Skimmer micro bubbles and break in period

[Trever]

I have a new 110SSS Reef Octopus in a new system (3 small fish in a 38 gallon system), skimmer is in 7.5" of water (7-8" is the recommended level).

Running 20 days.

Still spewing micro bubbles into the DT, pretty large amount too. I could imagine they have decreased over time, but I can also imagine it's about the same. Subjective, hard to say.

Two questions:

1. Why the bubbles?

2. Break in period... What is it? I've read "biofilms". Same folks say "wash skimmer with vinegar regularly"... okay... so there goes the biofilm and thus every time you clean your skimmer you have to break it in again? This stuff is voodoo. Is there some solid answer that we can believe in? I'm pretty skeptical that the break in period is real. I think I have a bubble problem I need to fix and time won't do it... but trying to figure out.

Thanks in advance

 

[fishguy242]

hi is skimmer in same section as return pump? can you post pics of sump set up?

 

[Trever]

@fishguy242 here you go... nope, skimmer in separate section. That's a Fujicube 15 sump. The 1.5" PVC coming down is just the emergency drain from a bean animal synergy reef overflow- there's nothing coming out of it.

If I turn down my various 2 return pump all the way down ("eco" speed), less bubbles, but still there. I like to run it at the 2nd speed, which pulls more bubbles to the DT.

 

[fishguy242]

hi, i see a couple things,turn down skimmer little bit ,wet skimming rt now,return pump is cut off when i enlarge pic,can you center it in pic,of topic look for an elbow wye for your return at tank drill tiny hole just to stop siphon,but y can spread water much more efficient than straight down

 

[rapid]

i still dont see why a skimmer would creat micro bubbles the bubbles should be contained with in the skimmer ? did you locate the source of the bubbles ? is it the skimmer?

+1 on turning that skimmer down your running toooooooo wet that skim mate should be green smelly stuff.

 

[rapid]

make sure return pump isnt sucking air

 

[rapid]

so i have a cube and a cube sump very similar (small) to this i only get micro bubbles when
1. my skimmer is overflowing and is turned up way to wet.
2. return pump sucking air
3. my drain from overflow is two low in over flow and is creating air to be sucked down to my sump with the water and now i have bubbles coming out of my sump chambers getting sucked into the return pump section do to the cube design.

 

[Trever]

The bubbles are definitely coming from the skimmer (eg. if I turn it off, they go away).

The return drain is deliberate, siphon breaks the moment I turn off the pump and I don't want to direct it (will just cause me to do something stupid with locline or whatever and flood). I use powerheads for flow.

Reef Octopus is saying I'm within range for normal breaki n period. Gonna be a bit more patient.

 

[rapid]

okay let us know what happens !

 

[Trever]

Hey- it's producing real foamy skimmer type action today! Yay!

Have to check the mico bubbles which I can't see with the lights off. I think it still has a ways to go, but seems there was some kind of break in period here. We'll see. Maybe I don't have to rip it apart and put back together, etc.