So tired of microbubbles, HELP PLZ!!!

[Someone]

I have a 54 gal. corner tank with a 15gal sump. I also have 10 billion microbubbles at any given time. I have a 2 in. drain, with a 1.5 in. return on a mag 9.5 pump. So about 750 gal an hour going through. I also have a euro reef protein skimmer, 3 baffles. I tried putting a bunch of spnges in the sump to take out the micro bubbles, and it helps... For the first 15 min. few bubbles, then after that it gets horrible again. Without any spongs or anything visibility in the tank is absolutely horrible. I also tried putting silicone around the joints on the return, I'm pretty sure I got all of it, but its hard to reach and I can't see all around every joint, but Im pretty sure those are completely sealed. Anybody have a good way to get rid of them that I haven't tried yet? tia

[thedude]

Either what Joshua said or you might want to try redoing your plumbing. I had mucho bubbles until I redid it and redid it perfect. Definitely be sure to use the two part pvc adhesive with a primer. If you can see saltcreep on your pipes, that means that water can get out and air can get in.

[jaded]

where are the bubbles coming from, the drain into the sump or the skimmer? do you have a seperate pump for the skimmer?

My experience is that most bubbles (at least my bubbles) come from the drain into the sump. The easiest way to knock them out immediately is to put a filter sock over the drain. I'm currently using a cheapy (linda like a foot from a ladies stocking) but as soon as donny gets the 100 micron order I'll use those. This is helping with 2 problems... its a great mechanical filtration and it will eliminate those tiny bubbles that pass right through filter floss, baffles and sponge. However it also means that I need to clean the filter sock at least once a week. I dont mind this since my tank is SO MUCH CLEARER!!!

[thedude]

If he's using a Euro-reef, he'll have a needlewheel pump driving the skimmer and another pump returning. A good way to eliminated micro bubbles from the skimmer return is to stick a piece of 3 inch pvc pipe so that it's just under the water line. This forces the bubbles to rise quickly. I still have the feeling it's coming from the plumbing. One bad connection and that'll happen. I've never needed to silicone anything as long as I use the two part pvc glue.

[jaded]

Maybe you should try the 200 micron then Joshua??? I dont know how the 100 micron will work but the filter bag I have now is really worthless for medicating the tank, but it sure has reduced the bubbles!!!

The filter bags I have seen (and hoping to buy from don) are 14" x 4" that should be a fairly large surface area, I'm hoping to get a week or more between changes.

[BuckeyeHydro]

Run your drain line into a vertical piece of pvc that extends above the waterline in your sump. Glue a cap onto one end of the pvc, and that becomes the bottom of the vertical piece. Water (and bubbles) then have to come to the surface of the sump, bubble burst, and your in business.

[GaryP]

I have multiple sock filters and I just swap them out when they are dirty. Mine don't clog nearly that fast but it does take the bubbles out. I don't know what micron size they are. My wife made them for me from some polypropylene fabric she got at a fabric store. I change them out about once a week. That's about how long they take to clog. Even when clogged, they do a good job of removing the bubbles. I just shove the drain hose from my overflow into a sock and pinch it closed with a clothes pin.

Besides cutting back on the bubbles, it does a good job of removing floating solids, excess/uneaten food, and is a great way to catch stuff like algae when I am cleaning the overflow. Although my main tank is pretty much nuisance algae free, my overflow is a source of a lot of hair algae growth. I'm just about over an outbreak of dinoflaggellates now, but the overflow was always a slimy mess full of dinos. If I had a choice, I would take the hair algae over the dinos.

I'm a big fan of using physical filtration for nutrient export. As long as you clean the filters on a regular basis before the stuff in it starts to decay it does a good job of removing nutrients from the water just like a skimmer or carbon does. If it does decay, then your skimmer and/or carbon should get it.

I changed mine yesterday and I got at least 20 nice sized grammarus shrimp (amphipods) from the sock filter that I put back into my fuge.

[JeffCo]

I just started using some filter bags this week. I got about 15 of them from filterbag.com. They are the 100 micron rating ones they recommend on their site. For the first 3 days I had to change mine out every 8 hrs, now on day 4 they last about 24 hrs and I change it out every morning. It's a pain right now, but it does pull out tons of stuff.

[GaryP]

I was up at CB last week and they had some cool sock filters there. They have an acrylic bracket that comes with them that hangs on the side of the sump.