keeping bubbles out of the display tank a nessacity for health issues

[redfisher1139]

I read a lot in the DIY section on sumps about including baffles for the bubbles, and started wondering, is keeping bubbles out of the display tank a nessacity for health issues or is it just an aesthetic issue? The reason I ask is because I use a HOB filter (modded AC70), and have quite a few bubbles in the flow.

 

[Zer0]

It's not necessarily related to health issues, unless you had something like sponges in your tank where the air bubbles could get stuck in between the sponge's body structure and kill it. Most people just don't like the look of micro bubbles all over the place because it distorts a clean and clear view inside of your tank. I personally do not like air bubbles because of the exact reason mentioned above.

 

[Purevil21]

I have a horrible microbubble issue from my protein skimmer. My sump has only one compartment, just big enough for the skimmer and return pump. I am not running my skimmer during the day right now so I don't have to see it in my display. I am going to try a filter sock on the outlet for my skimmer, has anyone had any luck with this?

 

[Zer0]

I'm not sure a filter sock would eliminate the micro bubbles. Most likely it will only cut down the sizes of the bubbles. You could try it though, filter socks are not expensive at all. How large is your sump?

 

[Purevil21]

This is what my sump looks like.

 

[Purevil21]

Not really sure what I can do, I want to run the skimmer but it clouds up my tank. Right now I am just turning it off when I get home from work and turning it back on before I go to bed, don't know how viable of a solution that is.

 

[Zer0]

Hmm.. that's weird that they wouldn't put a bubble trap in a high tech sump like that. I honestly don't know how you could fix your bubble problem with a setup like that. A filter sock might possibly work.

 

[Purevil21]

lol, tell me about it. I am not sure how much harm not running it 5 hours out of the day is doing. Can microbubbles harm my livestock? I don't have sponges, just fish and an orange knobby starfish.

 

[mr_X]

get rid of the bio balls and put a few partitions in. put the skimmer in the bio ball area, and the return pump on the other side of the bubble trap.
that's not a high tech sump, it's a wet/dry.

 

[Bashbro]

I have the same wet/dry and still have bio balls. I just recently started to have a problem with green hair algae so I am considering removing the bio balls. Do you think that would help....

 

[mr_X]

well, it could be. you would have to evaluate your nutrient export and if it's as much as, or more than what you are putting in, then it very well could be the bio balls. in other words, if you have a killer protein skimmer, do weekly water changes, feed reasonably, and have a reasonable bio load, and are still having algae issues, then yes, i would nix the bio balls.
i'm assuming you have live rock in the tank. if so, you won't need the bio balls.

 

[mistermismatch]

IMO micro bubbles make the tank look cloudy or dirty. like theres stuff floating around in your water. my bubbles annoy me and i cant figure out where they are from

 

[uscamaro]

Would a filter-sock be able to replace the blue filter pad? I have the same wet/dry filter and if that media pad isn't needed, it could be turned a decent sump.

 

[mr_X]

the micro bubbles in that sump are not coming from the drain to. they are coming from the skimmer. a filter sock isn't going to help.

 

[uscamaro]

the micro bubbles in that sump are not coming from the drain to. they are coming from the skimmer. a filter sock isn't going to help.

I meant if he were to get rid of the bio-balls and put the skimmer in that area, he's going to have to cut that top part out (basically sock replaces filter pad. This way he can have a skimmer partition, bubble trap/refugium, and then the 3rd partition for his return pump.