Bubbles, everywhere.........

[tat2z_21]

So within the last two weeks I have been battling the ever dreaded micro bubbles. I didn't have them then I hooked up a chiller, so I thought it has to be the chiller. I turned the pump and chiller off, and waited a day for the bubbles to go away. Well they were still there. So I turned off everything in the sump for one day, and the bubbles were still there. I am lost here, the bubbles are sticking to everything and making the corals slime. Any help on where to go next would be awesome. Better yet, if you all could just pack Peppie, or Todd, into a box and mail them to my house in Az, so they could fix this I promise to have them back before the weekend.

 

[tat2z_21]

Bubbles, oh bubbles, can no one help with my bubbles

 

[HUNTER01975]

maybe one of your fittings is loose after moving things around and is drawing air?

maybe some chunk of something came loose and got suck in a line and is causing the water to stir inside the pipe?

Did you change any other plumbing? some times when water makes turns it can cause bubbles..

good luck...

 

[TJL]

Hey Floyd check all plumbing fittings on inlet side of return pump, my best guess is that its drawing air from somewhere in this location. Other most likely spot is the intake to return pump itself sucking in air. If I had the time would love to make the trip South to visit you my friend, as SUNSHINE has been short on supply lately around here.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Brady]

Did you check your skimmer? Sometimes it releases little bubbles at the outlet and if the return pump is sitting next to it then it'll be a problem... I was thinking of pulling the return pump a bit farther and use a small pump to blow the water direct to your coral to remove these bubbles....

 

[tat2z_21]

Thank you guys for all of the input. I have turned the skimmer off to make sure that it wasn't the culprit, I am also using look line on the return in the display. Was thinking that it could also be the problem. Anyone ever have issues with their look line?

 

[tat2z_21]

Lock line**** damn auto correct

 

[Brady]

I guess it comes down to the question, is your lockline above or under the water level? If it's under the water level, then I don't think it's the cause...also, I think the bubbles will stay there for awhile if you don't do anything about it... your coral slime will wrap around these bubbles and it'll turn into brown-ish color and it won't be good for these corals especially the sps...

 

[user 26995]

I'm with Todd on this. I think it's your return pump. Turn it off and see if they go away.
LOL!!! Just kidding!
Seriously though, I think its the pump churning the water too fast. And creating the bubbles. Mine does the same thing if I dont restrict the output.

Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2

 

[TJL]

Hey Floyd I guess that I could have better explained my deduction as to it being your return pump. In most cases our return pumps have a bit of negative pressure on intake side by being a little restricted this can pull in air from even the smallest leaks or even directly out of oxygenated water solution ie; like decompressing to quickly in diving. Closed loop systems are notorious for this as well, but in both cases just takes a bit of output restriction to eliminate it.

Cheers, Todd

 

[tat2z_21]

Alright so how long should I have the output restricted, is this just to flush the possible air out of the system?

 

[trido]

Alright so how long should I have the output restricted?

Forever. You'll need to put a ball valve on the output side of the pump. Provided that you have in fact come to the conclusion that your pump is the problem. I used to have 16 locline sets on my 210 and none ever gave me micro bubble problems.

Also, with a strong return pump any PVC fitting on the output side to the tank can leak actually sucking air on the back side and work as a venturi giving you micro bubbles. If its leaking on the front side it will leak water. A quick easy way to see if this is the problem is to swab PVC glue around all the fitting joints. If its pulling in air it will pull in the glue and the problem is usually solved. This can also work on the intake side of the pump.

 

[user 26995]

Oh good idea swabbing the pvc glue around the fittings.

 

[tat2z_21]

Nooooo, not forever. Just kidding Trido, I was thinking of doing the exact this you mentioned with the PVC, but was wondering if it got into the water the effects it might have, but I think I figure out what the issue was. This happened right after I installed the chiller, when I first turned it on and the pump started a large amount of air came shooting out right into the intake of the return pump. If this is indeed the case what is the best way of ridding the air out of the system.

 

[user 26995]

Can you back flush it? Let it reverse siphon so it pushes the air back into the sump?

 

[user 26995]

I suppose if there is air trapped in a joint, or elbow, it might not come out at that point either. the bubble is still going to want to rise, not flow back down. It might allow an air bubble to escape though with a reverse flow and then stop the flow.
Sorry, just thinking out loud.

 

[Peppie]

I am glad you got some great advise on this air issue.

I have never ran a sump, so I didnt have a clue. But now I have the info to trouble shoot my upcoming system. LOL

Thanks all.

Good thing you didnt fly me down there, instead of Todd and Lorie!!!

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Great tread, I've been having the same issue, I think I'll try restricting the flow from my pump

 

[tat2z_21]

It has worked awesome for my tank. I even went through afterwards, just to make me feel better swabbed all of the fittings with PVC glue. I didn't have a leak, but just in case one was starting to form,

 

[blk822822]

Are you getting bubbles coming from the sand bed? Just a thought, theres chemical stuff going on in there. But probably a leak some where. Turn off your tank and let it sit for an hour or so, then take a turkey baster and blow the bubbles off everything and wait alittle bit and see if you get any bubbles. If not turn on the return pump and see if you get bubbles, if not turn on another pump, and then another till you start to get bubbles. You need to run each pump for a little bit to check for bubbles. When you get bubbles the last thing you turned on should be the problem. JMO.