tidepooldreamer Posted November 4, 2022 Share Posted November 4, 2022 Small bubbles in the display has been a persistent problem in my IM AIO; I read someone else on here put some filter floss at the top of the pump chamber which fixed the issue by stopping the bubbles at the overflow. I was thinking a little tray to hold the floss would be good, as I can't think of a good way to attach it without risking it going down and getting pulled into the return pump, and wondered if anyone knew of a product like this I could buy? I know there's a lot of 3D printed mods for various tanks out there! Or any suggestions for alternative ways to hold the floss or resolve the issue, too 😄 Thanks! Quote Link to comment
mcarroll Posted November 6, 2022 Share Posted November 6, 2022 On 11/3/2022 at 8:01 PM, tidepooldreamer said: Small bubbles in the display has been a persistent problem in my IM AIO Is this a standard issue tank or has it been upgraded/modified? Depending on your answer to that... In general, bubbles should get less as the tank breaks in more....so maybe just patience? I'd be surprised if floss made much difference, but try using string to tie it in place temporarily and see how it goes. 1 Quote Link to comment
tidepooldreamer Posted November 6, 2022 Author Share Posted November 6, 2022 Just now, mcarroll said: Is this a standard issue tank or has it been upgraded/modified? Depending on your answer to that... In general, bubbles should get less as the tank breaks in more....so maybe just patience? I'd be surprised if floss made much difference, but try using string to tie it in place temporarily and see how it goes. Standard issue, haven't even swapped out the stock media basket! They've been pretty constant as long as I've had it running, since Oct 2020; I've tried raising and lowering the water level in that back chamber with no luck. I have it running basically as high as possible while still having the correct flow in the back; any lower and the bubbles do get worse. I do think my pump might be missing the fish guard part, if that'd make any difference? I'm not sure about that except that I think I saw someone else's photo of the same stock pump and there was an extra part I don't have... Quote Link to comment
mcarroll Posted November 6, 2022 Share Posted November 6, 2022 If it's been running a couple years, then it's something else. 😉 Can you post a pic (or even a movie) to show the bubble problem? Are you growing algae anywhere in the back? A protein skimmer? What's the source of the bubbles? Any chance of a defect in the return plumbing allowing in air? 1 Quote Link to comment
tidepooldreamer Posted November 6, 2022 Author Share Posted November 6, 2022 1 minute ago, mcarroll said: If it's been running a couple years, then it's something else. 😉 Can you post a pic (or even a movie) to show the bubble problem? Are you growing algae anywhere in the back? A protein skimmer? What's the source of the bubbles? Any chance of a defect in the return plumbing allowing in air? I'll try to get a video when the lights come on tomorrow - it's not a massive amount of bubbles or else I'd have been bothered enough to fix it before now, but I feel there could be less. Maybe I just need to adjust my expectations 😅 Not growing algae on purpose as a refugium anywhere, just have the green film on the glass which I don't scrape off the back and the AIO walls. No protein skimmer. It's the IM fusion 14, with the stock cotton balls media + filter felt pad, stock return pump, no other equipment that moves water. As far as I can tell the bubbles come from larger bubbles in the return pump chamber that get pulled in and chopped up - at least, there's always some swirling around in that last chamber. Quote Link to comment
mcarroll Posted November 6, 2022 Share Posted November 6, 2022 1 hour ago, tidepooldreamer said: Not growing algae on purpose as a refugium anywhere, just have the green film on the glass which I don't scrape off the back and the AIO walls. If you're lighting up the back compartment, algae will give off some bubbles. Not sure that's happening, but it's possible so you can check. 1 hour ago, tidepooldreamer said: As far as I can tell the bubbles come from larger bubbles in the return pump chamber that get pulled in and chopped up - at least, there's always some swirling around in that last chamber. Hm....bubbles from bubbles? 😉 You might have to stand there and watch for a few min/a while until you can see where they're originating. Is there a ton of turbulence in any of the chambers so air would be getting mixed from he surface? Back at the drain weir maybe? Seems like that would be a long distance fora super-buoyant bubble to travel tho, to get into the return pump from there. I dunno... Seeing that vid might help reveal some clues. 👍 Quote Link to comment
tidepooldreamer Posted November 8, 2022 Author Share Posted November 8, 2022 On 11/6/2022 at 1:33 AM, mcarroll said: Seeing that vid might help reveal some clues. 👍 Y'know, since I made this post I've had a go at getting the video and ... no bubbles! Checked the back chamber too where they'd been before and they're gone from there as well. This is since I did my last water change. I wonder if I'd been creating bubbles back there when I refilled the tank on previous WCs which ended up persisting throughout the week (I know I see bubbles develop back there when I take out the media caddy to clean it and there's extra turbulent flow for a brief time); maybe this time I managed to avoid that? I'll have to keep an eye next water change and see what happens. Thanks for the input in the meantime 😄 1 Quote Link to comment
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