Bubbles everywhere!! Help

[eric2524]

I have a little giant 3 pump on the back of my refugeum and it works great, only one problem. My aquarium is filled with litle tiny air bubbles!!! There aare no bubbles in the refugum , that is past the bubble trap, and I see no bubbles in my return lines, Clear plastic, all my hose clamps are tight and again I see no bubbles. Should I not use hose for my return lines? Should I switch to PVC? Or is this a problem with this type of pump??

Anyone Please Help!!!
Eric

[DaveJohnson]

If you can I'd check the impeller for damage. If it's bent or has a nick or something this can cause cavitation, ie the air bubbles in the output from the pump.

Cheers,
Dave Johnson

[eric2524]

I've only had it a month, I purchaced it brand new, I don't think it is, or should be bamaged but what the heck, I have an aquarium of bubbles. This will take me a while to take apart, inspect, and reassemble. I'll let you knw what I find. Thanks

eric

[aquababy]

Erik,
You mentioned a bubble trap - can you please describe it as I am having bubble problems as well..

[MiddletonMark]

I'd also be super darn sure there's not just the most minute of air leaks on the pump-intake side. As that's `sucking' ... just a teeny leak [that won't leak water, will just leak air `in'] ... equals a ton of bubbles.

Had to re-do the plumbing on my closed loop last week ... as I must have had something not exactly perfectly tight due to the same tons of bubbles as you mention.

Given that pump pulls about 600 gph thru it ... it's got some serious suction. I ended up using some threaded pvc fittings, spa-flex [flexible PVC] for the intake part ... as I could glue most of it, use teflon tape and screw the rest. Figured that would give a better perfect seal.

As always, just my 2 cents. I could be wrong - but have found that with most flex-hose stuff I need to re-do it once due to leaks. Still works GREAT ... but sometimes just requires that extra effort :(

[eric2524]

Thank what I think, a hose clamp isan't tight enough, or not sitting right. I think it's causing an air leak. Looks like next week I'm switching from clear flex hose to pvc.

[eric2524]

A bubble trap, how to explain... A series of dividers in you sump/refugem that lets water flow under the first divider, over the second, under the third...etc. This traps bubbles and prevents them from evtering you fug/ pump return area. works great too, unless your pump is sucking in air from somewhere, like mine.
Oh well looks like my weekend wil be spent in PVC land.

Eric

[MiddletonMark]

I ended up wrapping a couple of the flex fittings in teflon tape [a couple times around] which seemed to help on the one I was having a problem with.

At least something to try ...

[eric2524]

I have pvc joints with hoses attached with pipe clamps. I'm sure their leaking air into the system, I tried the tape but I cant get it into all the areas I need it to be.

Thans
Eric

[aquababy]

Eric,
Thanks for the description. I know that as "baffles" rather than "bubble traps" and was hoping you had a different kind of trap to describe..
Bob

[eric2524]

No , sorry.

Eric