New AquaC EV . lots of micro bubbles.. add baffle?

Just hooked up my AquaC EV-120 to start breaking it in. I have a Marineland acrylic sump that has a skimmer chamber, but the chamber is very small so I got the EV-120 to use outside of my sump. I have a mag 5 pump in the sump chamber running the skimmer. I have tried the output going straight into the sump chamber and kind of being broken up by a poly filter pad bent over the side. I also tried putting a flex hose on the output and running it to farthest side of the sump also being broken by the poly filter pad and also with a micro filter sheet pad above the baffle of the far side chamber. Nothing, LOTs of micro bubbles. I have tried adjusting the level of the sump.

Right now I am thinking I might have to drain the water and install some kind of baffle system around the return pump. Would work out ok, I am planning on installing a float for an ATO anyway. What's the best way to set up the baffles around the pump? double baffles so water goes under then over? not sure on this.

 

i have a flex panel in the middle that the water goes under so the bubbles hit this and float to the top, if this dont work i have a v2 bubble stop fitted, these work well

 

what's the flex panel like/made of? Anyone use an EV skimmer with a V2 or like bubble stop?

 

its just a flat plate across the middle of my tank, the idea is the bubbles have time to go higher than the slit at the bottom before it reaches the half way plate, hope this makes sense

 

yeah that makes sense I was wondering what you mean by 'flex panel' i.e. what's it made of?

 

You might want to hold off until the 120 breaks in. I have one and I have zero bubbles from it. The directions say to put the level at the inside baffle, but after break in raise it to the bottom of the riser tube. You just may need more tuning. I run a Mag 7 through mine and have never had bubble issues.

 

i've used perspex as i have rock in there too which i transfer into other tanks to start the bio off, so its in and out alot so it dont break the glass

 

powerman, how do you have the EV water output going into your sump? I thought it was creating the bubbles just by pouring into the sump and breaking water surface, but maybe the bubbles are already there from new skimmer and will go away. You don't get many bubbles from skimmer output falling into sump? do you use anything to break the path or does it just splash into water? My output valve is only about 3" above water line.

 

Bubbles from falling are big. Micro bubbles are from the skimmer. My valve is only an inch and a half above the water and that annoys me.

I just made a new sump/fuge. I don't mind falling water, but splashing is annoying. I used a Mag pump suction sponge in my old skimmer to break the fall. However, I also know it does not put out micro bubbles, it isn't just the sponge removing them.

In my new sump, I just let the water fall. Then I got tired of the noise and put the sponge back. I also hate cleaning sponges so I am going to do what most people do. Attach a pipe and elbow to the gate valve and just run it below the water level.

 

I tried attaching a pipe - 1" with a T and left the top open to prevent syphon - it seemed to mess with the flow too much - the water level dropped way down to where it wasn't able to produce bubbles.. maybe because it's still breaking in but it seemed to affect it a lot.