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View Full Version : Microbubbles and Problems in my sump


Hydrozebraz
05/04/2011, 10:47 PM
Hello! I have a 90 gallon tank and I recently just finished my 29 gallon sump and I have run into a mess of issues.

First of which is micro bubbles and more micro bubbles.
I have an Eshopps single output overflow(I should have bought a dual) with flex tubing going down into my sump. When it does down into the left side it rests in a box with polyfill and small fine foam. Then I have a baffle, an area of sand and LR, and then three more baffles then my return pump which is vinyl tubing connected to a very large PVC spray bar.
I have added polyfill around the sump but it decreases my flowrate. I have moved things around on my overflow and I CANNOT get a reduction. My tank is cloudy due to the bubbles even.
The second issue which may be intertwined is my pump is uh, stronger than I anticipated. I bought a 1200gph pump. I assumed with my 48inch spray bar and 10 inches on each side going into my tank and 4ft head height I would have enough flow displacement. The flow was too strong. I added a ball valve between the vinyl tubing and PVC to decrease pressure but it seems to only help somewhat and I don't want to burn out the pump. I even turned off my protein skimmer because it was just making the problem even worse.
Attached are some photos. I can take more if needed.
Anyone got any solutions? I am going nuts over here.

hebygb
05/05/2011, 10:04 AM
One of the challenges of trying to get flow via the return pump/spray bars while using a 600 GPH drain, is that you are starving your pump for water... the drain cant keep up.

This is why there is a huge market for additional flow in a tank using Tunzes, Vortech and Koralias... or a closed loop.

I would lose the foam from your sump. The foam is a detritus/nitrate plantation which will be bad. I would let the water flow freely through your sump... utilize the baffles to stop the microbubbles... dial the pump back or fit with a diferent pump. Get that skimmer back online. Add powerheads, a Vortech, or Tunzes to get flow...