Ever expanding

[tony_caliente]

air bubble in syphon tubes. Does any one know how to cure this? Thank you.

 

[weaglereefer]

Water is not flowing fast enough or too fast. If it's too slow the small bubbles can't be carried through the tube and collect at the top. If it's too fast, there is splashing in the overflow box hanging in the tank creating excess bubbles.

This was my experience, anyways.

 

[acroholic]

Yup...not enough flow in the tube. If you can increase flow you'll probably solve your problem, but a short term fix is to get a length of airline tubing and when you get some air in there, snake the airline into the U tube to the top and suck the air out.

Ultimately, Tony, your best bet is to go reef ready with a drilled tank if you ever upgrade.

 

[tony_caliente]

Ah..yes, yes. I did cut down on my flow. I will bump it. Gracias mi amigos. I have overflow boxes. Thanks folks!

 

[tony_caliente]

I won't tell you how much saltwater I drank yesterday! I experiemnted will all lenghths of tubing. Seems like part of the fun:yuk:

Acroholic;560584 wrote: Yup...not enough flow in the tube. If you can increase flow you'll probably solve your problem, but a short term fix is to get a length of airline tubing and when you get some air in there, snake the airline into the U tube to the top and suck the air out.

Ultimately, Tony, your best bet is to go reef ready with a drilled tank if you ever upgrade.

 

[acroholic]

You have other options besides a drilled tank. If I remember correctly, a company called CPR Aquatic makes a HOB overflow called the Continuous Siphon Overflow. It is not a round tube, but a wide acrylic rectangular tube that is not supposed to lose siphon.

Website:

 

[weaglereefer]

So, easiest way I've figured out is to snake the tube up through there from the front, over the bend but not into the water in the back of the box. Suck on the tube and pull it slightly as you see the water level rising in the tube. When it gets near the top, be more slow and deliberate sucking the air out (cover the end with your tounge or bite down on the end to keep air from going back into the tube). The water should flow a bit (return pump off, mind you) and equal out and a bubble will settle at the top. Keep pulling the tube back out the front and suck the last big bubble out. Pull the tube out but don't lose suction, and you should be left with, at most a few tiny bubbles that will go away when the return pump is switched back on.

 

[weaglereefer]

Acroholic;560594 wrote: You have other options besides a drilled tank. If I remember correctly, a company called CPR Aquatic makes a HOB overflow called the Continuous Siphon Overflow. It is not a round tube, but a wide acrylic rectangular tube that is not supposed to lose siphon.

Website: http://www.cpraquatic.com/index2.html">http://www.cpraquatic.com/index2.html</a>[/QUOTE]


I've heard many horror stories with those when the Aqualifter dies.

A properly set up and maintained U-tube overflow will not lose siphon. It just won't, it's gravity and physics...

 

[tony_caliente]

25 years ago when I was making wet / drys. They had a great flow rate!

Acroholic;560594 wrote: You have other options besides a drilled tank. If I remember correctly, a company called CPR Aquatic makes a HOB overflow called the Continuous Siphon Overflow. It is not a round tube, but a wide acrylic rectangular tube that is not supposed to lose siphon.

Website:

 

[tony_caliente]

I reduced my flow the other day and that probably contributed to it. I am testing it now. Thank you.

au01st;560596 wrote: So, easiest way I've figured out is to snake the tube up through there from the front, over the bend but not into the water in the back of the box. Suck on the tube and pull it slightly as you see the water level rising in the tube. When it gets near the top, be more slow and deliberate sucking the air out (cover the end with your tounge or bite down on the end to keep air from going back into the tube). The water should flow a bit (return pump off, mind you) and equal out and a bubble will settle at the top. Keep pulling the tube back out the front and suck the last big bubble out. Pull the tube out but don't lose suction, and you should be left with, at most a few tiny bubbles that will go away when the return pump is switched back on.

 

[acroholic]

au01st;560598 wrote: I've heard many horror stories with those when the Aqualifter dies.

I had heard they were good, but who knows? I haven't used a HOB overflow for 18 years.