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Another microbubble question (1 Viewer)

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christensonjes

Senior Member
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I recently changed this tank over to the herbie method. Its been running for a week now and the microbubbles are still bad.

Since its a herbie overflow, I'm thinking it has to be the pump or the plumbing. I read on another thread that it could be the plumbing? That seems so weird.
Any ideas? Thanks

Heres the tank.
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You need a baffle or more separation from where your dumps into your bucket and your return pump sends it back to the tank. In other words a bigger sump.
 
+1, you need a larger sump with at least 1-2 baffels to let the bubbles rise to the surface of the water (and you may still get some bubbles). The purpose of the herbie method is to keep your overflow quieter.
 
Get a 20 high measure first but just.put one baffle right in the middle intake one side return one side could even put live rock on intake side for added filtration. Are you running slimmer less or hob
 
guy9smiley2 said:
Get a 20 high measure first but just.put one baffle right in the middle intake one side return one side could even put live rock on intake side for added filtration. Are you running slimmer less or hob
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The problem with this stand is the biggest sump I could go is 16"x16"

I think I would have to get something built for that and I'm on an extremely tight budget right now.
 
Fill the bucket as full as you can with saltwater. Drain some water from your show tank temporarily so none will come down the overflow. Turn off your return pump and let eveything settle. When you turn on your pump you shouldn't have any bubbles from your overflow etc. So if you still see bubbles they would be coming from your plumbing acting as a venturi.

Other option, throttle down your return pump more to slow everything down until it stops.

With your current configure really not much you can do except try to rule out plumbing issue from the return pump. The rest you will just have to live with until you can work out a better config.
 
Is there something else in the bucket? Or are you just circulating water?
A filter sock on the inlet to sump may help too
 
You should not be getting bubbles at all in your bucket. The whole idea with the herbie is to get a silent flow by not letting air into your drain. I don't think you actually have a "Herbie" correctly set up right now. A couple questions that can help me help you:

1. How much of an offset (in height) is there between the two pipes in your over flow? Is one 1" high and the other 8" high? Or 4" and 5"? Etc.

2. How high is the water in your over flow in relationship to the LOWEST pipe, and how high is the water in relationship to the HIGHEST pipe? (Is the water level with a certain overflow, an inch over it, etc.)

2. What type of valve do you have on your main DRAIN pipe? Ball valve, gate valve, etc? I can't see one on your pipes right now (I do see the one on your return though.)
 
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Also, you should not technically need baffles at all with a correctly set up Herbie system. The only reason I have baffles in my system is because my Skimmer makes bubbles and because I want the water levels different through out the sump.
 
zocr-AZ said:
Also, you should not technically need baffles at all with a correctly set up Herbie system. The only reason I have baffles in my system is because my Skimmer makes bubbles and because I want the water levels different through out the sump.
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That's what is was thinking. With the herbie there shouldn't be any bubbles, right?

When I get home tonight, I can answer those questions about the plumbing. Thanks
 
christensonjes said:
That's what is was thinking. With the herbie there shouldn't be any bubbles, right?

When I get home tonight, I can answer those questions about the plumbing. Thanks
Click to expand...

That sounds good. Just let me know and I'll be happy to help. It should be a relatively simple fix. :)
 
Wouldn't moving the drain valve closer to the water level in the bucket help? Currently there's a lotta pipe below the valve which means the water is dropping into the bucket and causing bubbles. Move the valve down and add a filter sock.
 
acolwel said:
Wouldn't moving the drain valve closer to the water level in the bucket help? Currently there's a lotta pipe below the valve which means the water is dropping into the bucket and causing bubbles.
Click to expand...

+1 I actually had to do this once a while back, nevermind that I was using a 1 1/2" pipe and had the gate valve almost completely shut. Still, same thing could be happening.
 
acolwel said:
Wouldn't moving the drain valve closer to the water level in the bucket help? Currently there's a lotta pipe below the valve which means the water is dropping into the bucket and causing bubbles. Move the valve down and add a filter sock.
Click to expand...

I'm actually not sure that what we are seeing there IS the drain valve, it looked to me like that valve is on the return line. From the picture above, it looks like the drains are the 2 pipes coming more from the left side, however, I still don't think it should be making that many bubbles.

edit - To clarify, are you guys not talking about the yellow gate valve?
 
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zocr-AZ said:
I'm actually not sure that what we are seeing there IS the drain valve, it looked to me like that valve is on the return line. From the picture above, it looks like the drains are the 2 pipes coming more from the left side, however, I still don't think it should be making that many bubbles.
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If you look at the very top picture, the one with the tank in it, you can see there is a valve on the very left drain pipe, waaay up there.
 
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