Micro bubbles in my tank

bmasculine · 05/30/2014, 06:33 AM

Ok so I just finished the build on my 185 bow front and I've been cycling it for a few days now and I'm getting a ton micro bubbles in the display tank. I'm positive that they're coming from my skimmer, where it returns back to the sump there is a ton of bubbles. There's so many it makes the water look cloudy in the tank, if I turn the skimmer off it'll clear up in about 5 min. Is this something I'm just gonna have to live with?

bmasculine · 05/30/2014, 06:37 AM

I have a precision marine bullet series skimmer here is a pic.

bmasculine · 05/30/2014, 06:39 AM

Here's where it returns

bmasculine · 05/30/2014, 06:41 AM

This is the display tank

bmasculine · 05/30/2014, 06:42 AM

One more of my tank

Wazzel · 05/30/2014, 06:45 AM

If the skimmer is brand new it will take a while for it to break in and function properly. I think mine took 2 weeks before it stopped discharging micro bubbles.

myram · 05/30/2014, 06:51 AM

Do you have a bubble baffle between the skimmer and the return pump?

And like was already said, a new skimmer will take a couple of weeks to "break-in", then the bubbles will be reduced.

bmasculine · 05/30/2014, 07:25 AM

No I haven't put any kind of a baffle in. Could I install that right where it discharges

myram · 05/30/2014, 07:51 AM

The bubble baffle is 3 plates of glass that are spaced about 1" apart, 2 on the bottom of the tank, and the middle 1" off the bottom. It forces the water to go over - under - over.......making the bubble pop in the process. They are siliconed in place so no water gets by and they can't move.

If you don't have one installed between where your skimmer comes back to the sump and your return pump.............you will always have bubbles in your tank.

bmasculine · 05/30/2014, 08:17 AM

Thanks for the replies, maybe just something I'll have to live with for now. Maybe check into different skimmer setup eventually.... Or now. Lol

myram · 05/30/2014, 05:53 PM

A bubble baffle is something you have to install before getting water in the sump, the silicone has to set up.

They work great, I get no bubbles at all in my tank.

bmasculine · 05/31/2014, 08:40 AM

Yeah I got this sump and skimmer setup used for a great price, so I was trying to run it same way as the previous owner. However I'm seeing that there are a few major problems with the way he had this thing setup. First thing I encountered was the huge amount of micro bubbles in the display tank, & no baffle, 2nd I can't seem to control the water level in the skimmer no matter how many adjustments I've made. I think this is do to the fact that the return line returns back to the sump below the water level(terrible idea). So if my sump drops about 1/4" it stops skimming if it comes up 1/4" it overflows. Found that out this morning! So I'm thinking of getting a different skimmer setup.

cwschoon · 06/01/2014, 08:05 PM

I just put in a JNS VS 1. HOB SKIMMER and the micro bubbles are insane! Should they subsist after the skimmer gets broken in? Any ideas on how long this will take?
Thanks.

Wazzel · 06/02/2014, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwschoon

I just put in a JNS VS 1. HOB SKIMMER and the micro bubbles are insane! Should they subsist after the skimmer gets broken in? Any ideas on how long this will take?
Thanks.

It should go away after the skimmer breaks in. I would approximate 1 to 2 weeks.

cwschoon · 06/02/2014, 06:15 AM

Thank you Wazzel. I recently moved from Leesburg, VA to Toronto and this hobby, which I have loved for more than 30 years has been kicking my butt!
I kept my 60 and have been running it, since I moved from Leesburg, VA in Oct, to Toronto without a skimmer. Horrible algae.....this looks like a pretty good unit, so far!
Craig.

05/30/2014, 06:33 AM	#1
bmasculine Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Richmond Tx Posts: 80	Micro bubbles in my tank Ok so I just finished the build on my 185 bow front and I've been cycling it for a few days now and I'm getting a ton micro bubbles in the display tank. I'm positive that they're coming from my skimmer, where it returns back to the sump there is a ton of bubbles. There's so many it makes the water look cloudy in the tank, if I turn the skimmer off it'll clear up in about 5 min. Is this something I'm just gonna have to live with?

05/30/2014, 06:45 AM	#6
Wazzel Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Houma, LA Posts: 4,743	If the skimmer is brand new it will take a while for it to break in and function properly. I think mine took 2 weeks before it stopped discharging micro bubbles. __________________ Mark Beware the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes it's a train. Current Tank Info: 120, LED, Bare Bottom, SPS/LPS

05/30/2014, 06:51 AM	#7
myram #347, 19 years Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Biddeford, ME Posts: 1,714	Do you have a bubble baffle between the skimmer and the return pump? And like was already said, a new skimmer will take a couple of weeks to "break-in", then the bubbles will be reduced.

05/30/2014, 07:25 AM	#8
bmasculine Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Richmond Tx Posts: 80	No I haven't put any kind of a baffle in. Could I install that right where it discharges

05/30/2014, 07:51 AM	#9
myram #347, 19 years Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Biddeford, ME Posts: 1,714	The bubble baffle is 3 plates of glass that are spaced about 1" apart, 2 on the bottom of the tank, and the middle 1" off the bottom. It forces the water to go over - under - over.......making the bubble pop in the process. They are siliconed in place so no water gets by and they can't move. If you don't have one installed between where your skimmer comes back to the sump and your return pump.............you will always have bubbles in your tank.

05/30/2014, 08:17 AM	#10
bmasculine Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Richmond Tx Posts: 80	Thanks for the replies, maybe just something I'll have to live with for now. Maybe check into different skimmer setup eventually.... Or now. Lol

05/30/2014, 05:53 PM	#11
myram #347, 19 years Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Biddeford, ME Posts: 1,714	A bubble baffle is something you have to install before getting water in the sump, the silicone has to set up. They work great, I get no bubbles at all in my tank.

05/31/2014, 08:40 AM	#12
bmasculine Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Richmond Tx Posts: 80	Yeah I got this sump and skimmer setup used for a great price, so I was trying to run it same way as the previous owner. However I'm seeing that there are a few major problems with the way he had this thing setup. First thing I encountered was the huge amount of micro bubbles in the display tank, & no baffle, 2nd I can't seem to control the water level in the skimmer no matter how many adjustments I've made. I think this is do to the fact that the return line returns back to the sump below the water level(terrible idea). So if my sump drops about 1/4" it stops skimming if it comes up 1/4" it overflows. Found that out this morning! So I'm thinking of getting a different skimmer setup.

06/01/2014, 08:05 PM	#13
cwschoon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,318	I just put in a JNS VS 1. HOB SKIMMER and the micro bubbles are insane! Should they subsist after the skimmer gets broken in? Any ideas on how long this will take? Thanks.

06/02/2014, 06:15 AM	#15
cwschoon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,318	Thank you Wazzel. I recently moved from Leesburg, VA to Toronto and this hobby, which I have loved for more than 30 years has been kicking my butt! I kept my 60 and have been running it, since I moved from Leesburg, VA in Oct, to Toronto without a skimmer. Horrible algae.....this looks like a pretty good unit, so far! Craig.