Please help stop the Bubbles

[jeffandlinda]

100 gal Sump refuge (I know overkill)
Ran it for a month before hooking into the main 125 reef tank.

Sump has a used little giant pump for the return but is making a lot of micro bubbles. I mean a lot of bubbles. I am trying to narrow it down. Could it be the pump propeller? Please look at the pictures and let me know what you think I may be doing wrong or call me.. I am really flustered ,PO , and scared ...Jeff 360-679-8801

Pictures
1. intake to pump 2" to 1"
2. pump house
3. pump house
4. lines going into house threw wall
5. lines from overflow

 

[jeffandlinda]

more pictures
1. Lines from pump with 4 nozzles
2. Cpr overflow
3. Bubbles....

Everything seems to be working great and as it should but the bubbles are killing me..

 

[diverdick]

One way to get bubbles for sure is to have a small leak on the suction side of the pump. The smallest leak there would result in terrible micro bubbles and you may not be able to tell where.

just a thought,

-Rich

 

[james734]

There's got to be a small leak or something on the return pump causing it to act like a skimmer venturi. It doesn't look like it's coming from the sump IE: Skimmer or anything like that. It looks like the return from the pump is tee'd off to something. Is that the case? Where does it go?

Edit: Never mind on the Tee thing. I looked at another picture that shows the return line better.

Edit2: Is there anything on the input side /suction side that could be pulling in air.

 

[Scooterman]

First off I like big sumps, heck a 100g sump on a 10g nano would be super IMO
Finding your micro bubble problem is like finding a needle in a haystack from on-line photos. Start off with isolating as much as you can, block off any lines you can, shut down skimmer & maybe if your lucky the micro bubbles will stop. If not then at least you've eliminated those parts isolated. I've had leaks on the outlet of pumps before & had no ill effects as in micro bubbles, not saying impossible but most probably as mentioned it would be on the suction side. Messy you would make up a bottle sprayer of RO water & spray the lines at the fittings connections and see if you can find it that way, this will require lots of water & probably an extra eye to see even the slightest change in bubbles. You may be able to submerge fittings in a plastic bowl of RO to see better results. You may want to try electrical tape on all of the fittings connections & see if you can find it that way or plumbers puddy in the conncetions, another long & drawn out process. Worst case make a bubble trap in the sumps last stage & hope it isn't the pump. Just a few suggestions, I'm sure with a close eye you can find it. Sorry probably not much help but maybe a few ideas will help.

 

[jeffandlinda]

There's got to be a small leak or something on the return pump causing it to act like a skimmer venturi. It doesn't look like it's coming from the sump IE: Skimmer or anything like that. It looks like the return from the pump is tee'd off to something. Is that the case? Where does it go?

Edit: Never mind on the Tee thing. I looked at another picture that shows the return line better.

Edit2: Is there anything on the input side /suction side that could be pulling in air.

I think you are on to something. I went and checked and resealed a few things on the suction side and it has slowed the bubbles down a lot. Is it true on new line I might get some bubbles but after a few weeks the lines will get a slim buildup and I won't get as much.. Thanks for the help I've been itching to get this hooked up for sometime.

 

[Scooterman]

You can glue the connections from the outside & it will seal them up, use primer though. Guess I should of said that first huh LOL

 

[james734]

Also noticed the the input side of the pipe if coming down and into the pump is there any way to come straight out of the sump and into the pump via bulkhead and removing this. It looks like the pump having to suck water up then it flows down into the pump. This water flow could be causing some extra turbulence and creating the bubbles.

This looks like what you have. Can you get something that looks more like what I have? Straight out of sump into input side of pump.

I think this might be your problem. The pump is having to create a suction to pull water in which is causing some cavitation in the pump and creating the bubbles.

 

[jeffandlinda]

Also noticed the the input side of the pipe if coming down and into the pump is there any way to come straight out of the sump and into the pump via bulkhead and removing this. It looks like the pump having to suck water up then it flows down into the pump. This water flow could be causing some extra turbulence and creating the bubbles.

This looks like what you have. Can you get something that looks more like what I have? Straight out of sump into input side of pump.

I think this might be your problem. The pump is having to create a suction to pull water in which is causing some cavitation in the pump and creating the bubbles.

Thats a really good idea but I would have to drain it to drill it. Is there a good drop in pump I could use ?

 

[Scooterman]

you ca use an Eheim pump, they are very reliable, quiet & produce little heat & comparing to the LG quite would be a big difference.

 

[james734]

There's a lot of pumps out there.. How much flow are you looking for? Eheim pumps are great, Mags are okay also. Just all depends. Things to look at are not only the flow of the pump but head loss also. You might be able to get a pump that has a lot of GPH but won't push water up 5 feet. If it was me I'd just stick with the Little Giant and drain the sump and put a bulkhead in it. Of course I also don't have a 100g sump .

 

[jeffandlinda]

There's a lot of pumps out there.. How much flow are you looking for? Eheim pumps are great, Mags are okay also. Just all depends. Things to look at are not only the flow of the pump but head loss also. You might be able to get a pump that has a lot of GPH but won't push water up 5 feet. If it was me I'd just stick with the Little Giant and drain the sump and put a bulkhead in it. Of course I also don't have a 100g sump .

Thanks I will see what happens this weekend when I have more time to check for seal problems. The Little giant is model# 3-MDQX-SC 1175 GPH. Seems to do fine for the tank.

 

[james734]

Sounds good. If you want to continue to look at internal pumps here's some numbers for you.

Your LG is probably around 900 or so GPH assuming about 6ft of head loss. So I'd look for something comparable to that. The Eheim 1262 is going to give you about 700 GPH @ 6'. A Mag12 (1200) would be probably more or less closer to the flow you already have.

Hope you figure this out.

 

[jeffandlinda]

So Far I think I have it fixed. Almost no bubbles and the fish and coral look happy. It seems like the fitting closest to the intake of the pump had a leak. Thanks for all the help...

 

[james734]

Good, Good..