micro air bubbles!!! why!!!-Fish Tank-3reef Forums

suckafishtankcleaning · 03-15-2008, 11:41 AM

so i finally got my sump up and running. i have a cpr50 overflow box, and attached to it i have a small powerhead(800 rena or somwthing) which draws the air out of the box to create a syphion. but for some reason i keep getting air bubbles in the box which is causing the powerhead to blow micro air bubble into the tank. now my question is does it take time for the overflow box to stop drawing in air. or is my box not air tight (haha)?? should i try to slow down the pumps so it doesnt draw out all the air in the box? i dont want these bubbles in my tank looks like crap and i cant add coral till its fixed. HELP!!

suckafishtankcleaning · 03-15-2008, 02:30 PM

can anyone help me?? any ideas from anyone?? could the fish screen cause the build of air pockets?? or does it just take time for the overflowbox to get a good syphion going. its driving me nuts

target001 · 03-15-2008, 02:54 PM

i always found when i had alot of air bubles in my tank is was because the water level in the sump was to low.

it sounds like u need to raise a water level at where ever yer drawing the air in

i dont know anything about aftermarket over flows personally i hate them

Grotto · 03-15-2008, 03:02 PM

Filter socks took care of the micro bubbles in my tank, if you can figure a way to cover your drain line with one I'm sure it will solve your problem. Best of luck!

LiVEWiRE · 03-15-2008, 03:14 PM

Yes I started using a filter sock in my sump and now wonder how I went without it before.

suckafishtankcleaning · 03-15-2008, 04:43 PM

i got a filter sock on my protein skimmer/ refu. and it stops the bubble there (and hell yeah those things kick ass) but the air bubbles are comin out of the powerhead. and the powerhead is connected to the overflow box to keep the syphion going. its used in place of an air pump the draws air in.

but i will try to add more water to my sump or turn up my return pump. but much more water and the sump will over flow if power goes out.

it looks like the air is getting in to the box from take side intake, the fish screen is creating the air bubble, but they are big ones till they are takin in by the powerhead.

aquaboy · 03-15-2008, 05:25 PM

is the water being siphoned down? if so, try putting filter floss in the "Lip Area" of the overflow box. i found that this helped stop bubbles from being sucked in

suckafishtankcleaning · 03-15-2008, 05:47 PM

yeah it is siphioned down to the sump the "intake" of the overflow box or lip area i guess, has a fish screen with big holes which i think i causing the big air bubbles. the air is getting trapped at the top where is goes up and over the edge of the tank before going out the back of the box to the sump. is there always going to be air the box? or is that cause it just started up? i need to know if i change my method of keeping the siphion going, cause the powerhead sucks up the big bubbles and turns them to micro