Sump producing micro-bubbles

[mattruggiero]

I need some advice...

So I'm in the process of putting together my first tank. I've taken suggestions from this forum and implemented them into the design of my sump. All is well except that I'm having micro-bubble issues. Water crashes down from both baffles (refugium & bubble trap) into the return section.

The refugium wall is tall. Due to the height... the water crashed down into the return sending bubbles straight to my tank. I can limit this by turning down the amount of water going into the fuge... but then I get water crashing from the opposite side. I can't be the only person experiencing this issue! Please help!!!!

Here are a couple of pics of the design and "final" product. Please excuse the water droplets.

<iframe class="imgur-album" width="100%" height="550" frameborder="0" src="//imgur.com/a/8MAIL/embed"></iframe>

 

[homer1475]

The first set of baffles should be an under over under into the return, or just an over under. That way the bubbles have a chance to get to the top and pop instead of water crashing down into the return chamber creating bubbles. The bubbles run under the moddle baffle, float to the top of your last baffle and are carried into the return instead of popping. If that makes sense at all?

Fuge section I don't think would be an issue as the flow through there shouldn't be enough to cause it to crash and make bubbles.

I'm no expert of course, just what I think is wrong from researching for my own sump.

 

[mattruggiero]

The first set of baffles should be an under over under into the return, or just an over under. That way the bubbles have a chance to get to the top and pop instead of water crashing down into the return chamber creating bubbles. The bubbles run under the moddle baffle, float to the top of your last baffle and are carried into the return instead of popping. If that makes sense at all?

Fuge section I don't think would be an issue as the flow through there shouldn't be enough to cause it to crash and make bubbles.

I'm no expert of course, just what I think is wrong from researching for my own sump.

Why didn't I think about that?? That makes a lot of sense. Why have a bubble trap just for the water to go back over another baffle. I guess I figured that the water level needed to be different from the return and protein skimmer section... but it doesn't make sense. And the fuge.. yea I can tone it down to make no bubbles. I was having a headache trying to figure out what I did wrong. Homer... you rock!!! :thumbsup:

 

[ThisGuy12]

The silicone smell got to you, don't feel to bad it happens to the best of us haha!

The baffles should solve your problem, you could also put some thinner floss material into the bubble trap to breakup bubbles and slow the water from crashing down, but this is a bandaid and will need to be maintained free of debris.

 

[homer1475]

When building my sump, I did the exact same thing. When I posted pics before I started using it, that was something someone brought to my attention. Mine is just 2 baffles now, as an over under and I have no microbubbles from my skimmer in the DT.

 

[mattruggiero]

The silicone smell got to you, don't feel to bad it happens to the best of us haha!

The baffles should solve your problem, you could also put some thinner floss material into the bubble trap to breakup bubbles and slow the water from crashing down, but this is a bandaid and will need to be maintained free of debris.

Must have! The smell from that stuff is strong!

What's thinner floss? Never heard of it.