Jebao pump Micro bubbles everywhere

[Phantom7]

Hello, I have a Jebao return pump that I can hear the air in that has been blowing micro bubbles for a couple days now. it’s driving me crazy! The sound of the air seems to be getting louder, but there’s no way I believe the air could be getting in. Here’s a video of the plumbing and such along with the sound of what I believe is the air. Please give me some tips to get the air out- or if I’ll just have to wait

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(don’t mind the bioballs and such in the dt, setting it up as quickly as possible.)

 

[ATI North America]

I suspect you either have air trapped at the top of your pump intake contraption, or you have a pinhole leak somewhere that is sucking in air like a venturi. Your setup is very unusual, have you considered drilling the sump? If you loose your syphon in that "U" Tube you will likely burn up your pump since it will be running dry.

For like $20 you can buy a diamond hole saw and drill that sump and plumb it normally. Its not as tough as you might think.

 

[Phantom7]

I suspect you either have air trapped at the top of your pump intake contraption, or you have a pinhole leak somewhere that is sucking in air like a venturi. Your setup is very unusual, have you considered drilling the sump? If you loose your syphon in that "U" Tube you will likely burn up your pump since it will be running dry.

For like $20 you can buy a diamond hole saw and drill that sump and plumb it normally. Its not as tough as you might think.

My experience with drilling glass is not very good (I’ve cracked every tank I’ve tried it on), and it has a detection that after 2 minutes it will turn off.
Regardless, how would I find the pinhole leak? I know there is a slight leak upwind from the pump (waiting for thread sealant to come, Amazon shipped me a busted can) but that is after the vinyl tube part where you can see the bubbles going up.

 

[Phantom7]

Any advice on how to find a leak if it is present?

 

[legionofdoon]

Maybe spray the joints individually with food color one at a time and see when the food color gets to the display use something like yellow or green that might floresce under blue light.

 

[ATI North America]

Any advice on how to find a leak if it is present?

The easiest way yet not as pretty as one might like is to buy clear PVC solvent and slobber it all over the joints. I would do so with the pump off to make sure it doesn't just suck the solvent into the hole and prevent it from covering it. It will dry leaving a skin over all the joints that will seal such a pin hole. You can do this with regular solvent (not the primer) but it will be every more ugly.