Micro bubbles

ahiggins · Dec 16, 2016

i have them now that I have a new skimmer....my question is
1) are they bad? And why?
2) the foam that's supposed to stop them isn't working I guess, will it take down after the skimmer gets "worked in"?
I hope I placed this in the right spot-mods can move it if I'm wrong.

Oscar47f · Dec 16, 2016

Where is your skimmer located?? and no micro bubbles aren't back they just don't look good, but people use them to help clean their tanks during water changes... and what foam are you referring to??

ahiggins · Dec 17, 2016

I just bought a classic 100 hob skimmer from reef octopus. It's in my tank in the corner because I have no sump. The return line (see pic, left pipe) has three course foam rings that are supposed to stop the micro bubbles from forming. It doesn't. It's not overrun, but I can tell they're in the top 5 inches of the tank spread throughout.

nervousmonkey · Dec 17, 2016

ahiggins said:
I just bought a classic 100 hob skimmer from reef octopus. It's in my tank in the corner because I have no sump. The return line (see pic, left pipe) has three course foam rings that are supposed to stop the micro bubbles from forming. It doesn't. It's not overrun, but I can tell they're in the top 5 inches of the tank spread throughout.

I had a Reef Octo like that one, but mine had the pump on the outside. Is your pump on the inside of the sump or tank? If so I like that one better.

Either way, that style has to broken in, and always has to be tuned. If you don't keep it at the same water level, or if you add something to your tank, it overflows and you dial it down, then it isn't working so dial it up, either way producing microbubbles.
Best advice I can give is to keep it at the same level of water all the time, and turn it off when you add something to the tank, anything really, including food. Then it's a perfect skimmer, otherwise it'll make bubbles.

ahiggins · Dec 17, 2016

It's on the inside. The only part on the outside is the actual plastic reservoir where foam accumulates.
This is a frag tank so I want to make sure that if micro bubbles are going to harm my coral, I get it figured out now.
I just put it online so it's still working in

FlyinBryan · Dec 17, 2016

From what I understand micro bubbles are good for the corals!! Especially sps as they help with cleaning and overall tank oxygen. I have never worried about them and mine grow like crazy under led lights.