130d microbubbles Aaaaargh!!!

Hingis

Hingis

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Hi all, I have researched and read on how to rid the microbubbles problem in these tanks. I have tried I think just about everything.

Today was the big one with putting the skimmer pump into a bucket with water and vinegar and running it for a good hour and a half. Well to my shock it is worse ... I have stuffed extra cotton fibre in different chambers to catch the bubbles but it's no use. Yes it's definitely from the skimmer. I have pulled the plug receptacle power point out and had a look through the sump chamber.. So the bubbles are coming from the outlet of the skimmer plastic chamber. Not the pump. Don't know how to explain it. It is right at the bottom of the plastic chamber unit that the skimmer pump plugs into like the final exhaust of the unit. So these microbubbles are exiting out the bottom.. Not sure why this is or if that is normal. But basically from the bottom of the plastic outlet then they float up and sucked over the top to the heater chamber and so on... Really really frustrated here and hope someone who has had this issue before can share the fix. Thanks
 
459b said:
Can you post a pic of exactly where they coming from?
Click to expand...


Hi, thanks for the help. I have attached the picture trying to explain it better.

So the bubbles I have dotted in Blue, coming out the bottom of the plastic skimmer neck chamber thing, lol.. I have a feeling that bubbles should not be coming out the bottom of this unit, hence the flow and different plastic lips to try capture or stop the bubbles from coming out the bottom. Maybe the skimmer pump is working to well and the flow is fast sucking the bubbles out the bottom.. I just don't know.

130d-sump.jpg
 
Im not familiar with these tanks, so after the skimmer the water flows through 4, over 6, past 7,8 then back into tank via 9?
 
I assume youve tried adjusting the air intake?
Is there a way to adjust the amount of water going through the skimmer? MAybe an adjustment on the return pump?
 
Have you tried using thread tape around the nozzle of the pump then insert into skimmer chamber. That might help.
 
Yes I have tried to adjust the air valve. Unfortunately there is no way of adjusting the flow of the circulation pumps or the skimmer pump. Just don't understand why the bubbles are coming out the bottom there. Was hoping other RSM owners can confirm if it is normal for the bubbles to be coming out there in the red arrows location, or I am completely off the mark here. :blush:
 
By the looks of the diagram, it would be normal to get some bubbles escaping out the bottom, but there shouldnt be so many that they enter the display tank
 
@Hingis. I had the exact same problem for months as you know, was sooo frustrating!!
Can you send a pic of the display tank so we can see the amount of bubbles coming through?
Also a pic of the surface skimmer?

Try switch off one of the circulating pumps and see if the bubbles reduce.
In the beginning stags I used to stuff a bag of chemipure into the skimmer outlet, that helped a great deal.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Is that base rock or live rock?
How many fish are in the tank?
Do you get any skimmate? Is it dark in colour?

Im getting the feeling there isn't enough organic waste in your water for the skimmer to skim, thus the bubbles leaking.
 
I bought it base rock, and been in he tank around 6 months still no coralline algae growth. I have 4 fish in 2 hermits 2 snails. And a few corals. Maybe you right there is not enough to be skimming, however, there was good skim mate before. After the cleaning of vinegar in a bucket story it is very watery and have had to adjust a lot and still there is no real grime.
 
Somebody mentioned turning their return pump 180 degrees, maybe that will help?
 
I remember having microbubbles when bioload was little.
The more i added the better it became.
I also read that some salt mixes could cause it.
What salt are you using?
 
Are you dosing anything?
When i add reef booster from prodibio i have to turn
The skimmer off for a day, otherwise i get plenty bubbles.
 
Hi guys, thanks for the tips and advise. Regarding turning the pump around 180 degrees, I am not sure how that works. With the salt mix I buy my salt water premixed already from the Lfs. I know nothing more about the water. In terms of dosing.. I am dosing foundation B, iodine some coral fuel/food.. I don't know if it's the dosing though.
 
Ricky yes before the vinegar cleanup it was like that.. Now it's way more watery or nothing at all.. I will just let it run for a few days and see if it settles down I think. Nothing more I can do really
 
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