Tiny Bubble's and not the musical kind

[Pipe]

I am not completely new, but new to this tank and set up.

Tank: 210g AGA
Return Pump: Blueline 40 HDX
Sump: E.T.S.S. ? I think its 70g
Skimmer: Homemade acylic job
Returns: Dual 1"
Supply: 1" out of pump, bullheaded tee to 2 3/4" tubing barbed.

Issue, micro bubbles.

At the first bubble trap I have 1 of those big black sponges, to help block off the trap, or slow it down, also a sponge actually in the trap itself to try and difuse the bubles (Red arrow)

The second trap looks blocked but it is not, just a little sand in the front of the trap.

I have put the sponges in, put socks on the returns (black arrow), and still have the bubbles. I have turned off the skimmer (grey arrow), and the UV Steralizer (green arrow) overnight and no fix.

Pump is not noisy in anyway, and when turned off, doesnt leak anywhere. (blue arrow)

What am I missing? I am aware that the wiring and such looks like crap under the tank, but want to get everything perfect before I tidy up.

http://www.captivereefs.com/forum/images/dto_showcase/users/2289_thumb.jpg

I am going to try and remember my photobucket log in to try and post a bigger picture.

[Pipe]

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/CorpsNCO/Sump.jpg

[MizTanks]

I was having that issue also but only on a much smaller scale and I was told I'm getting air through a connection. So to fix it I cut a small amount off of each end of the return (which was where I was getting the air from) for a tighter fit. Issue fixed. Check all connections is my first guess.

[rmalone]

Do you have the room to put another "mini sump" between the last chamber of your current sump and your return pump? Preferably with a trap at the inlet and outlet sides. I think your water level is so low, in the sump, that bubbles just don't have a chance to escape before the return pump sends them back to the tank. A slower flow through the sump might also solve the problem.

[Sir Patrick]

How many GPH is your return pump running?

[Pipe]

- Max Discharge (GPH) @ 0ft: 1,270
about 3' of lift.

I checked all the connections, and as it is a drilled tank, there are not really much to check, they are all tight no drips.

I will measure what I have in stock as far as putting a additional sump in Sunday morning, that is a interesting fix, but ill take a look and give it a shot.

Oh and for the record, the drains drop to about 1" above the bottom of the sump.

[Sir Patrick]

I am reletively new to sumps, but-

Maybe the flow rate is sending the bubbles right past you bubble trap? Its possible.

I would wait for a more experienced reefer to come along, but that would be my guess.

[jimsflies]

I can't tell from your photo, but it looks like your bubble trap is missing a baffle. Should flow under, over, then under again before going to the return pump.

[John]

Do you see any bubbles in the sump?

If not, it's not the sump design... but it could be improved like Jim said.



Your arrows are confusing me...
I'm going to assume that the skimmer section is where the tank waster drains into the sump... otherwise you could get microbubbles from the skimmer...

Check the return lines or replace them to see it that will work. I'm thinking cut off about 2" from the end that connects to the opposite side of the return pump.

[rmalone]

On my baffle I go over then under then over to the next chamber so three panels.

[rarelyseriousb]

your baffles look close together to me. If they are to close the velocity threw them will not allow the bubbles to rise.

[Pipe]

Thanks for all the advise! I am checking as we speak all of them.

Sump is 42" long, 1st baffle is at 13 1/2" - 14 1/2", under then over, second baffle is at 31 1/2" - 32 1/2", under then over.

I see bubbles in the sump in all sections. Socks are installed, skimmer has been turned off all day.

@John, right now on the return pump, it leaves the sump in 1" PVC, about 7" of it, then ties into the inlet of the pump. Out of the discharge of the pump it is 1" PVC for 13" where it then goes into the bullhead of the tee, then bushed down to 2 3/4" barbed fittings. to the right its approx 17" of 3/4" tuning (new) and the the left approx 4' of tubing. Once it ties into the bottom of the tank I stopped looking. WHen the tank was empty I removed the bulkheads,replaced, tightened them up and walked away, I have not checked anything behind the overflow covers.

I filled the sump up to max level and saw no change.

I plan on having another piece of glass or lexan cut to make another baffle to install 1" before the first baffle, the first baffle max water level is 11 1/2", I think the new baffle will be about 15" tall, sealed to the bottom making for a over/under/over

[rarelyseriousb]

try 1.5 inches.

[Pipe]

*update*

I siliconed the higher baffle in the sump, and waited till it set up. Once we were good to go I started the pump again...same issue

I gave it 2 days just to make sure and yep still getting the bubbles.

I disconnected the pump and ran two CA 1800 internal pumps and individually hosed them up to the tank and connected to my old outlets off my 125. It fixed the bubble issue, I left it run like this for 3 days and the problem is kinda solved.

Tonight I actually disconected the single pump and hosed the 2 1800's to the stock water supply outlets...bubbles again.

Now it kinda narrows it down, I cut the tubing from the single runs and tied them into the stock barbed fittings. SO since its going to take a little bit of moving stuff to get to the top/back of the tank, what could be wrong back there? I assume its a solid pipe from the barb to the loc lines? How do I check for air leaks? It seems to me if there was a leak, there would be water coming out somewhere where it should not be.

I feel like I am missing something easy here?

[zenpytho]

air will suck through fittings before water will leak out of same area and it sounds like that is all u r getting is one or maybe two fittings r just a touch loose causing air but not enough to show a leak i would just redo all the fittings on return line i ended up goin with all hard pipe on mine cuz of same issue

[SaltCreeps]

most systems i have owned give me tiny bubbles for a short while(a month or so) and then go away. somtimes bubbles are fromed in plumbing through a kink or a 90 degree elbow near the pump from a negitive pressure zone.

[stunreefer]

I would guess that one of the fittings is pulling air as mentioned earlier. You said there are barbed fittings, which I assume is for flex tubing, double check those connections and tighten if nevessary as they're generally the culprit.

most systems i have owned give me tiny bubbles for a short while(a month or so) and then go away. somtimes bubbles are fromed in plumbing through a kink or a 90 degree elbow near the pump from a negitive pressure zone.
This is almost always a sign of air being pulled through a fitting - over time salt creep and detrius will form closing up the hole air is being pulled through ;)