doktorstick Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Howdy. Over the last two (three?) weeks or so, I've been having a micro-bubble problem and I'm not sure how to troubleshoot it. You see bubbles in the water column as well as clinging to rock (esp. overhands), on macro-algae, etc. I have a Solana 34g, which if you aren't familiar with it, has three chamber in the back--overflow/skimmer (#1), filtration/refugium (#2), and return pump/ATO (#3). Here's what I have in each of the chambers: #1 - overflow -> filter pad -> skimmer #2 - from top to bottom, filter pad -> drip plate -> chaeto -> live rubble -> purigen -> chemi-pure -> drip plate -> filter pad (to catch chaeto bits from flowing into return area) #3 - return pump / ATO bottles I've removed everything, disassembled the pumps as much as they can be disassembled, cleaned stuff, and put it all back with no effect. How do I go about troubleshooting this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+dapettit Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Andrew Campell would probably know the answer. Any one else out there with a Solana could help as well. (I know I just wasted your time!) Can you see inside any of the chambers? If so see which one is not filled with bubbles, then move back or up from there? Dave- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doktorstick Posted January 17, 2010 Author Share Posted January 17, 2010 No. It's against a wall. How do skimmers cause micro-bubbles? I see refs to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doktorstick Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 Hrm. Something else is going on. I'm not convinced it is the skimmer now. Everyone once in a while and large burst of micro-bubbles come pouring out of the return. Eh? What is up with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+dapettit Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Does this thing have any kind of airhose to suck air into the skimmer? Whenever my Euro-Reef starts to make micro bubbles it's due to the valve on the air hose being clogged (dust, salt creep). Dave- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doktorstick Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 For the skimmer yes. But I've observed bubbles during the main pump only, too. I think. Pretty sure. I recently cleaned the skimmer pump, but not the main pump. I did not clean the airhose tubing for the air intake to the skimmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+dapettit Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 get 1/2 cup of hot water (not super hot) and let the airline suck it up. See it that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doktorstick Posted February 3, 2010 Author Share Posted February 3, 2010 I'll try and monitor it. When you turn off your main pump and then some time later turn it back on, do you get a flood of micro-bubbles into the tank? In only lasts for a few seconds, but it is pretty dense bubble cloud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doktorstick Posted February 3, 2010 Author Share Posted February 3, 2010 (edited) Does chaeto produce gas? I have stage 1 skimmer, stage 2 refugium (chaeto, live rubble, pods), stage 3 return pump. Edited February 3, 2010 by doktorstick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rgwiz11 Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 All plants produce oxygen gas, but it, more often than not, dissolves into the water. It isn't released in large enough quantities at a time to actually "bubble" out of the plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarathustra2 Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I had this same problem in my Nano. Try running your water level in your return higher. You should have no falling water or only 1/2" in your third return pump chamber or the pump grabs the bubbles and feeds them into the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doktorstick Posted February 4, 2010 Author Share Posted February 4, 2010 That's a good thought. I do get falling water by the evening because of evap. I haven't completed my ATO system so I hand top-off daily. I'll try raising the water level to account for evap. so I don't get falling water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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