Micro Bubbles

[bobpiker]

I had the same trouble because of the waterfall going into my return chamber. After throttling back a little on my return pump with a ball valve to redirect some flow back to my inlet chamber to get the lever a bit higher in my return section my micro bubbles almost disappeared. Less water drop over my last baffle into my return section lessened the amount of bubbles considerably. For awhile, I also had a phosphate sponge in my return section so that the waterfall hit it first and broke up bubbles more but now with the higher return section height they've practically disappeared.

Best regards,
Bob

[evsalty]

If you are drawing in air from that hole then that could be your problem. You want the anti-syphon hole to be just under the waters surface or on a spot of the plumbing where the water will get pushed out the hole insted of drawing in air like a venturi. It sounds like yours is acting like a venturi.

As for pump output if your pumps is rated at 295 gph then that rating is with 0 headpressure or 0' height. Once you plumbed it as a sump return you added head pressure. The typical tank with a straight shot up to the tank has between 3' and 4' of head pressure so the flow gets reduced. 295 gph sounds like a Maxi-Jet 1200 and if so it will probably be less the 150 gph @ 4' head.

[evsalty]

Originally Posted by mdodso00

Yea I could see the bubbles when the water gets low and I have the waterfall effect but I put a filter between the baffles and i could not see the bubbles in the return area. All this started happening when I had to redo the pvc connecting to the main tank.

Use a flashlight to see the bubbles. You will be supprised at how many more you can see in the sump and inbetween the baffles with a flashlight.

[mdodso00]

Originally Posted by evsalty

If you are drawing in air from that hole then that could be your problem. You want the anti-syphon hole to be just under the waters surface or on a spot of the plumbing where the water will get pushed out the hole insted of drawing in air like a venturi. It sounds like yours is acting like a venturi.

As for pump output if your pumps is rated at 295 gph then that rating is with 0 headpressure or 0' height. Once you plumbed it as a sump return you added head pressure. The typical tank with a straight shot up to the tank has between 3' and 4' of head pressure so the flow gets reduced. 295 gph sounds like a Maxi-Jet 1200 and if so it will probably be less the 150 gph @ 4' head.

Is there a good picture of something that can show me how I should redo the plumping going into the tank? When I first set it up I didnt put a cap I just used an elbow and then just drilled a hole in the top of it. I orginally thought thats where my leak was happening hince why I redid the plumping on the top and put a cap on it.

[evsalty]

Here let's try a couple things first to see where the problem is truely coming from. It could be a combo of both for all we know.

This is what I would try. Either raise the water level in the return section and give it 30 minutes to an hour. Or plug the whole completely and give it 30 mins to one hour. Which one you do first does not really matter but do do them seperately so that you know which one was the fix. Also use a flashlight to look directly at the water coming out of your return for bubbles.

Just thought of this. Is your return or any of your pumps pulling down air from the top of the tank?

[mdodso00]

Originally Posted by evsalty

Here let's try a couple things first to see where the problem is truely coming from. It could be a combo of both for all we know.

This is what I would try. Either raise the water level in the return section and give it 30 minutes to an hour. Or plug the whole completely and give it 30 mins to one hour. Which one you do first does not really matter but do do them seperately so that you know which one was the fix. Also use a flashlight to look directly at the water coming out of your return for bubbles.

Just thought of this. Is your return or any of your pumps pulling down air from the top of the tank?

If Im getting what your saying no, I have not let the water level get low enough to allow it to suck in air.

I will say that when I had that leak my return got to where there was about an inch of water in the bottom and im not sure how long the pump had been running bc I had went to bed and everything was fine and then when I woke up it was about an inch deep. With not knowing how long my pump was running with no water could it possibly just be wore out and I need to replace it? That is when I redid my plumping.

[evsalty]

I am going by your pic of your sump. Make both chambers have the same water level and eliminate the waterfall that I can clearly see is making bubbles.

The second suggestion is in reguards to the hole in your cap on your return plumbing. If it is above the water line then plug it up.

[mdodso00]

Ok I will try that to see what happens. if nothing else works I will just add a 3rd baffle considering I have access to cutting my own glass. Hopefully my pump didnt mess up when it was running for HOWEVER LONG with no water.

[mdodso00]

So I added some water and filled in the hole at the top of the return, also tightened all the clamps. And now I have very few micro bubbles. I am going to let the water get down a little and see what happens with the waterfall. Other than that thanks for all the advice.

[evsalty]

Cool, let us know what you find.