micro bubbles?

[Stackbundles]

I finally set up my 75 gallon tank. I have a fluval 405, octopus skimmer in sump, and 2 power heads. For some reason, when I turn on the tank lights, I have thousands of micro bubbles. Does anyone know what this is and how can I fix it?

Stack

 

[JimmyR1rider]

I would guess its from the skimer. How is your sump set up? Is your skimmer in the last chamber with the return pump? And if not does your sump have a bubble trap?

Just in case you dont know- a bubble trap is when there are 3 panels between the 2nd and return pump chamber. The first-furthest away from the return pump is to the bottom, the next is raised about an inch and a half off the bottom of the tank and then the last panel is same as the first, all about an inch and a half apart from each other. This is done so that the water has to flow over the first panel, under the next and over the third to get into the return chamber. That way when the water flows down between the first two the bubbles stay at the top and dont ever make it to your return pump and stay out of the display tank.


If the way you have your sump is where the skimmer outlets goes into your return chamber and theres no way to change it due to how you set it up, you can try putting a filter sock over the skimmer discharge to catch the bubbles and just change it when it starts to get a little funky.

Also if just setting the tank up and cycling it- dont use lights. Theres no need, all it will do is promote algae growth and possibly give you a headache from jumpstreet.


Best of luck with the new system.......Jimmy

 

[Stackbundles]

My skimmer is in the first chamber with a bubble trap. Thanks for telling me to not use the lights during the cycle. It will save me some headaches.

 

[KathyC]

Are you seeing the microbubbles in the sump? Best to look using a flashlight.

 

[Stackbundles]

No not in the sump. I used a flash light on the DT and seen a few micro bubbles. For some reason it's only when I turn the tank lights on I see alot. It looks like little bubbles but I maybe I mistaked it for cloudy water.

 

[fishman1069]

Just curious, but why do you have a canister filter hooked up? They tend to turn into nitrate factories, especially if they are not maintained ALL the time. The bubbles could also be coming from the return of the canister.

 

[Stackbundles]

I know your right. I received it for free and it wasen't even used. I just thought it would help making the water cyrstal clear. I heard the same thing from other people about the canister. Any recommendations on how to keep the water crystal clear?

 

[fishman1069]

Use a media like carbon or chemipure in your sump. make sure its in the micron bags tho lol I put mine in the bubble trap to make sure it gets the most water going thru it. You could also use a reactor like TLF phos reactor

 

[JimmyR1rider]

My skimmer is in the first chamber with a bubble trap. Thanks for telling me to not use the lights during the cycle. It will save me some headaches.

Youre welcome, anytime thats what were all here for, to learn and to help out in areas that we can right?

 

[Stackbundles]

Thanks Fishman. I'm going to try out the chemipure.

 

[jfahim]

I have a similar problem with my 150. I recently changed my lights from 3 150 mh to 3 250 mh.
I am constantly getting bubbles on my rock directly above my sea swirl return. It never did this with my 150's. So I purchased a brand new bulb and I am still getting the same thing

I have the overflow going into a filter sock with two heaters and two pumps in the first chamber supplying my phosban and carbon reactors. Both outputs are going into separate chambers before they enter the return chamber and I am still getting bubbles.

Any ideas???


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[rkaragozler]

stackbundles, Jfahim, what size pump are you guys running, and also what is the water level in relation to your pumps inlets, do you guys have 90 degree elbows on them facing down, if you get any kind of vortex in the input of the pump it will create bubbles in your dt. also how do you guys have them hooked up, is it going thru a manifold, are you guyd using unions, pvc piping or flex.

 

[Stackbundles]

I have a mag 7 on the return with a union, ball valve, and as well as a check valve. The water in my return chamber is any where from 4"-8" depending on evapation, with two 90 degree turns.

The more research I'm doing, it looks like small tiny particles. Not sure if it's micro bubbles or just cloudy water. I'm a newbie, so I'm learning the ropes.

 

[jfahim]

The return pump is a 600 gph submersible. No PVC just flex pipe. The only thing that has changed was the lighting. And the bubbles only come out a couple hours after the mh lights are on then disappear a few hours the mh lights are off. Actinics on at 8. Halides on at 9. Actinics off at 10. Actinics on at 3. Halides off at 4. Actinics off at 9.


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[rkaragozler]

Stack, did you try shutting down the pumps for about 5 minutes. Are the particles, or bubbles still visible.

Jfahim, are the bubbles you are seeing large or micro, I know when I went from 150 halides, to 450 I also noticed bubbles, as if the water was boiling, but not micro sized

 

[jfahim]

Not micro. I can see them clearly. The only other thing that I can think of is that my auto top off is dumping water into my return chamber.
And now since my water is evaporating more I am getting more top off into that chamber causing bubbles. I will move that top off later



Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[InfernoST]

Is the return completely submerged and not creating a vortex when operating? If it is creating a vortex or the water level in the return chamber is too low the pump will suck in air creating the micro bubbles you are seeing.

 

[jfahim]

The pump is completely submerged so that isn't a problem


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[InfernoST]

Just a thought.:splitspin

 

[Stackbundles]

I'll try shuting the pump off for a little. Maybe it will work....