Issues with micro bubbles

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mattison187

mattison187

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Jun 28, 2007
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ok my 110gal in my livingroom is ran by an fx5 with an inline uv sterolizer in the return line in conjunction with a powerhead and airstone. Now for the last couple weeks i have been battling the damn micro bubbles filling my water column. I added the airstone to agitate the surface because i eliminated the hob that use to be on it. I have tried moving the air bubbles around to make sure its not getting into my canister, but no luck with that. I can see the steady stream of bubbles coming out of my return line from the can. Wondering if you guys got any tricks up your sleeves?
 
mattison187 said:
Now for the last couple weeks i have been battling the damn micro bubbles filling my water column. I added the airstone to agitate the surface because i eliminated the hob that use to be on it.
Click to expand...

If you're doing this for the oxygen content, agitating the surface isn't a solution as the "low" oxygen water is at the bottom, not the top of the tank. The value of air bubbles is to drive low oxygen water to the surface where gas exchange can occur.

Get an air stone that creates larger bubbles: oxygen levels improved and no micro bubbles.
 
Drstrangelove said:
If you're doing this for the oxygen content, agitating the surface isn't a solution as the "low" oxygen water is at the bottom, not the top of the tank. The value of air bubbles is to drive low oxygen water to the surface where gas exchange can occur.

Get an air stone that creates larger bubbles: oxygen levels improved and no micro bubbles.
Click to expand...
It produces large bubbles. Its one of the long blue stones with the plastic sides. After posting my original post i unplugged the air and moved moved my powerhead a bit. Im going to see if its cleared up by tomorrow. My output is still spitting bubbles atm tho. Wondering if i got trapped air somewhere in my canister or sterilizer somehow when cleaning it last
 
So you're saying the microbubbles are coming from inside the canister?
If so, it could be that there is cavitation going on inside the volute of the pump, of the canister. This happens when something isn't working perfectly, and air bubbles collapse around the impeller, out of solution from the water itself.
It could also be something simple, like a tiny whole in the can, or hose, or just that they aren't properly seated, and air is being sucked in.
More than likely cavitation from an unbalanced impeller shaft wobbling after cleaning, or set up (or even 1 grain of sand).
Google pump cavitation.
 
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I've had sand in my impellers on my FX5's before, have had impellers go bad and wobble/rattle till I finally replaced them and never had it create any microbubbles so IMO I doubt it is an issue with the impeller at all. I would lean more towards the hoses or lid of the filter being the issue. Make sure there's no air being sucked in/leak at the can's lid, connects, hoses etc etc. Also check that the end of the hose where it slips over the intake tube is under the water level as well and hasn't slid up above the water level recently. It's gotta be sucking air from somewhere.
 
Steve_C said:
I've had sand in my impellers on my FX5's before, have had impellers go bad and wobble/rattle till I finally replaced them and never had it create any microbubbles so IMO I doubt it is an issue with the impeller at all. I would lean more towards the hoses or lid of the filter being the issue. Make sure there's no air being sucked in/leak at the can's lid, connects, hoses etc etc. Also check that the end of the hose where it slips over the intake tube is under the water level as well and hasn't slid up above the water level recently. It's gotta be sucking air from somewhere.
Click to expand...
after i get home from work today i will pull apart the can and make sure everything is sealed properly. Its funny, my wife tells me not to worry about it and that the tank looks fine. But its all i see when i look at it lol.
 
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