I am about to pull my hear out! I joined the ARC a couple weeks ago and am in my 2nd week of cycling my first reef tank. I have a 75 gallon tank with about a 20 gallon sump. I am now having horrible micro bubbles that I just can't stop from entering the display. I am using a filter sock and a Mag model 7 return pump in the sump. I was not running a protein skimmer when the bubbles started but I did put a reef octopus in the sump today. I was thinking about calling a LFS to come help me figure this out but I began to wonder if an expert on ARC lives near Flowery Branch. I would appreciate any help someone might be able to give. Hard to enjoy the main display with the "sandstorm" look.
Anyone near Flowery Branch to help our a new member
- Thread starter brianw
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Thanks for the quick response guys! I thought the same about the return level but I probably have 4 inches above the pump. The pump even has a sponge on the end as well but the bubbles coming to it are very small and I guess it does not stop them. I have also been working with George at Pure Reef about this and he has been awesome. He had me replace the elbow at the top of the return in the overflow just before it comes out the return heads. We thought that perhaps we were getting a vortex at that point. I replaced the sock today to see if that might help but it seems to be even worse now that I did that and put the skimmer in the sump.
Thanks Budsreef! I have enjoyed putting this together. This is my first issue. I am sure I will have more. I'm not too frustrated. I just can't seem to figure out a way to stop it. I am not at the house today but I will post some pictures tomorrow when it is light and you can see more. I do see some problem areas and I will take pictures and point them out. I guess based on my experience level I just don't know what to do about the problem. Thanks for the help! This site is truly valuable. Best reef investment I have made to date.
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If you don't figure it out by Tuesday, I will come help out. Do you have baffles in the sump? If you have baffles, do you have a foam filter box in them?
Here are some pictures. I probably should have listed one more of the display tank but I can tell you it looks like a dust storm with all kinds of micro bubbles. I suspect there is something I can do with the overflow input into the sump. It is very loud and is where I believe a lot of the bubbles are coming from even with a sock.
Edit: Jimknutson...Thanks for the offer...I will keep you updated.
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Edit: Jimknutson...Thanks for the offer...I will keep you updated.
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How about a shot of the return chamber from the front just like the third picture down that shows the left side? I doubt the problem is on the left side where the filter sock is. It has to be how the water is flowing into the return chamber.
Sorry Budsreef... The stand has a middle partition between the doors where this is located and I can't seem to get a good heads on view of the 3rd chamber. I nearly flooded the stand trying. I tried to move it and disconnected the input line from the sump. I wish I could get that too but we may have to use the side picture of the 3rd chamber and word of mouth to describe it. I can tell you that I put a bubble trap material just above the lip going into the return chamber and also put the prefilter on the mag 7 pump.
Okay, here's my suggestion. Raise the water level in the sump, Turn the protein skimmer up(the lower it is dialed down, the more micro-bubbles!) and make sure the water level in the pump chamber is fairly high!
Edit: I keep my skimmer dialed up to the "max" line!
Edit: I keep my skimmer dialed up to the "max" line!
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I can not say for sure, but are all your components new? I have heard that new plumbing can give off a lot of bubbles, and after 2-4 weeks of water running through it, they should be reduced greatly. Something about bacteria, or slime coating the walls.
