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Overflow Bubbling uncontrollably

Xavier613

Xavier613

For some reason my sump is FILLED with foam. the overflow is just producing so much foam its flowing out onto the floor. I cant run the skimmer because it just overflows as well, and im loosing a lot of water... can someone help?? i didnt add anything new, i rearranged the rocks but that was about 24 hrs ago now.
 
D

ds4x4

Break the siphon and let your pump send the excess back to the tank so you can look at the overflow I am assuming this is a non rr tank
 
R

rgarofalo

turn off your return pump
Is your plumbing pvc, flex or tubing?
check for any holes , you might be pulling in air creating a venturi effect (foaming)
Its like your overflow is acting as a skimmer
 
Xavier613

Xavier613

Regular plumbing PVC. it might be some sort of air coming into the tube... ill try that. i guess ill have to take the tube off and re-glue or maybe the standpipe in the overflow.
 
Xavier613

Xavier613

well that didnt really work. maybe something is wrong with the bulkhead or standpipe? i can try to either replace or reconstruct the standpipe. Ive always had bubbles coming from the overflow, but nothing this serious. it definitly has to be something along the drain line because theres nothing putting bubbles back into the tank.
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

Try to close the hole in the top of the durso....I have always had a bit of trouble with air in my lines too. You don't have any loops so that shouldn't be a problem. Strange that it got worse unless you released a lot of organic matter that is foaming like in the ocean?
 
Xavier613

Xavier613

IMAG0258.jpg


nothing so far has worked. maybe tomorrow i can make a new durso?
 
mikem

mikem

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Is the PVC that comes from the overflow box to the sump under enough water? If not,put a coupling and extention pipe with an elbow on it for a day and see if that changes anything. I'm talking about the pipe IN the sump.
 
D

ds4x4

onefish2fish said:
i hate to say this but soap bubbles?
Click to expand...

nah no way a whole bottle of soap would probably be required for this many.. it is an interesting picture though.. Something in the water is doing this i think.. or there is something in the pipe creating alot of turbulence
 
onefish2fish

onefish2fish

right its acting like a skimmer which i beleive someone already pointed out, im just throwing out ideas.



i still think it has rabies.
 
MadReefer

MadReefer

Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
I have seen something similar in my setup. The problem was the in sump skimmer wasn't functioning properly and some foam did appear in the sump. However, not that much.
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

I thought I had problems with bubbles. Mine was nothing like that. How is it going today? I would assume you shut off your pump and checked everything right? Hope you figure it out let us know.
 
Xavier613

Xavier613

Still not working correctly after leaving it alone over night. Im going to do a 20g water change today so hopefully that will clear it up if the water is the problem. During the water change im going to remove the standpipe and reconstruct it just in case a joint or something came apart which is allowing air to get sucked in (someone suggested there may be a tiny hole creating a venturi like effect)
 
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