Microbubbles are killing me

[ckuhny3]

I have done everything I can.

My overflow is silent and the lines are 1” below the water live going into my filter socks.

Protein skimmer is a year old and produces very little micro bubbles.

My flow through my sump is slow to the point where the water is tricking over into the filter socks there is no waterfall.

I have aqua mesh in all different colors as baffles.
Every 30 seconds my return blows out micro bubbles. It isn’t a constant stream. Should I just get a new DC return pump. I have an Eheim compactON that has been a workhorse for a year now but I just can’t figure out what the heck is causing the burst of micro bubbles every 30 seconds !
I feel like at this point it’s the pump and I’m just ready to get a DC controllable one. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated

 

[MNFish]

I have had a pump that did that but only when the flow around it was variable. Never in this sort of scenario where the water level was stable. My guess would be something is causing a random increase of flow which is causing the bubbles maybe figure out where the pump draws water from and ensure that is as far away from the wall as possible??

 

[ckuhny3]

I will try that tomorrow and have the inlet away from the wall of the sump. It’s driving me crazy looking at a tank full of bubbles . I hate that I have to buy a new pump to find out if it’s the problem

 

[fishguy242]

how many inches is water above pump ? can you raise it to see if stops ?
open pump ,check for something in/on impeller.

 

[bushdoc]

MNFish gave me an idea: it could be pump cavitation. I would suggest to check if something is blocking or restricting inlet and move pump away from the wall.

 

[ckuhny3]

how many inches is water above pump ? can you raise it to see if stops ?
open pump ,check for something in/on impeller.

The water is about 6” above pump . Float switch is adjustable but not sure if 2 more inches would fix it but I’ll try that too. I’m also removing the plastic baffles that the sump came with to get rid of any waterfall effect.

MNFish gave me an idea: it could be pump cavitation. I would suggest to check if something is blocking or restricting inlet and move pump away from the wall.

I will take the pump apart tomorrow!!

 

[Glenner’sreef]

If the return pump is shooting out air every 30 seconds then it’s sucking air for 30 seconds. Can you wrap it or border it with black course sponge to collect the air bubbles?

 

[ckuhny3]

If the return pump is shooting out air every 30 seconds then it’s sucking air for 30 seconds. Can you wrap it or border it with black course sponge to collect the air bubbles?

Will wrapping it in black sponge impede the pump and make it run hot? I have all density of foam you can imagine so I’ll start coarse and work my way up

 

[ckuhny3]

Also I bought a DC eflux pump off BRS. Worst case scenario I have a back up pump. Christmas money well spent

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Will wrapping it in black sponge impede the pump and make it run hot? I have all density of foam you can imagine so I’ll start coarse and work my way up

If you can just make sure the foam is between the return pump and the incoming water source, you should be good.

 

[TokenReefer]

Are any bubbles accumulating (that you can see) in the check valve?

 

[ckuhny3]

Are any bubbles accumulating (that you can see) in the check valve?

I’ll look when I get home ! Great thought! How would I purge them though

 

[TokenReefer]

Do the bubbles stop/lessen if you open the gate valve all the way? Wondering if that or the check valve are causing the bubbles. Tbh I don't see bubbles in the photo of the return pump, but that could just be me and/or the photo missing them...

 

[ckuhny3]

Do the bubbles stop/lessen if you open the gate valve all the way? Wondering if that or the check valve are causing the bubbles. Tbh I don't see bubbles in the photo of the return pump, but that could just be me and/or the photo missing them...

Exactly there are no bubbles in the return pump! It’s driving me nuts! I’m going to go to Home Depot and get 10’ of 3/4” tubing and try to eliminate the check and gate valve to see if that’s the problem. I payed good money for the nice ones from BRS too this sucks !

 

[TokenReefer]

I have a refractometer, just haven't been using it because I have the hannah checker, I have calibration fluid for it too, going to calibrate it and use both. Thanks for the advice. I'm going to research other salts and see what ones are closest to my goal parameters.

I think this is a good troubleshooting plan. Eliminate to narrow it down. Idk why exactly but I suspect those one or both of those causing it. Like if you stick a finger in a hose stream, there's cavitation behind your finger...

 

[ckuhny3]

I think this is a good troubleshooting plan. Eliminate to narrow it down. Idk why exactly but I suspect those one or both of those causing it. Like if you stick a finger in a hose stream, there's cavitation behind your finger...

So do most people go without a check valve? I feel like it’s a good safety I would hate to give up although I’m pretty sure my sump would accommodate for the extra water if the pump was to fail.

 

[TokenReefer]

So do most people go without a check valve? I feel like it’s a good safety I would hate to give up although I’m pretty sure my sump would accommodate for the extra water if the pump was to fail.

This is something I tossed around in my head for a while when I was setting up my sump but I think the consensus I came up with was that they fail eventually and aren't a reliable safety measure and simply making sure the sump can accommodate was perhaps a better/simpler route....so I don't use one, no