bubbles

[Anonymous]

Yep I've got'em bad. I just set up my 125 reefready tank about a month ago and still I have massive bubbles. It's because I bleive my drain tubes are draining in at such a force that they are carrying too much current and air with em. then the bubbles are gettin sucked into my return pump and viola micro bubbles everywhere. Any suggestions? I'm using a 20L as my sump and a turbo flotor t1000 multi in sump as well. other than that it's empty(the sump I mean).

I've heard installing baffles would help, but as to how I'm going to put them in my already running system is a mystery. Any suggestino are good suggestions.

 

[Anonymous]

Having your return lines land on a sponge can help alot.

Adding baffles to a running system isn't a big deal. Baffles don't need to be glued in place. They can just be wedged into place. Baffles would be your best bet. Your local plastic store could cut them to order for you.

Louey

 

[Cichlidius]

100 micron filter socks. http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem. ... A1351&ast=
http://filterbag.com/search.php and www.customaquatic.com

HTH

 

[kskvarci]

I've got the same issue in a 15 gallon sump. You can buy thin acrylic and wedge it in, however it is far less than ideal. You'd be surpised how hard the current and weight of the water will push on these baffles. That being said, i was in no mood to drain my sump, etc. I use a combination of wedged in baffles and 2 large sponges between baffles. The sponge spans the entire width of the sump. All water passes through a sponge before reaching the return. Ideally I'd like to get rid of these sponges, but I have yet to come up with a baffle arangement ( not do i think its possible ) that will completely eradicate the bubbles. The water is moving too quickly through too small of a sump. My only option would be to swap out my return pump for one that pushes less water. I clean the sponges during bi-weekly water changes. They collect quite a bit of detritus.

 

[Anonymous]

three baffles, make the water go over, under, over. Will help a lot

B

 

[Anonymous]

5 suggestions, which may or may not help depending on the size of your sump and the rate of flow through it.

1) Horizontal over-and-under baffles that force the water to crest near the surface, thereby forcing air bubbles to pop.

2) Vertical baffles that force the water to travel a longer pathway between the intake and the outtake.

3) live rock rubble that breaks up the flow path of the water running through the sump.

4) macroalgae (ie, convert your sump to a refugium). The macroalgae, particularly calerpa growing on the surface of the water, does a great job of catching air bubbles.

5) 100 micron filter socks placed over the intakes (where the water enters the sump).

I have tried all of these. In fact, my sump uses a combination of all of these. I have vertical and horizontal partitions, and a refugium area filled with live rock rubble. Live rock also fills some of the partitioned areas. I also use a pair of 32" 100 micron filter socks on my sump intakes.

FWIW, the baffles don't seem to really help; probably because of my high flow rates (~4000 gal/hr) through my 80 gal. sump. The live rock rubble helped, but not that much. The micron socks are the most effective, but require frequent changing (and are a negative if you don't like mechanical filtration). The macro algae seems to help and provides other benifts as well.

BTW, you can add partitions to your existing, water filled sump by making a structure of plastic eggcrate and plexiglass and then just dropping it into your sump.