Bubbles

[osidefish]

Stupid question but I have tons and tons of air bubbles in my tank is there something I am doing wrong? Something I can do to get rid of them?

It is rather annoying to have all of them clinging to the front of the tank so you can't even see inside.

[nalbar]

if they are coming from your fuge you need a bubble trap. these are usually call 'micro-bubbles.

if they are coming from your tank (sand, rock, etc.) it's a gas reaction from all the recent changes and will slowly subside.



nalbar

[osidefish]

Coming from the rio in the sump.

The bubble trap goes on the end of the duckbill or inline with the plumbing?

[nalbar]

well the rio is picking the air up somewhere. likely from where the water spills into the pump chamber. THAT is where the bubble trap would go. once the air hits the pump its under pressure and you are doomed.


nalbar

[osidefish]

Ahh ok I am seeing why it's because I took the bio-balls out of the sump so the water drops pretty far and churns up before the pump can take it up.

[nalbar]

oh yes, that would do it. replace the bio's with some filter pad. that will help. just make sure to change the pad OFTEN. maybe once a week. otherwise it will become a nitrate collection point like the bio's.


nalbar

[nalbar]

another way is to add more water to your sump so the water does not fall as far.

if you can. i did both on mine.



nalbar

[MrKrispy]

is a bubble trap something pre-made? Or just a screen in front of a fuge outflow?

[nalbar]

a bubble trap can be anything. a wall in your sump followed by a wall an inch of the bottom.. a clothe sack. a roll of filter pad. a sponge over your pump intake. a bend in a pipe. anything that traps bubbles.

i have plenty of micro bubbles in my tank but they dont bother me as much as they seem to bother others. in fact, i consider them a good thing. i guess that comes from my FW days.


nalbar

[SDRotary]

here is a link showing a diy sump with baffles. Hope it helps. I just made one on my 29g sump and hoping it works well.

http://www.melevsreef.com/what_sump.html

Look at the three baffles after the overflow pipe before the fuge/pump.

[nalbar]

i have that EXACT setup and get micro bubbles. that one would be worse because of the waterfall into the pump chamber. the waterfall creates turbulance right on top of the pump. the water in the pump chamber has to be higher to avoid bubbles. i also keep a filter pad right down by the 'off floor' divider.


nalbar