Bearing in mind that I'm only running through suggestions that I can think of without being able to see things. (Shoot, Josh helped carry the actual sump to the car, I can't compete with that! What do you need me for.) Small sump only came to mind as one possible cause but that doesn't mean it's the cause of your situation .. it's only as I say, something that comes to mind as a usual culprit. One makes a list of possibles, then you examine to see which ones are plausible, which ones are implausible, and which ones are impossible .. and you work out from there.
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First the sump is 40"X12.5" and filled average 13" (So I don't think it's overly small???)
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Ok so probably not sump size, which is good. So, we move onto other possibilities.
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Not convinced it's worth looking into a herbie...I am happy with my overflows, they make NO sound. I understand what you said about slowing the flow...don't exactly understand why I would change to a herbie??? And how that would slow the flow???
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A Herbie doesn't slow the flow. A Herbie sidesteps the issue of microbubbles from your overflow because the input and output are completely submerged and thus cannot introduce air into the sump. If you're convinced the bubbles don't come from the overflow, then, again, it's just something you scratch off the list and move onto the others.
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My question as I put to Tony is...then shouldn't the bubbles improve if I turn down the return valves? If I used a less powerful pump, wouldn't that do the same?
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Yes. And for what it's worth, dialing back a pump in this matter actually decreases your electrical usage. Pump draw is based more on the speed of the impeller rather than how high the water is being lifted. Throttling back on a pump (always on output side, never on the input side - pumps are good at pushing, but they suck at sucking) is the same as higher head pressure.
But, if you've already dialed back the pump and it made no difference then maybe it is not a sump speed issue after all. The only thing I can think that hasn't been suggested so far is that there is could be a microhole somewhere acting as a venturi and sucking in air. It would realistically be on the inlet side because on the outlet side you'd either see wetness or a lot of saltcreep.
My guess based on everything you've said is that the problem is possibly in your last baffle. If you have a level drop, it is just like a weir and you can get air bubbles. The simple test to confirm this would be to temporarily put more water in your sump so that there is no level drop. If the bubbles go away, there you go; if they don't, well, again if nothing else at least you can eliminate the possibility and know to look somewhere else.
Whatever the cause, hope you find it and be able to fix it.
cheers