and sould of that team since he got there.

 

[BillyFSU]

Ya it might be dementia I bet he has a hard time remembering how many wins he has. For all I care he can stay on forever as a recruiting figurehead, although Micky is definitely the man! I'm so happy we have a new offensive coordinator but enough rambling we'll have to talk about this at the meeting. I think we're OT unless you're having a bubble problem from that guiness in your avatar?