View Full Version : Micro bubbles
outtafocus
10-26-2005, 11:13 PM
Micro bubbles seem to continue to flow through my bubbletrap and get pumped back up to my display tank.
I believe the speed the water is forced to move through my sump drags the bubbles through my trap.
I know this isnt a huge issue, but I would like to eliminate this distraction from my display.
I have heard that a 100 micron filter bag or sock should stop most of the bubbles. Has anyone one had any experience with using one for this purpose?
I have only been able to find 100 micron filter pads, but I have also only looked in two shops, any idea on where to find these socks?
Does any one know of another solution?
trilinearmipmap
10-26-2005, 11:51 PM
The speed of the water through your baffles will depend on the spacing between the baffles. Narrower baffle spacing = faster flow = more bubbles. If you and modify your sump baffles, make the upflowing area between baffles narrower than the downflowing area between baffles. Water will flow up fast, then slow down to go down between baffles, the bubble will go to the surface.
vanreefer
10-26-2005, 11:59 PM
Do you have baffles setup in the sump... if so they may be too close together ie water flowing too quickly through them it may take the bubbles with it
Just a thought
Dan
outtafocus
10-27-2005, 12:44 AM
The baffles are in an over-under-over configuration. They are spaced 1" apart, this spacing I got from Melevsreef.com as this was the spacing he uses with great success.
I have the water level in my return section, sitting about an 1 1/2" below my last baffle, so the water falls into this section, should I have the water level with the top of the baffle?
vanreefer
10-28-2005, 05:27 AM
Just to be clear.... the water flows under the first baffle then over the second and under the third... is this the way they are setup?.... this is the prefered method... there are few to no bubbles in the water as it passes under the 3rd baffle thus decreasing the number of bubbles that are returned to the display tank.
Most of the bubbles are likely a result of the water falling 1 1/2" ...raising the water level to almost even with the final baffle should decrease the number of bubbles... but you will still get more bubbles than the under-over-under baffle configuration
HTH
Dan
untamed
10-28-2005, 09:37 PM
I would assume that the optimum spacing of the baffles is unique to every setup. 1" may work well for Melev, but your situation might be different due to the width/depth of the sump and the flow rate of your return pump.
outtafocus
10-31-2005, 01:29 AM
I contacted Marc of Melevsreef and this was his response.
Yes, I use 1" between the bubble trap baffles. If you prefer 1.5", that works too. The center baffle is 1.5" off the base of the sump.
Odds are your problem is too much flow through the sump. The return pump should only move 3 to 5 times the volume of the display tank. Since your sump is a cube, I have to imagine that the tank is small. Add to that is the fact that your sump isn't long laterally, so airbubbles don't have time to rise and pop. Did you put a corner bubble tower in your sump, to trap the bubbles before they even enter the water in the first place?
Marc
I am going to assemble a bubble tower similar to Marcs designs and try that out. For the time being I will just turn down my return pump and see what affect I get.
Yeah, my sump is like Marc's F-design, with the corner bubble tower. I still got crazy bubbles in my display tank.
I choked back the return pump quite a bit, but i still get noticeable bubbles.
I've been experimenting with this leftover piece of acrylic I have, that's sorta like a C-shape. I put it around the intake of my return pump, to sort of shield it from the bubbles falling into the middle section of the sump. It sort of helps.
bluetang
10-31-2005, 05:37 PM
I have Fluval foam cut to size in between my baffels and it cuts out all returning bubbles. Just take the foam out once a month for a cleaning.
Rob
Yeah, I put some foam on my baffles too. But yes, stuff does get caught in them (therefore you have a mini nitrate factory going), plus it slows the flow a lot, so that the water level in the section before the baffles is raised.
So i took them out...
I have Fluval foam cut to size in between my baffels and it cuts out all returning bubbles. Just take the foam out once a month for a cleaning.
Rob
Abbyreefer
10-31-2005, 07:07 PM
I had the same problem as my return was more like 7-8 x the display tank water volume and have my baffels spaced out 1 inch appart. WHat I did to reduce the mico bubbles substantially was in the baffel side where the return is I bought a box (2 pads) of the fluval 404 filter pads and put them inside the 1 inch baffel and on the opposite side where my skimmer and line in from the tank baffel is I put 2 smaller bags of carbon and the rest of the filter pad and viola bit of carbon to the system and pretty much no more mocro bubbles
Good luck.
PS - check to make sure you dont have any air getting into your return lines that could be a major problem as well that would be easily fixed.
________
Honda CRF100 (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Honda_CRF100)
outtafocus
11-02-2005, 03:23 AM
Marc sent me a really good and simple idea to help with microbubles.
Get a piece of 2" PVC that is 11" long, and stand it up in the corner of the sump where the skimmer is. Put your drain into that pipe, so that it is submerged no more than 1" into that pipe. The bubbles will mostly be in that pipe. Water will overflow the pipe and fall 2" to the skimmer section water height.
If you prefer, drill a bunch of 1/2" holes in one end of the PVC pipe, so that the bottom 2" is well perforated. Now fill it up with bits of live rock rubble, and the water will pour through the rock and very few bubbles will come out of the pipe.
Make sure the skimmer's output is facing away from the bubble trap, so any microbubbles have to travel around the skimmer to get to the bubble trap.
Marc
The length of the PVC depends on the depth of your sump.
Yeah, that's basically like the 'corner bubble tower' concept in his sump designs. Getting a separate 2" pipe 'tower' is the quick way if you dont already have a corner bubble tower (which I do).
Unfortunately, a lot of microbubbles still come out of it...
Marc sent me a really good and simple idea to help with microbubles.
Get a piece of 2" PVC that is 11" long, and stand it up in the corner of the sump where the skimmer is. Put your drain into that pipe, so that it is submerged no more than 1" into that pipe. The bubbles will mostly be in that pipe. Water will overflow the pipe and fall 2" to the skimmer section water height.
If you prefer, drill a bunch of 1/2" holes in one end of the PVC pipe, so that the bottom 2" is well perforated. Now fill it up with bits of live rock rubble, and the water will pour through the rock and very few bubbles will come out of the pipe.
Make sure the skimmer's output is facing away from the bubble trap, so any microbubbles have to travel around the skimmer to get to the bubble trap.
Marc
The length of the PVC depends on the depth of your sump.
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