Protein skimmer bubbles in DT

[leannem54]

Hi everyone,
Im not sure what happened. All of a sudden my Bubble Magus Curve 7 is producing a fine mist of bubbles in my sump....which is now in my DT. I took it out, cleaned it...started it up in a clear tote, didnt see any air release or bubbles, put back in sump, fine mist is back....did the process a cpl times I CANT FIX IT. I AM SUPER FRUSTRATED HELPPP!!

 

[blaxsun]

Is it getting enough air?

 

[leannem54]

I bought a valve for the air intake, I've tried soo many combos of air vs water intake I cant figure it out. The water output adjustment tube just seems to spin and spin when adjusting...the oring doesn't seal well around tube. First the bubbles fly up the skimmer body overflowing, then I make slight turning adjustments until it drops, leave it, then it overflows on its own again. I can actually feel the air release as I turn the tube when the flow drops, for some reason it then builds again with really small fine bubbles (like a soda). Thanks for trying to help me. I emailed Bubble Magus...hopefully they have answers

 

[dedragon]

that is pretty typical for skimmers to produce some microbubbles but not too many if that makes sense. The sump baffles/bubble trap should make most of them pop before they get to the dt though. I have used lifegard aquamesh green for this in my tank as a bubble trap it works pretty well. I run around 400-600gph through my 20 gallon sump, if running less flow you could try finer mesh like the aquamesh blue
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aquamesh-green-2.html

 

[dedragon]

usually when it produces extra bubbles like that it is because something is in the water and causes it to over bubble.
Dropping the air with the valve and the water level in the skimmer body for a day usually fixes that for me if it is that issue (sometimes you can just pull the twisting pipe out to get the water where you want)

 

[leannem54]

usually when it produces extra bubbles like that it is because something is in the water and causes it to over bubble.
Dropping the air with the valve and the water level in the skimmer body for a day usually fixes that for me if it is that issue (sometimes you can just pull the twisting pipe out to get the water where you want)

Thank you for this advise...now that you mentioned (something in the water, I moved and mounted about a dozen coral frags BEFORE this issue, so its me, its the me in the water lol) ... everything was smooth until I did that yesterday. Sounds like good starting points! Where should my water/bubble level be in the body? Seems like the whole body is full of bubbles when prior it was only above the leading box? Appreciate it dedragon...I'll post how it goes

 

[dedragon]

post a pic when you can get the level adjusted. bubbles should be about an inch or 2 below the top of the collection cup for this process or even lower, water level is so hard to see with overbubbling i cant really use that as a gauge so i just us the top of all of the bubbles as my mark

 

[leannem54]

I dont know, Ive always had the bubble line at the bottom of the collection cup, ive never had this much bubbles in my sump

 

[leannem54]

I dont know, Ive always had the bubble line at the bottom of the collection cup, ive never had this much bubbles in my sump

It used to look perfect now its terrible and ICANNOT FIX IT. Im on the verge of tears rn

 

[dedragon]

you can lower that down a bit more and then just leave it to keep collecting whatever was on your hands. DW i just did this to my skimmer but mine just stopped skimming for an hour

 

[dedragon]

it happens and will correct itself most likely

 

[dedragon]

that fijicube also doesnt have a bubble trap so using a lifegard aquamesh will help stop bubbles from going into the display. Put it in the last chamber before the pump as i see there isnt much room down there

 

[leannem54]

I put the air and water intake to what I always had it on. I cant understand why it looks like this? Same water level, same everything? You think its what was on my hands? I washed my hands and arms with dawn before I went in? I dunno I'll keep trying, does the oring play a big role? It seems like its not even touching? The tube just spins? Could it be broken?

 

[leannem54]

that fijicube also doesnt have a bubble trap so using a lifegard aquamesh will help stop bubbles from going into the display. Put it in the last chamber before the pump as i see there isnt much room down there

I put my seaweed holder there for now lol?

 

[dedragon]

yep u get the idea!

 

[dedragon]

I put the air and water intake to what I always had it on. I cant understand why it looks like this? Same water level, same everything? You think its what was on my hands? I washed my hands and arms with dawn before I went in? I dunno I'll keep trying, does the oring play a big role? It seems like its not even touching? The tube just spins? Could it be broken?

idk i dont have a bubble magus but i think the plug shudnt move too much

 

[dedragon]

or which o ring are you refering to?

 

[leannem54]

idk i dont have a bubble magus but i think the plug shudnt move too much

I agree, thats why I emailed the company, I know it didnt have that much 'play' when I got it 6 months ago...it spins freely...I'm gonna try a rubber band later, but still if its faulty and causing my problem they should send me a new oring.

 

[dedragon]

has it stopped overbubbling finally? just checking in

 

[leannem54]

Noooo I'm going crazy. It used to look like the first pic...now it looks like this. I took it out again. Why are the bubbles in and around the pump instead of above it like before? Im soo confused