bubbles

[steve r]

i recently set up a rainbow quiet one 3000 ( 790 GPH ) pump externally and built a closed loop SCWD system like many have on this site. i had good amount of bubbles from it and i discovered a very small leak on the intake. i fixed that and the bubbles lessened. i also extended my intake deeper into the tank. about 4 inches below the surface and i got even fewer bubbles. i think it was sucking air from the surface. i still have short spurts of fine bubble every once in a while. is this common? is there anything i can do to stop these? did i miss another trick? my skimmer is still breaking in so that creates a constant supply as well. i never notice bubbles at the LFS but maybe i am not being as picky there.

sorry for the long post

thanks
steve r

 

[Sam]

Couple of suggestions here:

I would lower the intake even more to lessen the chance that it is pulling microbubbles from the top layer of water (remember air rises)

I would check again very carefully for any intake leaks. It should not be generating bubbles unless is is being fed air from some source.

If you are getting short spurts of bubbles, it sounds like the pump is trying to pull more water than the intake is delivering and it then will create an air vortex (yes even 4" below water). If you move the intake deeper and this solves it, great. If not, you want to look at increasing the size of the intake to the pump, you can use a reducer fitting at the pump to connect. HTH

 

[steve r]

thank you very much. i could physically see the vortex when the intake was near the surface. when it swirled out came the bubbles. i also have a hagen quick filter on the intake. it sounds like that might be decreasing the intake and the pump wants more.

thanks for advice. i will report my results

steve r

 

[Sam]

Glad to be of assistance.

 

[steve r]

it looks like it is fixed. i removed the quick filter and lowered the intake and now i have no bubbles from the pump. the output seems more steady now as well. it used to come out more like a focused stream. now it is more like a garden hose.

thanks for the suggestions sam.

steve ruppa

 

[Sam]

Great! Glad that worked out for you!!!