Bubble trap with pipes?

Palting · 08/13/2010, 10:35 AM

I saw a post here in the recent past about a DIY drain bubble trap using varying sizes of PVC and elbows. It was more of a response to quieting a sump drain. I can't find it now.

Anyway, I am constructing a drain from an external refugium into my sump. I am achieving a moderate amount of success based on my recollection of the principles, but I know somewhere out here is someone with a diagram of the perfect set-up to quiet a drain and trap bubbles with PVC pipes.

Thanks in advance!!

Palting · 08/13/2010, 07:32 PM

No one? Nada?

I took a 2" T, with 1" reducers at both ends. Connected one end to the 1" drain PVC, and a 1" elbow at the other end. Slowed the flow down within the 2" T, allowing the big bubbles to pop and the air escapes off the top of the T. Works with slower flow, but higher flow causes microbubbles to still come out of the end.

Maybe I'll make a plastic box and put little baffles in it, like a mini sump bubble trap, palce it in the sump and connect the drain to it.

C'mon, guys. Any better ideas? Someone has to have done something like this before.

qfrisco · 08/18/2010, 02:01 PM

I've done one with PVC and some of that piping they use for french drains.

Here's a pic:

And a diagram of how I put it together:

It's basically an over-under bubble trap. The bubble-filled water comes in from the overflow drain and into the larger-sized PVC. Since the larger-sized PVC is flush to the bottom of the sump, any bubbles rise to the top (though in reality, some still escape). The holes drilled into the larger-sized PVC aid in letting the bubble-filled water out.

The french drain pipe holds the bubble-filled water and gives the bubbles a chance to pop. You can see from the picture above how much of the bubbles are trapped. Bubble-free water then escapes through the 1" cutouts in the bottom of the french drain pipe.

Hope that helps!

Palting · 08/18/2010, 02:43 PM

That's pretty cool!. Thanks. I may give that idea a whirl.

08/13/2010, 10:35 AM	#1
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Bubble trap with pipes? I saw a post here in the recent past about a DIY drain bubble trap using varying sizes of PVC and elbows. It was more of a response to quieting a sump drain. I can't find it now. Anyway, I am constructing a drain from an external refugium into my sump. I am achieving a moderate amount of success based on my recollection of the principles, but I know somewhere out here is someone with a diagram of the perfect set-up to quiet a drain and trap bubbles with PVC pipes. Thanks in advance!! __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

08/13/2010, 07:32 PM	#2
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	No one? Nada? I took a 2" T, with 1" reducers at both ends. Connected one end to the 1" drain PVC, and a 1" elbow at the other end. Slowed the flow down within the 2" T, allowing the big bubbles to pop and the air escapes off the top of the T. Works with slower flow, but higher flow causes microbubbles to still come out of the end. Maybe I'll make a plastic box and put little baffles in it, like a mini sump bubble trap, palce it in the sump and connect the drain to it. C'mon, guys. Any better ideas? Someone has to have done something like this before. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

08/18/2010, 02:43 PM	#4
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	That's pretty cool!. Thanks. I may give that idea a whirl. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

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08/18/2010, 02:01 PM	#3
qfrisco Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dallas, TX Area Posts: 1,389	I've done one with PVC and some of that piping they use for french drains. Here's a pic: And a diagram of how I put it together: It's basically an over-under bubble trap. The bubble-filled water comes in from the overflow drain and into the larger-sized PVC. Since the larger-sized PVC is flush to the bottom of the sump, any bubbles rise to the top (though in reality, some still escape). The holes drilled into the larger-sized PVC aid in letting the bubble-filled water out. The french drain pipe holds the bubble-filled water and gives the bubbles a chance to pop. You can see from the picture above how much of the bubbles are trapped. Bubble-free water then escapes through the 1" cutouts in the bottom of the french drain pipe. Hope that helps!