How important is a bubble trap in a sump?

mash2k · 01/09/2008, 12:10 PM

How important is a bubble trap in a sump? I ask because I am setting up a 30 gallon long as a sump/refugium for my 75 gallon reef tank. On my last reef, I just built my partitions and had no buble trap at all. I also had absolutely NO microbubbles in my display tank.

Please elaborate with any thoughts you may have. I am still unsure whether i will add a bubble trap or not to my sump.

Thanks

AquaReeferMan · 01/09/2008, 12:19 PM

I used to have a 30g long as a sump for my 125g. I just sectioned it off with no bubble traps either. I never had any bubble problem. If you didnt have any issues before, I think you will be fine this time around too.

mash2k · 01/09/2008, 12:27 PM

I hear you. I had to ask because I am essentially starting from scratch on my new 75. I don't want to have to do any construction once I get water in it.

Seems like every website I look at for DIY sumps say to install the bubble trap; 2 down, 1 up, with an inch of separation between pieces of glass.

I was planning to use a big piece of PVC with holes drilled in it to accept the drain water from my display tank. I saw the idea a while back from a thread called "Ghetto Beauty" that a guy had done. His setup was beautifully simplistic.

AquaReeferMan · 01/09/2008, 12:38 PM

Yeah, I mean I am not telling to not to do it but I didnt and hadnt had any issues for the year I was using it. Either way its a sump and it will be benefiting your tank bubble trap or not.

LobsterOfJustice · 01/09/2008, 12:51 PM

It depends a lot on the type of skimmer you are using IMO. If you skimmer isn't putting out that many bubbles, dont worry about it. I wouldnt dream of not having baffles with my beckett though.

Genral72 · 01/09/2008, 12:59 PM

I had problems for a while but some clever placement of the pump fixed the problem.

mash2k · 01/09/2008, 01:42 PM

I just bought the Octopus Extreme 150 to put in the sump. Hopefully there will be little to no bubbles expelled back into the sump water.

driftin · 01/09/2008, 01:45 PM

I really think it's dependent on the rest of the sump design. I just pulled my baffles out of my sump because there were no bubbles to trap, and the baffles were using up valuable space.

silvers · 01/09/2008, 01:53 PM

If you have a auto top off to keep your water leval consistant for your skimmer and dont have micro bubble problems there is no issue. I did not put baffles in my sump and I am kicking myself now though but I run a PM bullet-2 beckett and have a micro bubble issue that I was stuped enougph to look over when setting up.

curthendrix · 01/09/2008, 02:11 PM

Any trap that draws water/bubbles downward creates more issues than it solves imo. If you're going to use a baffle I would design it so water runs over it..not under. I have found keeping the bubbles near the surface and drawing my return near the bottom is the best design.

AquaKnight · 01/09/2008, 02:46 PM

Worse comes to worst, you can always rig some in there. Because my 125's sump is rubbermaid, there's no baffles, but I did have microbubble issue, so I laid two sheets of acrylic on top of the return pump and it solved them.

01/09/2008, 12:10 PM	#1
mash2k Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 239	How important is a bubble trap in a sump? How important is a bubble trap in a sump? I ask because I am setting up a 30 gallon long as a sump/refugium for my 75 gallon reef tank. On my last reef, I just built my partitions and had no buble trap at all. I also had absolutely NO microbubbles in my display tank. Please elaborate with any thoughts you may have. I am still unsure whether i will add a bubble trap or not to my sump. Thanks __________________ 75G AGA Reef; Octopus Extreme 150 Skimmer;30G Sump/Refugium; 2 HQI MH 150w 14k Pendants; Phosban Reactor; UV Clarifier; lot's o' chaeto! Current Tank Info: 75 gallon reef

01/09/2008, 12:19 PM	#2
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	I used to have a 30g long as a sump for my 125g. I just sectioned it off with no bubble traps either. I never had any bubble problem. If you didnt have any issues before, I think you will be fine this time around too. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

01/09/2008, 12:27 PM	#3
mash2k Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 239	I hear you. I had to ask because I am essentially starting from scratch on my new 75. I don't want to have to do any construction once I get water in it. Seems like every website I look at for DIY sumps say to install the bubble trap; 2 down, 1 up, with an inch of separation between pieces of glass. I was planning to use a big piece of PVC with holes drilled in it to accept the drain water from my display tank. I saw the idea a while back from a thread called "Ghetto Beauty" that a guy had done. His setup was beautifully simplistic. __________________ 75G AGA Reef; Octopus Extreme 150 Skimmer;30G Sump/Refugium; 2 HQI MH 150w 14k Pendants; Phosban Reactor; UV Clarifier; lot's o' chaeto! Current Tank Info: 75 gallon reef

01/09/2008, 12:38 PM	#4
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	Yeah, I mean I am not telling to not to do it but I didnt and hadnt had any issues for the year I was using it. Either way its a sump and it will be benefiting your tank bubble trap or not. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

01/09/2008, 12:51 PM	#5
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	It depends a lot on the type of skimmer you are using IMO. If you skimmer isn't putting out that many bubbles, dont worry about it. I wouldnt dream of not having baffles with my beckett though. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

01/09/2008, 12:59 PM	#6
Genral72 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 118	I had problems for a while but some clever placement of the pump fixed the problem. __________________ Any fool learns from his own mistakes, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Life is not a test, it's an opportunity Current Tank Info: 75 gallon w/ 37 g gallon fuge/propagation tank 4X54 watt T5 HO's mostly softies right now.

01/09/2008, 01:42 PM	#7
mash2k Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 239	I just bought the Octopus Extreme 150 to put in the sump. Hopefully there will be little to no bubbles expelled back into the sump water. __________________ 75G AGA Reef; Octopus Extreme 150 Skimmer;30G Sump/Refugium; 2 HQI MH 150w 14k Pendants; Phosban Reactor; UV Clarifier; lot's o' chaeto! Current Tank Info: 75 gallon reef

01/09/2008, 01:45 PM	#8
driftin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,247	I really think it's dependent on the rest of the sump design. I just pulled my baffles out of my sump because there were no bubbles to trap, and the baffles were using up valuable space. __________________ -Jim Current Tank Info: 70 gal custom room divider

01/09/2008, 01:53 PM	#9
silvers Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ga Posts: 356	If you have a auto top off to keep your water leval consistant for your skimmer and dont have micro bubble problems there is no issue. I did not put baffles in my sump and I am kicking myself now though but I run a PM bullet-2 beckett and have a micro bubble issue that I was stuped enougph to look over when setting up. __________________ Lord knows Im weak wont somebody get me off this reef-Sublime Current Tank Info: 120g

01/09/2008, 02:11 PM	#10
curthendrix Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tulsa Posts: 758	Any trap that draws water/bubbles downward creates more issues than it solves imo. If you're going to use a baffle I would design it so water runs over it..not under. I have found keeping the bubbles near the surface and drawing my return near the bottom is the best design. __________________ Curt Current Tank Info: 500g inwall

01/09/2008, 02:46 PM	#11
AquaKnight Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Emerald Coast Posts: 2,030	Worse comes to worst, you can always rig some in there. Because my 125's sump is rubbermaid, there's no baffles, but I did have microbubble issue, so I laid two sheets of acrylic on top of the return pump and it solved them.