Microbubbles in your RSM? Check here!

[Reefmack]

In newly set up tanks, microbubbles from the skimmer should be expected for a while, till the skimmer breaks in, and bio-load is built up in the tank.

In an established tank that all of a sudden starts producing LOTS of microbubbles, where's the water level in the pump chamber when this happens? Something may be cutting the flow in back. The usual cause is something cutting flow through the back, or something cutting flow through the gate - when the water level in the pump chamber drops well below the top of the 2 pumps they will produce lots of microbubbles, or even a "whiteout" of bubbles in the tank.

Possible microbubble causes:

1) Plugged up filter pad/sponge. You may also have too thick a black sponge. It's oten helped to cut that black sponge thickness to 1-2 inches thick, instead of the original thickness supplied with the tank.

2) If you've got media under the pumps - the media or the bags that it's in may be getting plugged up with detritus, cutting flow. Remove, rinse in SW or replace.

3) If you have media above the skimmer pump, or even on the left side of the skimmer, especially a fine grained media like Chemi-Pure, these types of media can compact after a while and cut flow. Or. the bags get plugged up with detritus.

4) Also - see if you can get a finger under the pumps to be sure that plate on the bottom hasn't come loose. Some owners have tied 12 inch cable ties around each of the pumps to ensure that fitting can't become dislodged or fall off.

5) If running a cannister filter, shake it back & forth several times to release entrapped air at the top. If the cannister has entrapped air you'll often see periodic bursts of microbubbles as this entrapped air is released periodically, and is chewed up by the pump impellers into microbubbles.

6) Is anything blocking the overflow gate? Something like a starfish or anemone can crawl over the gate, cutting flow, starving the pumps, and creating a whiteout of bubbles in the tank. If the gate is covered with a thick algae growth the same blockage could occur.

7) Is the gate pushed down all the way? If the gate is raised up too much it won't let enough water through to the back.

8) Skimmer problem - totally different issues. If the microbubbles are an "all of a sudden" occurrence, after not having many for a while, it's probably one of the above causes. (In newly set up tanks, microbubbles from the skimmer should be expected for a while, till the skimmer breaks in, and bio-load is built up in the tank.)

Also check out this excellent microbubble problem solving document from Red Sea:

Microbubble Diagnostics Chart

Good luck and be sure to post any other solutions you may find to resolve microbubble issues.

[adamsfour]

I have tried all of the recommendation posted, I have talked with RSM and nothing seems to fix the problem. Very Bad design. I find it interesting that the only problems by far you see posted deals with this issue. You would think RSM would do something to fix it (if there is a fix). One recommendation I saw which I am trying now is to rotate the black foam so it only covers part of the channel. The theory being is it will absorb some of the gunk but allow the water to flow. The other recommendation was to cut channels into the black foam so as some water flows more freely. Time will tell if it works.

Another recommendation I have seen but not tried is to extend the power heads tubes so they sit lower in the chamber. Has anyone had any success?

[Reefmack]

adamsfour - to Reef Sanctuary and the Red Sea Max Club. As you've seen microbubbles are one of the most difficult things to eliminate.

How long have you had your RSM? Are the bubbles skimmer or pump related (if you shut off the skimmer do they stop?).

Some owners have added a few inches of tubing to the bottom of the pumps, and use a plastic cable tie to keep the bottom of the pump from being pulled off by the weight of the tubing. This thread should give you an idea of what I mean.

MJ1200 pump mod

mbdave has a pump mod where he has sunk an MJ1200 with some tubing, to get a pump low enough that it can't pull in any air, and thus create microbubbles:

Breaking the old RSM back out.

That black sponge now comes standard with a corner cut off, to keep flow up in the back.

Hopefully some of these ideas will help. I still have a few microbubbles, but I guess I just got used to seeing a few.

[adamsfour]

I am really glad I found this web site.It looks like it will pay off with ideas. I have had my tank running for 4 months. The chemistry is perfect and the only problems I have is these darn mircobubble. I my return pumps have cable ties holding the tubes so adding an extension would be easy. I might give it a try.

I appreciate the helps.

[adamsfour]

there back!!, I went ahead and clean out the return channel, bio material very dirty, change carbon, and extended the power head tubes about an inch. hopefully this will help.

[Reefmack]

That should help, I hope. Sometimes after working in the back the bubbles get worse, then calm down again. And air can get trapped in the media after cleaning/replacing. At times bubbles get trapped in the powerhead fittings too - usually turning the powerhead fittings upwards for a few seconds gets rid of those. Good luck - this is probably the most difficult issue for most of us to resolve. Hopefully in a couple hours you'll see a difference.

[adamsfour]

how often do you recommend that you clean the bio material in the return chamber. It sort of a pain to get to as you have to remove the lid so as to get access. But, I noticed it was very dirty.

[MatthewJ]

You're talking about the carbon and the ceramic media right? I think the general recommendation is to not use the standard media at all in the pump chamber, probably for that reason. You're probably going to make quite a mess when you finally pull the ceramic media out.

[adamsfour]

Yes, I am talking about the Left chamber. I talked with the Pinky today and she told me every 3 months. My concern is the bio-media was extremely dirty and I am not sure I can go three months. If you don't put the bio-material in the left chamber then where do you put it?

[Reefmack]

adamsfour - most of us pulled out the ceramic tube biomedia and don't run any biomedia at all. It's probably OK for a fish only tank, but biomedia generally just creates a lot of nitrates. Most of us just let our live rock handle the nitrogen cycle as the rock is capable of getting rid of the nitrates as well. Some keep a bag of Chemi-Pure Elite under the pumps, as it lasts at least 3 months. In addition some keep a bag of carbon on top of the skimmer pump or on top of the left side of the skimmer. And some run chemical media in a basket under the gate, but that's only possible if you've replaced the RSM skimmer with a different one.

[adamsfour]

thanks, I have a reef tank with about 40 pounds of live rock so I guess I could pull the bio material. I also have a ehiem wet dry running. If follows the path that a chiller would follow if installed. Good ideas,

[adamsfour]

New Question. I have noticed that when ever I feed my fish I get a large increase in micorbubbles. The source is confirmed to be the Protein Skimmer. Not a big deal as it disipates after about 30 minutes. Can someone explain the source of the problem and is there a way to prevent it. Is it recommeded that the protien skimmer be on 24 X 7 or should I turn it off daily for a period.

[Reefmack]

What kind off food are you feeding - dry or frozen? I haven't ever noticed this, but I know certain things will affect skimming. Several have noticed changes in skimmer activity after a water change, or adding supplements, so anything affecting the water could affect the skimmer, and most likely the bubble output. Other than that, maybe someone else has a better explanation?

[slakker]

I notice the same... I feed frozen mysis, brine or even pellet... they all have the same effect.

On my 72G DT, the skimmer in the sump drops in water volume after feeding, but with the sump design, the micro bubble dissipates before it reaches the return pump.

In the RSM, I guess there's not time for the micro bubbles to dissipate. I was debating building a baffle system to augment to see if that'll help.

[adamsfour]

Thanks, I am feeding exactly the same all kinds of frozen and Formula 1 pellets. Today I turn off the skimmer, feed the fish, waited 15 minutes and turned it back on. No bubbles.

How do the bubbles escape into the water, they are no coming out of the top is it from the bottom.