Sump help!!!

I installed my new sump today. Everything seems to be working just dandy except for a couple things which I am unsure of.

First, I am trying to keep the level stable on the return section with the pump. I can adjust with the ball valve however I can't find the sweet spot. Am I doing this right or should it stabilize at some point? I've been messing with both the overflow and return valves to find the sweet spot.

Second problem is I have a TON of micro bubbles. It looks like crappy clear soda in my DT. The baffles help somewhat but most just move along with the flow. Is the flow too strong? Look at the pictures, I have my overflow dumping in just below the water level of that section.

Ideas please I would be so excited to solve these two problems.


By k3rack, shot with Canon PowerShot SD750 at 2010-04-25

By k3rack, shot with Canon PowerShot SD750 at 2010-04-25

By k3rack, shot with Canon PowerShot SD750 at 2010-04-25

 

im no expert, but can you install a sock over that drain line making all the bubbles, or install some foam/sponge in that last baffle crack before return? both will need to be clean regularly though..

 

Thanks I will try that out. As for the levels, should I do any fine tuning? I have the OF limited a bit because of the gurgling but the return is limited as well. Does the return section stabilize if they are near each others flow rate?

 

The overflow should be wide open, never valve or restrict it since it could plug with debris and flood. The overflow and display will balance out with the return pump and flow.
Adjust the return flow with a ball valve on the discharge side if needed. The level in the return section will drop with evaporation but the display should remain constant with the overflow all the way open.

Microbubbles in a new system are very common and usually go away with time. It seems like everything needs to become seasoned or get a slime coat on it and they just magically disappear one day. I think most of us have this in the beginning.

 

Thanks for the reply. So let me get this right, if I open the OF all the way and maybe restrict the return a bit just because it's a quicker flow rate it will even out? It doesn't make sense to me maybe because I am barely awake today. I marked the level and it was dropping so I constricted it a bit and it stabilized but I am a total newbie at this as you can tell.

I will reopen the OF 100% and see what happens. As for the bubbles, I think I will give it a week or so and see if my soda tank will look better I know the skimmers will do this for a week or so but I was surprised to see it happen without my skimmer set up yet.

 

My current system, a 100G display and 30G sump had microbubbles for the first 4-6 weeks then they just disappeared with no rhyme or reason. I didn't change anything at all.
Yes the system will balance itself out based on the return flow. When you restrict the overflow you are artifically controlling the level in the display which does not need to happen, it will establish itself on its own based on the return flow.

You will want to shut the system off, let the sump drain back until water stops flowing down then make sure you have sufficient room in the sump for tha tamount of water. This is a very important step since you will one day have power outages or shut pumps off for maintenance and you need to ensure you do not over flow the sump. I take a Sharpie and mark this high level on the glass along with something like HIGH LEVEL-OFF for a reference point. Then I start the return pump again with the overflow wide open and return pump valved slightly until I establish a safe return flow then again mark the sump with the Sharpie with something like NORMAL OPERATING LEVEL FULL. Then after a couple days when the return section level drops I make another mark so I know when to add water and fill it back to the normal operating level full. I never ever fill past that point so I never have to worry about an overflow. When the power goes off the tank level drops about 3/4", the overflow teeth are exposed and quit draining and the returns are also exposed so quit draining and I have air gap siphon break. No drilled holes, no check valves and nothing to fail.

 

My sump won't overflow because I made it extra high however, if I lose siphon I might have a problem so I will be checking that and moving the box around to find how much I can pump in the DT without overflow.

As long as the return isn't pumping more than the OF and the return section drying up that should be my concern for now right?

Thanks for your advise!