To Micron-sock or Not To Micron-sock

[90_berlin_joe]

For 8 months I was using the 100mic Micron sock on my overflow tube to brake up air and catch junk going to my sump. After going through a very bad Nitrate spike (180++++) I got rid of them thinking this was the cause which they were not it was the Marco algae Grape Culpira in the refuge.

My question is I want to add them back to the system for i have to much flow going through my sump and my air trap is not keeping up with what is returning and my tank have tons of micro bubbles.

1. Does anyone else run with Micron sock on there overflow tub?
2. If so how often do you clean it out?
3. Do you use Bleach and a de-chloride on them?
4. What other options are there (desides lowing the flow in sump)?

[Fly Guy]

Proper baffles will kill all bubbles. Sometimes it makes more sense to creat a skimmer chamber or a skimmer drain chamber(depending on whether you skimmer is in or out of the sump) before the water even gets to the baffles.

I stopped using socks about 5 months ago to catch crap as i never cleaned them often enough(every few days or at the minimum every week they need cleaned). They are just as ineffective at stopping bubbles as any sponge, and i cant tell any difference in my water clarity for not using them.

[rutz81]

I use filter socks. I change mine out every 3 days or so. I think when used properly(as in not leaving them there for too long) they can really help get a lot of the particle matter out of the water column. On the other hand, if you leave them for too long they can be devastating to a tank.

[90_berlin_joe]

Fly Guy, proper baffles??? I designed them from numerous suggestion which are 12" high first piece, 2nd is 1" off bottom to top of tank and 3rd is 12" high all are 1" apart. My skimmer and overflow tube are in the area before the baffles, however my flow though the baffles is about 1300+gph. I am going to try to add 2 more baffles to give the trap a longer area to trap the air.

[Fly Guy]

How wide is your sump??..... 1" is too close trying to crank 1300 gph through it and give the baffles time to do their work...... is it glass and silicone that you can move or is it acrylic and weld-on'ed??

If its acrylci and you cant move them...dont fret we can still fix it without cutting the baffles out.......

what kind of skimmer do you use and is it in sump or out of sump??

post a couple of pics of your sump if you can......

[90_berlin_joe]

I am using a 29gal aga 30x12x18 first baffle is set at 15in from the left giving the in sump skimmer(ASM G-3) an area of 15"x12" here is a pic of the sump setup. I am using .25 acrylic for the baffle and return area.

[Fly Guy]

Can you turn that asm sideways so we couldnt see the pump in your drawing???? Put it directly under your drin maybe????

If so, take another piece of acrylic from the top down leavinga couple inches for the water to flow under. IDEALLY, this piece of acrylci would be from the bottom UP, but you already have your first baffle doing that......this should fix your bubble problem.

A lot of people coul deliminate microbubbles regardless of how their baffles have been glued in there by isolating their skimmers and forcing the water to rise before ever continuing on in the sump......

In your case we are going to do the opposite but i think it will work.

DO NOT glue that piece in place....just set it there and prop it up somehow. There will be leakage around the sides but you will be able to tell if tis going to work or not before you make it permanent...

make sense???

oone more thing...put that wall as far away from that first baffle as possible..this will allow the bubbles to rise before being forced down with the water in the first baffle that you already have in place.......

from your picture you might have to move your drain a little left.....

hth and let us know if it worked.....if it didnt....get ouot the grinder and/or dremel lol

just kidding......there are other ways