Ways to reduce microbubbles from a skimmer on a already running sump?

[Baldwin]

Anyone have any ideas? I really don't want to have to take the system offline and put in acrylic pieces to catch the bubbles, but if I have to I will. If I do have to do that how long do you have to let the silicone dry before putting the system back online?

[nanojg]

1 day should be good enough for dyring

Try putting an elbow, facing down on your return pump so that it will suck water up from the bottom of the sump (air bubbles go to the top)

[tkeracer619]

You don't need to turn off the system.

You can get a piece of acrylic and cut some vinyl tubing down the long way and wrap it around the sides of the acrylic. The tubing will hold the baffle in place as long as it does not hold water back.

[barrettrhoades]

You can have your skimmer flow into a tupperware filled with live rock rubble. You should be able to find any size of tupperware at a local store to fit your space. I use one for my drain lines to flow into. I cut holes in it for the water to flow into, and then some small holes in the bottom.

[Baldwin]

All these ideas are good one, my problem here is that I have the SWC 300A skimmer, and it is in a 40 breeder sump (which is not very spacious). I don't have a whole lot of room to work with. I put a filter sock on the end of the skimmer outlet to stop the air bubbles, but it seems to effect the skimmer from working properly, and it also doesn't fix the problem 100 percent, more like 50 percent.

[tkeracer619]

What if you lower the water level in the sump so that the water exiting the skimmer crashes to the sump water.

This has always helped me reduce micro bubbles as they seem to break into larger ones.

A sock on that skimmer is not going to work too well.

I would try the baffle and the 90 elbow on the intake of the return pump.

A 300a in a 40 breeder is definitly not a lot of room to work with ^^. Awesome skimmer

[Baldwin]

yeah, it is awesome. I just wish i could turn it on! The bubbles are driving me crazy so I have it off. The elbow trick wont work either because I have two internal pumps running the tank. Can someone explain the baffle better to me again? Is it basically like installing a removable bubble trap? if so wouldn't the microbubbles still get through the cracks?

[tkeracer619]

Originally Posted by Baldwin

yeah, it is awesome. I just wish i could turn it on! The bubbles are driving me crazy so I have it off. The elbow trick wont work either because I have two internal pumps running the tank. Can someone explain the baffle better to me again? Is it basically like installing a removable bubble trap? if so wouldn't the microbubbles still get through the cracks?

Not if you do it right. You can use tubing or they sell this weather stripping that works well also. Basically you rubberize the sides of the baffle some how and install it in the sump forcing any bubbles to have to travel down to the bottom before being sucked into the return pumps.

You can put elbows on submersible pumps. I have done it many times.

Your other option is to remove the sump and redo it properly.

[nanojg]

I dont understand why you can't put elbows on your return pump?

[KafudaFish]

PVC pipe fence with holes on the bottom only. Bubbles and water hit the fence, the velocity slows down and bubbles float and pop.

[printedpaper]

I dump my skimmer return into a piece of 4 inch PVC about 8 inches tall. Same idea as Kafudafish, the water and bubbles rise to the top and pop. You could also try to slow the return and increase the sump volume. Maybe run just 1 return pump and use a powerhead or two for you display flow.

[Baldwin]

I kind of like the idea of the 4 inch pvc, maybe i could do that, and then put my return pumps in a piece as well. It might work even better if I put a piece of filterpad sticking out of the top of the water around the top edge of the pvc. I think I will try this, thanks for all the ideas everyone.