Microbubble headache

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DaBrowns

DaBrowns

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Joined
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Location
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and also a "Loc-line" question. We have what I consider ALOT of "bubblation" in the lower tank/sump. If we can post video on this site I will. Otherwise here are the specs and any suggestions are welcome, but adding baffles is a last resort as it will mean draining the bottom tank and re-working some plumbing.

MAG 18 return pump running wide open @ 4ft head (approx) all 1" pipe. The vast majority of bubbles are coming from the drains (which I'm considering adjusting with the ball valves but unsure of the repercussions. I did put the sponge filter back on the MAG 18 knowing it is a nitrate collector and I will have to clean it constantly and this has had VERY little effect.

Is there ANY chance that slowing down the drains will help or will it increase back pressure and heat?? I wanted to ask before just tinkering with stuff I'm unsure about.

Also is there a trick to attaching the nozzles to the end of the loc-line or is just push like hell and hope they pop on?
 
DaBrowns said:
and also a "Loc-line" question. We have what I consider ALOT of "bubblation" in the lower tank/sump. If we can post video on this site I will. Otherwise here are the specs and any suggestions are welcome, but adding baffles is a last resort as it will mean draining the bottom tank and re-working some plumbing.

MAG 18 return pump running wide open @ 4ft head (approx) all 1" pipe. The vast majority of bubbles are coming from the drains (which I'm considering adjusting with the ball valves but unsure of the repercussions. I did put the sponge filter back on the MAG 18 knowing it is a nitrate collector and I will have to clean it constantly and this has had VERY little effect.

Is there ANY chance that slowing down the drains will help or will it increase back pressure and heat?? I wanted to ask before just tinkering with stuff I'm unsure about.

Also is there a trick to attaching the nozzles to the end of the loc-line or is just push like hell and hope they pop on?
Click to expand...


Is there a way to maybe put a sponge or maybe a filtersock on the end of the pipe that drains in the sump instead of using a ball valve? If you slow the flow you may end up up draining the sump and overflowing the main...

as for loc line there is a tool you can buy or eat your wheaties and push like you never pushed before, it will go...
 
The best solution IMO would be drain the sump & add baffles, this will eliminate the bubbles, restricting a magnetic drive pump would only make it louder, hotter & consume more power, it isn't the same for a centrifugal pump.
 
I know you don't want to hear it, but baffles will be your best bet to eliminate micro-bubbles :doubt: The filter sock as suggested is a good way as well, but like you mentioned they will need to be cleaned just as much as sponges would. Something you could try that I do on all of my pumps is instead of using the prefilter sponge on the mag 18, just get a threaded elbow (90 degree fitting) and thread that into your mag 18 and let the pump suck like a 1/2 inch off of the bottom of the sump. Bubbles will rise so I use to just put on an elbow and suck right off the bottom and that use to eliminate quite a bit of microbubbles being returned to the tank. Also, maybe you can add some Tee's on the incoming plumbing so all the water isn't just forced out of 1 output for each drain, but from maybe 2 or 3 for each making the incoming water pressure not as strong out of each source (did that make any sense? :p ) About the elbow, I'll see if I can find a pic when I had the elbow on one of my pumps and post it:)
 
If you look at the return pump on the left under the phosban reactor really good here on my old setup, you can see the elbow and then what I did on the input with the Tee. That helped alot with noise as well. Baffles will definately be your best bet, but this is a cheap thing you can try first:)





 
You may be able to install baffles without draining and reworking your sump. If you were to use plexi-glass and pre-cut your pieces a hair to large...then you could slid them into place. They'd have a very slight bow in them, which would put enough pressure on them to keep them in place. This would be the same as a DIY tank divider to devide fighting fish from one another and such.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys...I talked to our LFS guy and described the whole thing to him and also added the fact that we have lots of "bugs" floating in the water that look like dandruff. He told me not to worry and that they are actually more likely to be beneficial copepods than microbubbles, and that some bubbles in the water are actually a good thing.

So I'm probably being over-critical of the whole thing...but will probably try a few of the "easier" solutions like the 90 on the pump intake and t's on the drains.

Also...hey sid, where is a good place in Spokane to get the plexi...and "could"
I use it to build my own custom sump as a "project"??

Thanks again
 
I'd try any of the local glass shops and I don't seen why you couldn't build a sump as long as you did a lil' research before hand. Make sure you research what thickness of plexi you'd need first. I do think you'd be better off going with glass though...but what do I know...lol. Not much, when it comes to sumps actually.
 
personally, i would just buy a filtersock and holder for each return!!! i have two filtersocks at the end of my drains..i don't have any microbubbles!!!! this is very cheap and easy, and also a good way to remove detritus!!!!
 
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