Hi to all! and im tired of micro bubbles!

[justin-branam]

This is my second post, so hi everyone. it looks like i can lear a lot here and make some friends in the process. i live in houston, but travel to austin a lot to see my brother. I have a 75g Reef tank with a few corals and fish, and a 30g sump/fuge split longways.

Here is my problem:

I have micro bubbles in my tank. I have tried many many things, including sponges, baffles (many of them), the filter socks, and i still hae bubbles. im beginning to think it is from my crappy Sealife Systems skimmer. If you have any suggestions please chime in now.

Otherwise, should i go ahead and just proceed with my next idea, which is setup the 30 gallon next to my reef tank, and make it kind of a display refugium, have a new sump underneath, and run a nice external skimmer? With this idea in mind, which skimmer should i look at. i would like something i can turn down the flow on because i do plan on upgrading to a 180 in the future, but space under the tank is limited. Any ideas?

PS
one crappy sealife skimmer and 20g wet/dry fuge will be for sale very soon.

[NaCl_H2O]

Welcome to MAAST! You're gonna like it here

Please see the other 5,000 posts on microbubbles ;) j/k

Can you provide a little more info on your setup - like pump sizes and how they are plumbed? Posting a picture or two would help too!

But seriously, there have been several threads on this subject recently you may want to review ... That's not a brush off - folks here on MAAST are very helpful, so post away!

[justin-branam]

Please see the other 5,000 posts on microbubbles ;) j/k

Can you provide a little more info on your setup - like pump sizes and how they are plumbed? Posting a picture or two would help too!

i have searched all the thread i can find on how to fix micro bubbles and havent had success with any of the ways suggested. like i said though, i think i may just setup the fuge all by itself and buy a different sump/skimmer combo.

the fuge is in the front half, and the sump in the back half. the first compartment is for the water input, heater, and small pump to power the fuge. this falls to the second compartment with my carbon/phosban bags. this falls to the third compartment with the skimmer, which flows over a sponge which was supposed to stop the bubles, and down under the elevated plate (2 1/2 inches off bottom) to the return pumps. the fuge output is also in the chamber with the return pumps (a mag 9.5 and a mag 5).
heres a pic of my current setup.

[Dozer]

Is it just my bad eyes, or do you have only one baffle in there? If so that would be the first thing to address. I like two sets of "over-under-overs", or "under-over-unders" myself, which may be overkill, but I think a lot of people do something similar. One baffle won't block a lot I don't think. Also, (and again this may be my eyes), but is the water level in the sump way above the baffle? It seems really high to me. I don't honestly know if that has anything to do with your bubble issue, but I wanted to make sure you've left enough room in there in the case of a power outage. Have you tested that to make sure your sump doesn't overflow when power goes out?

[NaCl_H2O]

Hey, nice (and clever) setup! Are you sure the microbubbles are coming from the skimmer? I mean, can you see microbubbles in the sump compartment? Put the brightest light you have over the sump to check.

MAG pumps can cavetate and create their own bubbles?

Otherwise, I'm not familiar with that skimmer and any possible adjustments. If you are going bigger later, a new external skimmer might be a good starting point. If possible plumb your new skimmer in/out of the first compartment where the tank drains are going into. This way the bubbles have more room/travel to escape.

[justin-branam]

Hey, nice (and clever) setup! Are you sure the microbubbles are coming from the skimmer? I mean, can you see microbubbles in the sump compartment?

Otherwise, I'm not familiar with that skimmer and any possible adjustments

yes the majority are from the skimmer, and the skimmer has no adjustments except for water height.

Is it just my bad eyes, or do you have only one baffle in there? If so that would be the first thing to address. I like two sets of "over-under-overs", or "under-over-unders" myself, which may be overkill, but I think a lot of people do something similar. One baffle won't block a lot I don't think. Also, (and again this may be my eyes), but is the water level in the sump way above the baffle? It seems really high to me. I don't honestly know if that has anything to do with your bubble issue, but I wanted to make sure you've left enough room in there in the case of a power outage. Have you tested that to make sure your sump doesn't overflow when power goes out?

i did try multiple baffles and it still didnt help. and look closer. the tank is divided in two length wise. the front half is a 15 gallon fuge, and the back half is a 15 gallon sump. i have checked the power outages and it does not overflow.

[GaryP]

Can you see a micro bubble or do you have to use a microscope?

Wouldn't that be a mini-bubble? Do you have to use an electron microscope to see a nano-bubble?

[NaCl_H2O]

Can you see a micro bubble or do you have to use a microscope?

Wouldn't that be a mini-bubble? Do you have to use an electron microscope to see a nano-bubble?

Don't you have some pictures to take or something ...

[Dozer]

Wow, I've never seen a design like that. My lack of creativity at the moment is preventing me from really understanding it fully, but half a day of baseball on the couch and beer may be contributing as well. I'm glad you tested for the power outage too, I figured you probably had!