Boiling Overflows, ALOT of Bubbles

[sevise]

I jut got to the point where I could power on my pumps and see everything work. My equipment is, 120Gal AGA with mega flow kit. Returns are 2 Mag9.5s. I made the sump myself.

The overflows are 1in ID PVC, 1 has a single 45bend the other has 3 45bends. The overflows bottom opening is about 2 inches below water level in the sump. I tried adjusting the level of the Durso stand pipes, letting it run for an hour to see if the air needed to purge it still looks like rolling boiling in the sump. How can I adjust the overflow to eliminate bubbles?

My second somewhat related problem is that I have so much flow the water pours of the last baffle and as it hits the water below causes more bubbles which get sucked into the retun pumps and sent into the main as a cloud of micro bubbles. What changes need to be made so the water moves gently from the last baffle to the retun area?

 

[Nitrate]

In my sump I have a sponge in the stage just before the return, the sponge takes care of my bubbles. This might fix both of your problems.

 

[Brad]

Could you direct the incoming water downward into a some sort of larger diametre tube? All the splashing and bubbles would have to rise to the top of the tube and flow more gently down the sides.

If the incoming is 1 inch PVC...I'm thinking of something like a 4 or 5 inch diametre piece of pipe that is slightly longer than the depth of the sump water line.

 

[sevise]

After spending a good portion of the day researching baffles I have a solution for that end. Currently from the skimmer to the return area are 3 baffles, with the outer ones sealed to the bottom of the tank and the middle one with an inch of clearence under it. Tommarow I plan to tear out the outerbaffles. I plan to lean the baffle that regulates the skimmer water level in some so the water can glide down rather than waterfall over. Second I will be cutting the baffle closet to the return so water doesn't have to fall as far down again.

I still don't have a solution for the "boiling" overflow however. The only time I can get the air to slow to a fine mist is if I add alot of restriction to the overflow(some I'd rather not do). The problem isn't getting rid of the buubles its that the water is almost at a rolling boil so there alot of spash and noise.

 

[fishfreek]

For the boiling provide an air vent at the top of your stand pipe. THen attach some airline tubing to that vent and drop it a foot or so down the stand pipe. Air will then be able to excape that way.

The standpipe shouldnt be introducing that much air to begin with.

 

[Gatorfreak]

I'm having the same exact problem with my 90 gal. I do have an air vent at the top of the durso stand pipe, otherwise the standpipe would be making an aweful gurgling noise. I'm thinking about making an air vent where the piping makes its turn down into the sump. In theory, this should allow the air to go up and the water to go down.

As for the air vent at the top of the standpipe... when I put my finger over it, I can feel that it is sucking in air at a pretty good rate. No doubt that's where the air for the bubbles is coming from.

 

[sevise]

I have the AGA megaflowktis, basically durso stand pipes. I'm tried everything I can think of. I tried covering the hole completely then tried increasing the diameter of the hole. I then triedadding a longer downtube in the sump so the water would flow down further. Once the silcone in my sump drys I'll try the tube inside the tube idea.

I need to resolve this soon, my LR will arrive sometime next week.

 

[Gatorfreak]

I tried my idea.... complete failure. My tank is to be in the living room so noise is not an option. Now I'm wondering if a lower flow pump would make things quieter. I have a PanWorld 50PX-X. I could make up for the lower flow with more powerheads in the tank. I'm a bit unhappy with the pump as far as noise goes. Right now the setup is in the garage and you can definitely hear the hum of the pump throughout the garage. The bubbling water entering the sump is definitely the loudest noise right now.

 

[sevise]

I cut down the return from a pair of Mag9.5 to a single in order to slow some of the bubbles. The return is the amin source of noise and bubbles right now. I'm wondering is there a way I could use it as some kind of skimmer.

On a side note, while I was cutting some tubing I cut myself. 6 stiches, I hope human blood isn't bad for SW cause some dripped in.

 

[BLOODMAN]

I had the same problems..."boiling" from my where my overflows emptied into my sump. I was splashing water two feet up onto my wall in my basement. My solution was to purchase a 100 micron filter sock from my lfs and tie it to the end of the pipe in my sump. This cut the splashing down and it is great for polishing my water. I bought two of them that I rotate and clean on a weekly basis.

As for micro-bubbles, the only thing that worked for me was to put a ball valve on the output side of my return pump and dial it back until the bubbles stopped. I lost some flow, but its better than having a "snowstorm".

 

[Gatorfreak]

I'll try the filter sock. I'll try anything! Thanks for posting your solution!