Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > General Interest Forums > Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment
Blogs FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 07/16/2006, 07:19 PM   #1
55semireef
Moved On
 
55semireef's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 5,322
Angry Skimmer producing tiny tiny bubbles.

I have a Red Sea Prizm Deluxe skimmer that is now producing tiny bubbles. It just started doing this today. Any ideas how to stop this or why its doing this?


55semireef is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/16/2006, 08:02 PM   #2
BeanAnimal
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 20,772
not sure what the question is... but the smaller the bubbles the better.


BeanAnimal is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/16/2006, 08:17 PM   #3
55semireef
Moved On
 
55semireef's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 5,322
What do you mean you don't know what the question is? How do you prevent the skimmer producing tiny bubbles? Why is it doing this?

Lots of tiny bubbles=not good.


You want dissolved oxygen not a mass amount of tiny bubbles.


55semireef is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/16/2006, 08:24 PM   #4
BeanAnimal
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 20,772
heh?

Skimmers have very little to do with disolved oxygen. The smaller the bubbles in a skimmer, the better foam it will produce. The small bubbles mean less buoyancy and longer contact time. The longer the contact time, the better the adhesion to protiens. You want a skimmer to produce the smalles bubbles possible.

In addition, even if oxygenation was the goal, smaller bubbles mean more air/water contact and better absorbtion. So again even in that case the smaller bubbles would be better.

So again, I am not sure what your qeustion is the way it has been framed. If the goal is shaving cream type foam and your skimmer is starting to produce it, what was it producing before? You certainly don't want pea sized bubbles. I am assuming the bubbles you are talking about are in the reaction chamber (where the larger bubbles used to be).


BeanAnimal is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/16/2006, 08:44 PM   #5
55semireef
Moved On
 
55semireef's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 5,322
Ok, I am talking about its releasing tiny bubbles in the tank. Like the the water thats coming out of it. Not the bubbles that are pushing up the proteins. We were talking about two different aspects of the skimmer.


55semireef is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/16/2006, 09:49 PM   #6
BeanAnimal
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 20,772
The small bubbles being pushed into the tank can be caused by many different things. I am not familiar with the water path in a prizm skimmer. The bubbles may be left over from those produced by the skimmer (most likely cause).

Maybe somebody here with a prizm can help you get it adjusted so that it outputs less bubbles into the tank. They don't hurt anything, but some people don't like the way the look.


BeanAnimal is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/16/2006, 09:52 PM   #7
scaryperson27
Moved On
 
scaryperson27's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Cape Coral, F.L.
Posts: 2,106
Well it certainly would have helped if you would have mentioned that before. You didn't have to get all argumentative over it. You can decrease the amount of bubbles in your tank by putting sponges where the water exits the skimmer. Longer travel time can also help.


scaryperson27 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/16/2006, 11:28 PM   #8
amulet_red
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Durham, CT
Posts: 217
I used to have a berlin classic and then a berlin turbo which occasionally pumped bubbles back into my sump and then into the display tank. I added a valve to the air intake so that I can throttle back the air. This helped to reduce the amount of air entering the skimmer and reduced bubbles coming out of the skimmer.


__________________
--Allan

Current Tank Info: 90 Gal Reef w/ 8x54 watts T-5, 30 Gal Sump/Fuge, 20 Gal FOWLR
amulet_red is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/17/2006, 09:14 AM   #9
BeanAnimal
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 20,772
reducing the amount of air will also reduce the efficiency of the skimmer


BeanAnimal is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/17/2006, 06:05 PM   #10
55semireef
Moved On
 
55semireef's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 5,322
Quote:
Originally posted by scaryperson27
Well it certainly would have helped if you would have mentioned that before. You didn't have to get all argumentative over it. You can decrease the amount of bubbles in your tank by putting sponges where the water exits the skimmer. Longer travel time can also help.
How am I getting all argumentive?


I am going to put a sponge right before the exit to see if tht helps any. I will let you guys know.


55semireef is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/17/2006, 06:30 PM   #11
cleverdave2k
Registered Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 10
Ive got a red sea aswell i solved it by putting a tight leg over the exit it caught all the bubbles but now i just use carbon in the media backet that also catches it


cleverdave2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/17/2006, 06:47 PM   #12
55semireef
Moved On
 
55semireef's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 5,322
Well carbon was in there before and it created even more bubbles. Whats the tight leg your talking about?


55semireef is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/17/2006, 07:23 PM   #13
rsxs1212
Registered Member
 
rsxs1212's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Bradenton
Posts: 1,148
i HAD a prizm and if mine did that i just adjusted the water flow with that little valve on the intake


__________________
60% of the time it works every time

Current Tank Info: 75g RR,asm g3, eheim 1250, 2 1200's one highflow maxistream mod (may do another or med flow.) , 30g sump,fuge, 4x54 T5 lighting SLR reflectors, RO/DI top off, 20L FOWLR, 10 g prop/sps dedicated
rsxs1212 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/17/2006, 07:40 PM   #14
55semireef
Moved On
 
55semireef's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 5,322
I am going to let the skimmer stay on low flow for a little bit and maybe that might help.


55semireef is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/17/2006, 07:53 PM   #15
rsxs1212
Registered Member
 
rsxs1212's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Bradenton
Posts: 1,148
yeah


__________________
60% of the time it works every time

Current Tank Info: 75g RR,asm g3, eheim 1250, 2 1200's one highflow maxistream mod (may do another or med flow.) , 30g sump,fuge, 4x54 T5 lighting SLR reflectors, RO/DI top off, 20L FOWLR, 10 g prop/sps dedicated
rsxs1212 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/18/2006, 06:26 AM   #16
cleverdave2k
Registered Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 10
easy just get a pair of tights cut one leg of it and put it over the exit like your putting it on a leg then just secure it with a elastic band and it acts like a filter catching all the bubbles as they wont be able get through.So you will have none in your tank and will be able turn it up to the right level


cleverdave2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/18/2006, 06:30 AM   #17
benf
Premium Member
 
benf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: wesley chapel, florida
Posts: 4,031
I put a small filter sock over my skimmer outlet pipe...being that the water is clean going into the sock...it will be a while before a change is needed and no bubbles!


__________________
Ben

Current Tank Info: None :(
benf is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/18/2006, 04:49 PM   #18
55semireef
Moved On
 
55semireef's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 5,322
Can you guys get a picture of what you are talking about?

Thanks


55semireef is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/18/2006, 05:44 PM   #19
rsxs1212
Registered Member
 
rsxs1212's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Bradenton
Posts: 1,148
well just get a filtersock and tie it around the outlet (where the water comes out of the skimmer) this will let water flow through but bubbles can not. its relatively simple and effective fix.


__________________
60% of the time it works every time

Current Tank Info: 75g RR,asm g3, eheim 1250, 2 1200's one highflow maxistream mod (may do another or med flow.) , 30g sump,fuge, 4x54 T5 lighting SLR reflectors, RO/DI top off, 20L FOWLR, 10 g prop/sps dedicated
rsxs1212 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/18/2006, 06:37 PM   #20
55semireef
Moved On
 
55semireef's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 5,322
I know how it works. I just want to see a picture of it.


55semireef is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/19/2006, 06:36 AM   #21
benf
Premium Member
 
benf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: wesley chapel, florida
Posts: 4,031
i will take a pic when i get home tonight if u wish


__________________
Ben

Current Tank Info: None :(
benf is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/19/2006, 06:51 PM   #22
55semireef
Moved On
 
55semireef's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 5,322
yes that would be great.


55semireef is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/19/2006, 07:23 PM   #23
benf
Premium Member
 
benf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: wesley chapel, florida
Posts: 4,031
Little hard getting a good shot...u will notice the black wire holding the bag to the skimmer...ignore the plastic wire ties...they are for the big drain bag.

the bag i am using is 4"dia by appx 14" long.

I forgot to mention the black hose u see going into that same bag is from the UV sterilizer return.





__________________
Ben

Current Tank Info: None :(
benf is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/19/2006, 08:53 PM   #24
55semireef
Moved On
 
55semireef's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 5,322
thanks for the picture..


55semireef is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/20/2006, 04:20 AM   #25
benf
Premium Member
 
benf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: wesley chapel, florida
Posts: 4,031
no prob...like i said, being that the water is supposedly clean..I wont have to change the bag to often, so i works fine!


__________________
Ben

Current Tank Info: None :(
benf is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:04 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.