Water change, now micro-bubbles

tracyclifton · 10/10/2012, 05:45 PM

I did a 15% water change 36 hours ago. My tank is now a micro-bubble factory.
I had a little micro-bubble before, but this is too much. I turned off the skimmer and the refugium pump, but both returns are still spitting bubbles. They are tiny and make the water look cloudy. Is this normal, or should I be looking for some cause? I do have some salt creep where the male adapter on the return threads into the check valve. I think this may be sucking air. I will need to pump out the sump to fix it, which means I will probably re-plumb the whole set up if I go to that trouble. Any ideas?

hollister · 10/10/2012, 06:40 PM

This is why many put the skimmer in a sump. Any change in your tank from water change to putting your harm in will cause these micro bubbles. You could shut it down 24 hours or just wait 2 or 3 days to go back to normal.

88rxna · 10/10/2012, 06:44 PM

I always leave my skimmer off for a day after a water change. Its gonna foam/bubble like crazy from the new water.
Just let the new water mix in for a day and you will be fine.

tracyclifton · 10/10/2012, 08:12 PM

My skimmer is in the sump. Last time I shut everything down and pumped the water from the sump. Then I refilled the sump. This time I vacuumed the sand with all the equipment turned off. I had to pump the new water back into the tank instead of the sump. I think this is the way I will do water changes from now on because the sand is very dirty and I got a lot of algae and crud out. I guess I will just have to deal with the bubbles.

10/10/2012, 05:45 PM	#1
tracyclifton Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 200	Water change, now micro-bubbles I did a 15% water change 36 hours ago. My tank is now a micro-bubble factory. I had a little micro-bubble before, but this is too much. I turned off the skimmer and the refugium pump, but both returns are still spitting bubbles. They are tiny and make the water look cloudy. Is this normal, or should I be looking for some cause? I do have some salt creep where the male adapter on the return threads into the check valve. I think this may be sucking air. I will need to pump out the sump to fix it, which means I will probably re-plumb the whole set up if I go to that trouble. Any ideas? __________________ Set up on August 20,2012. 180 gallon All Glass 72"x24"x24", drilled from the bottom with dual mega overflows, Current USA Orbit Marine LED, 3 T5HO, Bubble-Magus Curve 7, 35 gallon sump. Current Tank Info: 180 gallon

10/10/2012, 06:44 PM	#3
88rxna Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: ludlow,PA Posts: 605	I always leave my skimmer off for a day after a water change. Its gonna foam/bubble like crazy from the new water. Just let the new water mix in for a day and you will be fine. __________________ 90 gallon display, CSC bean animal overflow/30 gallon sump (in basement) SWC 160 skimmer reeflow dart external pump reefkeeper lite a pair of ocean revive S026 led fixtures

10/10/2012, 08:12 PM	#4
tracyclifton Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 200	My skimmer is in the sump. Last time I shut everything down and pumped the water from the sump. Then I refilled the sump. This time I vacuumed the sand with all the equipment turned off. I had to pump the new water back into the tank instead of the sump. I think this is the way I will do water changes from now on because the sand is very dirty and I got a lot of algae and crud out. I guess I will just have to deal with the bubbles. __________________ Set up on August 20,2012. 180 gallon All Glass 72"x24"x24", drilled from the bottom with dual mega overflows, Current USA Orbit Marine LED, 3 T5HO, Bubble-Magus Curve 7, 35 gallon sump. Current Tank Info: 180 gallon

10/10/2012, 06:40 PM	#2
hollister Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,037	This is why many put the skimmer in a sump. Any change in your tank from water change to putting your harm in will cause these micro bubbles. You could shut it down 24 hours or just wait 2 or 3 days to go back to normal.