Bubble tower

gakalh · 02/25/2007, 07:44 PM

I'm planning to build a bubble tower for the drain lines coming from my show tank to my sump. I've read a couple threads about bubble towers and a number of them recommend partially filling the tower column with live rubble rock to help break up the bubbles and prevent them from being carried to the bottom of the tower by the sheer force of the water flowing through. Is there any reason why I couldn't just use lave rock? I know it will become a biological filter of sorts but won't the live rubble also?

BTW - If this doesn't help to reduce my bubble problem I plan to crawl inside my cabinet, stick my entire head in my sump and see if that doesn't eventually "solve" my bubble problem. I think I've tried everything else.

jmait769 · 02/25/2007, 09:04 PM

gakalh - I came up with this setup for my system which does not require any rubble and there are no micro-bubbles.

On the far left is a 3" pipe inside an acrylic bubble extractor the drain empties into. I combined Prugs Bubble Extractor and Melev's solution to Micro-Bubbles
into one to reduce bubbles and lower the noise.

I can also remove the above extractors and run a sock:

I used two pieces of acrylic rod and a sock I made which I got the idea from RandyStacyE. Who, by the way, has a great website!

HTH

Jay

gakalh · 02/26/2007, 07:41 AM

What is your flow through your sump. That's my biggest problem. I have a VERY high flow through my sump. I have a 265 Gallon show tank and am running two 1500 GPH returns as well as a 1000 GPH (cut back to about 800 I think) to a separate fuge in an adjacent closet that has all my equipment. So my 30+/- gallon sump (about half full 60 gal. aquarium) really doesn't do anything but be a sump. But at that crazy volume of water I can suck bubbles through practically any baffle design.

Since this is a new set up I have the luxury of shutting things down and starting over and that's what I'm doing. I'm going to go to a MUCH larger sump with more like 75 gallons of water in it. Then I'm going to make a modified bubble tower using a six gallon plastic bucket as the column with all three drain lines going into elbows just under the lid that force the water to swirl through the tower. I think I still need the rubble rock to break up the bubbles.

Thus the question about lava rock vs live rock.

gixxer600 · 02/26/2007, 09:41 AM

jmait769 - My overflow drain feeds to sections of my sump. Skimmer and Refugium. I control the micro bubbles on the skimmer side by using a micron bag. My problem is on the refugium side. I get a gurgling sound and lots of micro bubbles. I want to avoid using a micron bag in the refugium. I am using a ball valve to control the amount of flow going throught the refugium. Any suggestions.

jmait769 · 02/26/2007, 09:58 AM

gakalh - Iâ€™m really not sure about the lava rock. I guess I would worry about mineral content of the lava verses live rock rubble. Just my opinion but if I used rock I would choose the live rock rubble. Maybe someone will chime in with some experience using lava rock.

gixxer600 â€“ This is how I set my refugium outlet. Just an extension with a T to slow the water down.

HTH

Jay

02/25/2007, 07:44 PM	#1
gakalh Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New Oxford, PA Posts: 9	Bubble tower I'm planning to build a bubble tower for the drain lines coming from my show tank to my sump. I've read a couple threads about bubble towers and a number of them recommend partially filling the tower column with live rubble rock to help break up the bubbles and prevent them from being carried to the bottom of the tower by the sheer force of the water flowing through. Is there any reason why I couldn't just use lave rock? I know it will become a biological filter of sorts but won't the live rubble also? BTW - If this doesn't help to reduce my bubble problem I plan to crawl inside my cabinet, stick my entire head in my sump and see if that doesn't eventually "solve" my bubble problem. I think I've tried everything else.

02/25/2007, 09:04 PM	#2
jmait769 -CSHFLW Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 2,685	gakalh - I came up with this setup for my system which does not require any rubble and there are no micro-bubbles. On the far left is a 3" pipe inside an acrylic bubble extractor the drain empties into. I combined Prugs Bubble Extractor and Melev's solution to Micro-Bubbles into one to reduce bubbles and lower the noise. I can also remove the above extractors and run a sock: I used two pieces of acrylic rod and a sock I made which I got the idea from RandyStacyE. Who, by the way, has a great website! HTH Jay __________________ "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work" - Thomas Alva Edison http://www.reeftronics.net/jay-m/reefcam Current Tank Info: 150 Gallon, Marco Rocks, 8x80W ATI Powermodule, Apex, Super Reef Octopus XP-3000 external

02/26/2007, 07:41 AM	#3
gakalh Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New Oxford, PA Posts: 9	Thanks for the reply jmait What is your flow through your sump. That's my biggest problem. I have a VERY high flow through my sump. I have a 265 Gallon show tank and am running two 1500 GPH returns as well as a 1000 GPH (cut back to about 800 I think) to a separate fuge in an adjacent closet that has all my equipment. So my 30+/- gallon sump (about half full 60 gal. aquarium) really doesn't do anything but be a sump. But at that crazy volume of water I can suck bubbles through practically any baffle design. Since this is a new set up I have the luxury of shutting things down and starting over and that's what I'm doing. I'm going to go to a MUCH larger sump with more like 75 gallons of water in it. Then I'm going to make a modified bubble tower using a six gallon plastic bucket as the column with all three drain lines going into elbows just under the lid that force the water to swirl through the tower. I think I still need the rubble rock to break up the bubbles. Thus the question about lava rock vs live rock.

02/26/2007, 09:58 AM	#5
jmait769 -CSHFLW Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 2,685	gakalh - Iâ€™m really not sure about the lava rock. I guess I would worry about mineral content of the lava verses live rock rubble. Just my opinion but if I used rock I would choose the live rock rubble. Maybe someone will chime in with some experience using lava rock. gixxer600 â€“ This is how I set my refugium outlet. Just an extension with a T to slow the water down. HTH Jay __________________ "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work" - Thomas Alva Edison http://www.reeftronics.net/jay-m/reefcam Current Tank Info: 150 Gallon, Marco Rocks, 8x80W ATI Powermodule, Apex, Super Reef Octopus XP-3000 external

02/26/2007, 09:41 AM	#4
gixxer600 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Chula Vista, CA Posts: 163	jmait769 - My overflow drain feeds to sections of my sump. Skimmer and Refugium. I control the micro bubbles on the skimmer side by using a micron bag. My problem is on the refugium side. I get a gurgling sound and lots of micro bubbles. I want to avoid using a micron bag in the refugium. I am using a ball valve to control the amount of flow going throught the refugium. Any suggestions.