Finally Up and Running!!!!

ryguy886 · 11/23/2012, 12:22 AM

So, after a few weeks of waiting for items to arrive and actually having the time to get the sump plumbing done and other items taken care of. My 150 gallon is up and running. I plan to cycle for the next 4 weeks and then I will introduce fish and corals slowly. I have an aqueon model 4 sump, one questions I have is about micro bubbles..... I am going the refugium route and the water crashes over from the refugium chamber into the space with the sponge and then into the pump chamber where my protein skimmer is. I seem to have quite a bit of water flow and it is creating a great deal of micro bubbles in the Display tank. I am not sure how I can get this to stop other than to 1.) turn down the water flow from my pump, or 2.) buy some sort of sponge/divider to stop the bubbles from getting to the pump? If anyone has had this sort of issue with the aqueon model 4 sump, please let me know how you fixed it.

Thanks,
Ryan

I've attached a few pictures of the plumbing build and the finished tank. I may re-aquascape but I feel it looks ok for now.

Boboli · 11/23/2012, 12:42 AM

Nice tank !
Looks like there is alot of potential there.

Enseye85 · 11/23/2012, 11:19 AM

If you have a ball valve on the output of your return pump, you can "throttle" the pump back. This did the trick for me. I also use Aquamaxx PurFlo pads in my sump as an extra barrier to stop bubbles.

Chaotic Reefer4u · 11/23/2012, 11:24 AM

Nice setup congrats and thanks for sharing!

Palting · 11/23/2012, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryguy886

I have an aqueon model 4 sump, one questions I have is about micro bubbles..... I am going the refugium route and the water crashes over from the refugium chamber into the space with the sponge and then into the pump chamber where my protein skimmer is. I seem to have quite a bit of water flow and it is creating a great deal of micro bubbles in the Display tank. I am not sure how I can get this to stop other than to 1.) turn down the water flow from my pump, or 2.) buy some sort of sponge/divider to stop the bubbles from getting to the pump? If anyone has had this sort of issue with the aqueon model 4 sump, please let me know how you fixed it.

Thanks,
Ryan

Hi Ryan. Nice set-up. The tank is exactly like my tank, we just have a different sump.

As to the microbubbles, there are a few easy solutions. I don't use the aqueon sump, but I've had similar issues with microbubbles. If the "water crashes" over, you can either raise the water level so that there is no crashing water fall effect, or you can place another set of baffles that traps the bubbly water in a section and allows the non-bubbly water to flow under the last baffle and into the pump chamber. I've tried sponges as bubble traps, and they don't work very well. The other source of your microbubbbles is the skimmer. The skimmer inevitably puts out bubbly water. Although you have an external pump, your skimmer essentially sits in the pump section sucking up those bubbles from the skimmer output. You can again set up a set of baffles ahead of the bulkhead leading to the pump to trap the microbubbles.

hanas · 11/23/2012, 12:08 PM

Looks really good!! Keep us updated with progression pictures.

ryguy886 · 11/23/2012, 10:11 PM

So i placed an extra foam piece in-between the refugium and the last chamber of the sump, and it worked! almost totally cut out the bubbles.

Now for the next question? The water is 95% clear but it still has a hazy look to it if you look from one end of the tank to the other? What could be causing this? Is this normal or am I missing something? I added a product called "Clarity" and that seemed to get the water slightly clearer, but it still isn't crystal clear like I hoped. The LFS said that I would probably need a UV filter that I can install inline after my sump pump. Any thoughts on this? Does anybody use one of these and how hard are they to hook up?

Thanks,
Ryan

P.S. - I bought a few more pieces of LR tonight and one of them looked like a cup. I am pretty sure it is actually a live coral, because when I got it home and into the tank under the MH lights it "came alive" and what looked like little anemones popping out of it! I'll snap a pic tomorrow and post it.

11/23/2012, 11:19 AM	#3
Enseye85 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Rosamond, CA Posts: 50	If you have a ball valve on the output of your return pump, you can "throttle" the pump back. This did the trick for me. I also use Aquamaxx PurFlo pads in my sump as an extra barrier to stop bubbles. __________________ Current-USA 24-gal Aquapod- mixed TrueLumen Pro Lighting, Vortech waterflowing, AquaEuroUSA Cooling, Tunze Skimming, Two Little Fishies Reacting...

11/23/2012, 11:24 AM	#4
Chaotic Reefer4u ♥Acropora Aficionado♥ Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hollister,Ca. Posts: 5,163	Nice setup congrats and thanks for sharing! __________________ Live everyday as if it was your last, take time to smell the flowers, enjoy all things living, never take anything for granted, you just never know when your number might be up... Current Tank Info: * 90g. Reef Ready TruVu tank with 30g. Platinum Filtration Series Sump SpS Acro enthusiast *

11/23/2012, 12:42 AM	#2
Boboli Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: The streets of Bakersfield Posts: 393	Nice tank ! Looks like there is alot of potential there.

11/23/2012, 12:08 PM	#6
hanas Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fairfield, CT Posts: 795	Looks really good!! Keep us updated with progression pictures.

11/23/2012, 10:11 PM	#7
ryguy886 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: West Warwick, RI Posts: 124	So i placed an extra foam piece in-between the refugium and the last chamber of the sump, and it worked! almost totally cut out the bubbles. Now for the next question? The water is 95% clear but it still has a hazy look to it if you look from one end of the tank to the other? What could be causing this? Is this normal or am I missing something? I added a product called "Clarity" and that seemed to get the water slightly clearer, but it still isn't crystal clear like I hoped. The LFS said that I would probably need a UV filter that I can install inline after my sump pump. Any thoughts on this? Does anybody use one of these and how hard are they to hook up? Thanks, Ryan P.S. - I bought a few more pieces of LR tonight and one of them looked like a cup. I am pretty sure it is actually a live coral, because when I got it home and into the tank under the MH lights it "came alive" and what looked like little anemones popping out of it! I'll snap a pic tomorrow and post it.