micro bubbles in CLS driving me crazy!

[LISound]

this is driving me crazy.
I rebuilt the CLS this weekend and no luck--still getting bubbles.
this time even more!
I've post in the the other forum with pictures...here is the link

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=86301

i did a basic over the top design...used a ball valve on the top to prime it and one on the bottom to empty and service.
I had bad luck with union joints so i didn't use one in this design.

i can see air bubbles going through the tube into the pump.
I used silacone on the threads to and from the clear tubing as well.

should i just re-silicone all the joints again.

Is it the up and over design.
I'm at my breaking point!

[Geoff]

how long has it been running? it may take a couple of days for all of the air to make its way out of the system? is the inlet pipe the same size as the inlet to the pump? if not than the impellor could cavitate. this can make bubbles.

are the bubbles constant or in bursts?

G~

[LISound]

they are constant.
I can see them build up in the clear tubing and they burst...you know.
I can't figure it out, i thought i did it all right this time around.
when i open my valves all the way...i get a lot of bubbles, so air has to be getting in at one of my joints.
when i take it down I'll go over all the joints again and remake the plastic connector leading to the pump.

Maybe i should just hard plumb it all the way to the pump?

[Geoff]

do you have a valve on the outlet? what happens when you valve it back a bit? how do you prime the system?

G~

[LISound]

yes on both returns...it slows them a bit but does not stop them.
I should be able to turn this thing up full blast.
the intake is and up and over design.
I have a ball valve at the top to prime instead of a end cap and a ball valve at the bottom to drain the system.
i must have a loose connection somewhere, right?

[Geoff]

if you think it is a loose connection someplace than the best thing to do is just let it run for a couple of weeks. at this point salt creep will start showing up at the leak. other than that not sure how else to trouble shoot it.

G~

[numan]

please help me here and tell me what is a cls?

[LISound]

closed loop system.
I'm taking water from inside the tank...pulling it through a pump and returning it directly back to the tank to create a lot of flow.
I don't have a sump.

[LISound]

Geoff,
It wouldn't be from the priming area going up and over the tank with the elbow joints, right.
I remember hearing something about a vortex be created but who knows.

If air is getting in there than there has to be a hole somewhere right?

Will putting a new layer of glue fix the problem?
I plan to do that this weekend when i hook up a sea swirl.

[coralcat]

Originally Posted by numan

please help me here and tell me what is a cls?

Go here http://thereeftank.com/forums/faq.ph..._reef_articles
And print it out

[gwaco]

is your intake down far enough ! maybe your getting a mini twister going next to the intake screen ( if you have one ) and once it gets sucked in, it stops till it builds again ! also since your using a ball valve for your primer maybe its leaking air passed the seal ! with the valve closed and the loop running try filling the open end with water and see what happens . atleast you can eliminate the valve if the water doesn't get draw in or the bubbles persist .

[LISound]

good call on the primers...i did the water check and still no luck.
it has to be an air leak.
I'm letting it go with the bubbles and will see if i get some salt creep.
Let's hope so...i can't take much more of this.

[Kendall]

Any Luck? I have the same problem. I do have a section of clear tubing on the intake side. I double clamped one end and it helped a little. It is tight access to the other end to double clamp so I have not done it yet. Also the tubing is collapsing from the suction. I am going to switch to flex pvc to get better seals, but not till this weekend.