Another Microbubble / Plumbing problem

[bigwavereef]

Set up my sump about 2 weeks ago and I'm having a microbubble problem unless I dial back my ball valve significantly. I'm pretty sure the culprit is my return line to the DT and I had a leaking ball valve but just fixed that with some teflon tape & clamps around the vinyl hose/ barbs, which slightly improved the problem but didn't fix it entirely.


Here's my setup-

30 gal long with eschopps pf300 overflow w/ 1" flex tube to 20 gal tall sump w/ return section,baffles & small refugium & chateo section, then return section.


I'm using a mag 5 which has a 1/2 output but i ordered a 3/4-1" u tube hangover return and found it impossible to find a female 1/2" to male 3/4" adapter at every hardware store you could imagine....

so I set it up with a 1/2'' female barb to a double male 1/2" - 3/4" adapter to a ball valve to the return line. I think remember reading somewhere you should keep the return line the same size all the way up and I'm assuming this is the problem. Can anyone chime in here?

thanks

[bigwavereef]

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