Pump blows bubbles?

[glarior]

Working on the 120g with two sicce syncra 5s. Both keep blowing bubbles into the tank as if the sump was low. The water is 6-8" above the pumps and I Dont see any air bubbles in the sump going to the pumps. I just cleaned one pump but still has bubbles... I'm stumped. Any ideas why it is doing this?

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[350gt]

how close is your skimmer?

2 siccce 5's? thats a lot of flow...

[JerryD120]

You may have a bad connection in your plumbing. Just enough to draw in air. May want to double check all the connections. I have experienced this too.


Jerry


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[Sherita]

How about a pic of your sump setup? That would help us a lot.

[profntbtr]

yeah, a picture is worth 1000 words, but the skimmer question is valid, as is the tiny leak possibility.

[CoryDude]

You may have a bad connection in your plumbing. Just enough to draw in air. May want to double check all the connections. I have experienced this too.


Jerry


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Easiest way to see if its your skimmer is to turn it off for about 30 mins and see if there are fewer bubbles. 9/10 it's always a loose clamp or connection on the plumbing on output side of your pumps.

[glarior]

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[glarior]

Ignore the 90 on the one pump... was trying to see if adding different pvc would help vs the stock setup.


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[Sherita]

It looks like your skimmer is in the same section as your return pump? If so, there is your problem. The skimmer needs to be in its' own separate section, with a bubble trap between it and the return pump.

Also, those bioballs are eventually going to cause you a problem with nitrates. They gather up detritus, then the fight to control nitrates begins.

[glarior]

Skimmer been unplugged for 30+ min and no change.

Bio balls are suppose to create nitrates. They break down nh3 to no2 to no3. Nitrates have to be converted to something else (ie nitrogen) to be removed from the setup. My No3 is removed by sulphur denitrator on my setups. Other ways to remove nitrates is live rock and/or converting nitrates to something the skimmer can remove but that's a whole new subject.
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[Big_Pun]

those bio balls are not going to work with much flow from 2 sicce5, nor will a fuge. for reference my 150 has 2x sicce 2, most 120 ive set up have nothing bigger than one sicce 4.ike stated turn off skimmer for a while see what happens, also if water level is too low the will create a vortex and suck air

[Reefnub]

I have seen some pumps cavatate with fittings restricting flow. I had a pump brand new out of the box mag 7 do the same and replaced the pump with a external iwaki and problem solved. Just my experience. Don't know if I spelled cavitate correctly but I can't stop saying it lol.


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[Sherita]

If you have a ton of microbubbles it will take longer than 30 minutes for them to clear out after you shut the skimmer off. Cavitation (as mentioned above) could also be a viable answer. Does the pump make any kind of weird sound? And have you watched the pump for any amount of time to see if a vortex develops? I have one that will occasionally suck air for no reason. I kinda doubt this is your problem, since you pump seems to be well submerged.

And thank you for the lesson on the cycle, but I'm quite familiar with it. Bioballs are not normally found in reef systems for a reason.

[350gt]

I have my skimmer in the same section as my return, they are about 4" apart...... And no bubbles. Just have to make sure it turned a certain way.


i would say try running just one sicce 5 and see if that makes it any better... If it hasnt been said already. I honestly think 2 is too much...

[glarior]

Skimmer been off for 24 hours and still the pumps blow bubbles. I have just the one pump running too. Might just go buy some Rio 3100s tomorrow.

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[glarior]

No vortex or anything on the pumps either. The sump is over full for normal operation.



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[350gt]

Dont do that, the sicce's are great pumps.

[Sherita]

Beyond weird. I hate weird stuff that happens for no reason.

Ok, lets look at some other things.

Do you have anti siphon holes drilled in your returns? If so, are those holes far enough below the water line to not suck air?

I see locline in the picture. Is it possible that your locline has a loose joint that could be sucking air?

Have you checked all fittings/unions/gate valves to make sure they are not sucking air?

I know it would be a giant pita, but since you are using vinyl tubing for your pump, is it possible to run a test piece from the pump all the way into the tank? That would help you eliminate or confirm the locline as the source of the air. I ask this because my 140g had the same problem, I almost lost my mind before I figured out that the locline was sucking air.

[glarior]

Beyond weird. I hate weird stuff that happens for no reason.

Do you have anti siphon holes drilled in your returns? If so, are those holes far enough below the water line to not suck air?

I see locline in the picture. Is it possible that your locline has a loose joint that could be sucking air?

Have you checked all fittings/unions/gate valves to make sure they are not sucking air?

I know it would be a giant pita, but since you are using vinyl tubing for your pump, is it possible to run a test piece from the pump all the way into the tank? That would help you eliminate or confirm the locline as the source of the air. I ask this because my 140g had the same problem, I almost lost my mind before I figured out that the locline was sucking air.


Dont do that, the sicce's are great pumps.

I need another pump for something else so worth a test.

What is locline?

I like the idea of running the line to the tank.

I'll check the rest of your ideas tomorrow

Thx everyone

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[350gt]

A mag 9.5 will work too, maybe someone will let you borrow one to try....


i have one but its been used for all types of stuff.... Dont know if you would want to dip that in your sump...

[Sherita]

Locline is the flexible jointed black pipe that is in your tank for your return. The one that you can bend around to make the flow go where you want. I see it in your photo, the only question is if that is where your bubbles are coming from.

[glarior]

Locline is the flexible jointed black pipe that is in your tank for your return. The one that you can bend around to make the flow go where you want. I see it in your photo, the only question is if that is where your bubbles are coming from.


Ohhh... I was thinking something on the pump. My mind still at work Lol

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