Micro Bubble incursion

[Fahzza]

So my Skimmer is spitting out relatively large amounts of micro bubbles. My MP60 wreaks them single handedly, there is very little build up of bubbles on my viewing surfaces...however, as a rookie with skimmers... Is this indicative of a flawed skimmer? does it mean ANYTHING. is it bad? should I even care?

I tried to include pics but they do not show up in the pics.

 

[tike]

How long have you been running the skimmer and what brand name is it?

 

[Fahzza]

about 2 weeks and its a bubblemax PS2500, which you will promptly find literally no information on the web about...to my dismay.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

The skimmer is about a 2007 or 2008 vintage and skimmers have come a LONG ways since then
Sometimes changing the sump depth the skimmer sits in can change micro bubbles.

 

[kpiotrowski]

isn't that an aquamaxx brand "bubblemax" skimmer?

Does the water exit out of an upright tube? Many of this style come with a foam sleave that wrappes around the output tube. you can wrap some coarse foam around the upright. put a bunch of live rock around the return pump or again run a foam filter, or run cheato in a compartment between the skimmer and return pump. put a baffle or two in the sump.... anything to calm the bubbles before the return pump. foam with have to be cleaned periodically though.

 

[tike]

It probably needs to break in a little before the micrbubbles disapate. You may find a little more information on the skimmer searching under the name aquamax.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

isn't that an aquamaxx brand "bubblemax" skimmer?

Does the water exit out of an upright tube? Many of this style come with a foam sleave that wrappes around the output tube. you can wrap some coarse foam around the upright. put a bunch of live rock around the return pump or again run a foam filter, or run cheato in a compartment between the skimmer and return pump. put a baffle or two in the sump.... anything to calm the bubbles before the return pump. foam with have to be cleaned periodically though.

Well done Kev, I had forgotten all about those foam sleeves!!!

 

[Fahzza]

isn't that an aquamaxx brand "bubblemax" skimmer?

Does the water exit out of an upright tube? Many of this style come with a foam sleave that wrappes around the output tube. you can wrap some coarse foam around the upright. put a bunch of live rock around the return pump or again run a foam filter, or run cheato in a compartment between the skimmer and return pump. put a baffle or two in the sump.... anything to calm the bubbles before the return pump. foam with have to be cleaned periodically though.

It does not exit out of an upright tube. it exits out of a right angle 1" pvc fitting that you can move to any direction you want. It looks very similar to the aquamaxx...maybe i've finally figured out what the heck this thing is...

 

[kpiotrowski]

1'' tube is pretty small for a skimmer output. Has me scratchin me head. got pics?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Look like this?

 

[Fahzza]

you can see the important stuff... sorry for cabinet door post blocking views

 

[kpiotrowski]

Look like this?

thats pretty much it. ( seen on his other thread just now)


What Herefishyfish said! what water depth is it running in? That means EVERYTHING when it comes to dialing in this type of skimmer along with water pump and air combo.

 

[kpiotrowski]

do you have an ATO? once you have that skimmer dialed in right you will want the sump level to remain constant! be suprized at how even a half inch will change the fuction of the skimmer.

 

[Fahzza]

about 2" under the filter sock cradle

 

[kpiotrowski]

what depth of water does the skimer sit in is the measuremnet. how does the water come up the outside of the skimmer.

 

[Fahzza]

i just realized that my form of measurement was terrible. It's about 10" deep.

Also, I have some supplies for an ATO however my sump is small and i cant seem to fit the float in it anywhere...so im still pondering that one

 

[kpiotrowski]

prob too deep. can you post pics of the sump in operation?

do you have an internal or external return pump and what make and model. thats not a very long sump so this is going to take some tinkering. don't worry though,. not that hard.

 

[Fahzza]

Internal pump fluval SP6, my camera is with the wife, so you are stuck with crummy cell phone pics

 

[Herefishyfishy]

The picture shows all. You need to adjust the outlet pipes so that the water level rises up mid way into the neck. The two tubes are raised and lowered or twisted to restrict outlet, causing water to back up into the skimmer body. The way you have it, is doing zero skimming.

 

[kpiotrowski]

I see you already have an elbow pointed downward on the intake of the pump and that you have up-sized it. Good!

so, if the skimmer is in operation right now, I would say raise the water inside the skimmer by restricting the outflow as much as you can without overlfowing the collection cup.

drain the sump to betweem 6-8 inches as most skimmers seem to funtction best in that range.

make a wall of rock around your return pump.