Issue with bubbles

[mikedelo]

I have a 20 gallon sump with my pump and protein skimmer sitting in it.
When the skimmer returns water back into the sump, it creates bubbles that make its way into my display tank.

Anyone have any ideas to stop the bubbles going into the tank? Or does anyone else have issues with bubbles? Although I have the option, I do not want to change the skimmer over from sump to HOB model. It becomes an eyesore in the display tank…. And much like everyone else here, we spend toooooooooo much money on this hobby for a big pump to “floating” on my back wall.

Where do you put your protein skimmer?

FYI…. From the sump I have the pump putting water though a chiller before returning it back into the tank.

 

[Gonzapa]

I have a 20 gallon sump with my pump and protein skimmer sitting in it.
When the skimmer returns water back into the sump, it creates bubbles that make its way into my display tank.

Anyone have any ideas to stop the bubbles going into the tank? Or does anyone else have issues with bubbles? Although I have the option, I do not want to change the skimmer over from sump to HOB model. It becomes an eyesore in the display tank…. And much like everyone else here, we spend toooooooooo much money on this hobby for a big pump to “floating” on my back wall.

Where do you put your protein skimmer?

FYI…. From the sump I have the pump putting water though a chiller before returning it back into the tank.

I had the same issue with bubbles even going through my bubble traps. I put bioballs in the bubble trap and now the bubbles are not making it to the display at all

 

[mikedelo]

What is a bubble trap?

I understood bioballs to not be a good thing has they hold nitrates.

 

[Hawkeye]

do you have a picture of the sump? are there baffles in there?

Do you have an auto-top-off to keep the water level?

what is the pump rating from sump to display? If the sump has very high turnover - you could consdier slowing the water through-put so that the bubbles form the skimmer have a chance to surface (rather than get sucked out right away).

One other idea would be to DIY a few pieces of PVC connected to the outflow of your skimmer.. Set it up such that there's an "T" and one side is exposed to air, and the other side is deep towards the bottom of the sump. the bubbles will get trapped inside the pvc - and naturally rise...while the water travels underneath. It's not pretty but works on the cheap.

 

[mikedelo]

Here is an image of my sump which also shows my protein skimmer.

I do not have an auto top off. The pump handles 1350 gallons per hour, if that is what your asking.

 

[mr_X]

a bubble trap is a series of partitions that the water has to flow through in order to get to the return pump. the water will go over, then under a 2nd baffle, then over a third..and so on. the idea is that the bubbles will dissipate befroe they reach the return area. this usually works perfectly unless you have a small sump and a large return pump. try choking back the return pump with a ball valve at the exhaust side(like above mentioned), and see if that helps.

the bio balls are simply extra surface area. the trouble with them is detrius get's in them and sits and ends up being a source of nitrate. if you rinsed them every so often, you wouldn't see any nitrate issue. filter socks cleaned regularly, before the bio balls will also help out with this.

 

[Nickjr000]

I agree, filter socks will probably help you out a lot. If you have to use somethin else in between the baffles use bio bail, I know etss has it and it clogs and holds less crap then bio balls.