Plumbing issue

SpateD · #1 10-12-2012, 06:45 PM

Okay, so I have built a breeding system, 2 40g's, one ontop of the other. They both have a stockman standpipe, I did drill a hole, and put a piece of airline tubing in it, but nothing else..

My first tank, drops straight down, and 45's off into the tank below. The second tank, 90's down into the sump.

Whats happening on both of these, is massive surges of bubbles are spitting out the bottom of the drain pipes which is causing a lot of airation on the surface of my sump and second tank. Which is also causing a ton of salt creep and evaporation.

I took a video.. hopefully someone has some ideas.

http://s57.beta.photobucket.com/user...da3b3.mp4.html

subman · #2 10-12-2012, 08:22 PM

can you post a pic of the other end of the plumbing?

SpateD · #3 10-12-2012, 08:29 PM

Sure, it's just a basic stockman standpipe.

I'm going to purchase valves today, but I already tried to limit the air intake and it didn't change anything, it actually made more of a gurgling sound when I completely stopped the airflow.

biggerstretch · #4 10-12-2012, 09:24 PM

If you give up fighting with it you could build a bubble trap........

Feed the drain into an old skimmer , kind of a bubble trap.

Invert a canister over the drain line ( 2L pop bottle ) have an air vent on top... bubbles go up , pop , air goes out ..

experiment with it ...

SpateD · #5 10-12-2012, 09:41 PM

Basically there is no flow without these drain lines.. So I'm hoping to not obstruct the flow. I was thinking if popping off the 90's and putting basically a flat piece of something in it so it does slow the flow somewhat, but its causing bubbles before exiting and then it may reduce even more bubbles coming out... (Like the nets the city place along the roads that go downhill to slow the water flow).

HaZRaTTy · #6 10-13-2012, 12:55 AM

Hmm Its most likely just from the falling of water from your top system. I would possibly try putting some sort of screen on the end but with that you will have micro bubbles out the ying

SpateD · #7 10-13-2012, 01:11 AM

I was also thinking a screen/mesh or something just to cause a ''break'' in the flow. But then I thought it may just flow overtop of the break or mesh, and continue.

Royal Aquariums · #8 10-13-2012, 01:25 AM

Try putting a T fitting on the end that goes into the sump

gregzz4 · #9 10-13-2012, 01:31 AM

Maybe you could try open-topped standpipes, and use a gate valve to adjust the height above the pipe

My chaeto tank has this and, with the water about 1" above the pipe, it's silent and no bubbles. If I lower the level below 1" it will suck air
And, of course, the drain is under water in the sump

The valve doesn't noticeably slow down any flow - it only adjusts the height

The pipe on the right is an emerg overflow

AquaticFinatic · #10 10-13-2012, 04:05 AM

Just what I was about to say Greg. You should put a ball valve in and throttle it back so the pipe fills with water as I think there is not enough water going through the pipe. This is then get swooshed around in the tube creating he air bubbles. It might work Dustin. Try them without glueing first to see if it works.