# another fx5 microbubbles question



## grigas9 (May 9, 2006)

I have an fx5 on my 125 gallon front tank and I cannot seem to get rid of the micro bubbles. They only seem to appear later in the day after the lights have been on for 10 or so hours. IN the morning there is not one micro bubble in the tank! I have changed the time that it stops to purge air and it still will always have micro bubbles in the evening. I have very little media in it so that the flow is not restricted (no polishing pads) and all seals are tight.

ANy ideas or suggestions???


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## DaveZ17 (Sep 14, 2009)

Im running 3 fx5s and havent seen any bubbles. Do you have something pushing water towards the intake? (powerhead etc.)


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## grigas9 (May 9, 2006)

I actually have the intake and output at the same spot and the water output pointed away from both, across the tank lengthwise


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## DaveZ17 (Sep 14, 2009)

Thats how I have mine set up. How far down is the intake from the return? I think the filter is pulling the return water back in.


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## grigas9 (May 9, 2006)

it is directly below it, maybe 15 inches


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## DaveZ17 (Sep 14, 2009)

Maybe thats not the problem, 2 of mine are set up at that height. It sounds like its getting air in the filter somehow. Sorry I couldnt help.


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## grigas9 (May 9, 2006)

maybe i will try taking even more media out and cleaning the impeller and see if that makes it any better


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## Dawg2012 (May 10, 2012)

Was the issue ever resolved? I got an FX5 a couple weeks ago and now mine is blowing steady microbubbles as well


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Dawg2012 said:


> Was the issue ever resolved? I got an FX5 a couple weeks ago and now mine is blowing steady microbubbles as well


What media and how much do you have in your trays? I have 500g of bowmax in each tray with a blue/white bonded marineland filter pad on top of the rings except the bottom tray where the pad is under the rings. I made triple sure that the hoses were tightening with the clamps very tight and the hand tightening screws on top were all screwed down really tight. Also...it is important that the connections inside the tank where the hoses meets the nozzle and intake are submerged. Being submerged gives it the air tight seal. If they are above the water line it can let in air.

Those are the only things I can think of that would cause the bubbles. That or air bubbler, wand or power head blowing into the intake.


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## Dawg2012 (May 10, 2012)

I use the Biomax ceramic rings and have maybe 2 boxes (don't know the weight, I'm at work) split up over the three trays, with no filter pad. I've been meaning to stock it with more Biomax and some pads just haven't got around to it.

All connections are secure that I can see, and I really looked after noticing the bubbles. One thing that changed is that I raised the inlet about as far up as I could (see pic - I recently converted the tank to a Tang tank with some very small Multis and I didn't want to suck them up). No air is coming down from the surface and/or blowing into the intake.

I googled FX5 microbubbles and it seems this is not an uncommon problem at all. Clogged media (mine is basically new, thus not clogged) and a leaky seal are the most popular causes. I did see where someone had overtightened the thumb screws and warped the seal, thus had air leaking. I'm going to check that tonight.

I've cycled power a couple of times to get it to purge, however no air comes out. Ugh, the bubbles are really annoying. Sometimes I have powerheads put out bubbles (in other tanks), but that's always by choice.

p.s. The pic is from last night before the bubbles started...


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Did the bubbles coincide with moving the intake up? If everything is tightened properly, and you don't have old or too much media so that is not an issue, then it may be caused by where the intake hose meets the intake tube and it may not be far enough under the water. That is just a guess.

I would turn it off tonight, tighten everything, making sure that you tighten the top of the canister like you were putting on a wheel on a car. Tighten in a star pattern. While it is turn off and the aquastop valves are in the off position loosen all the hand screws on top. Then tighten one and then the one opposite it, like you would when installing a spare tire on a car, but don't tighten them all at once meaning don't tighten one all the way then go on to the next one and tighten all the way. Tighten one snug but not super tight then move on to the next one opposite it. When they are all snug then repeat the process tightening them all very tight this time.

I bet that helps.


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## Dawg2012 (May 10, 2012)

The bubbles did coincide with raising the inlet - probably because I had the inlet out of the water while I was messing with it (with the filter off of course, but this still would have introduced some air). Although I did raise the inlet (by using a shorter piece of tube I had previously cut off to get the inlet off the floor of the tank before adding sand) I didn't change the location of where the hose meets the tube - so that "shouldn't" be the issue - though yes anything is a possibility.

Yesterday the issue was less. My gf texted once to say they had stopped, but then they started later in the day. Definitely less last night though I didn't spend too much time looking at it as I was stocking the final fish in the tank. I'm hoping it was just the air that I introduced while fiddling with it.

I gotcha on the tightening pattern. I will look at that tonight. I also got some bonded filter pad that I'm going to add as it's rumored that helps with the bubbles.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Dawg2012 said:


> The bubbles did coincide with raising the inlet - probably because I had the inlet out of the water while I was messing with it (with the filter off of course, but this still would have introduced some air). Although I did raise the inlet (by using a shorter piece of tube I had previously cut off to get the inlet off the floor of the tank before adding sand) I didn't change the location of where the hose meets the tube - so that "shouldn't" be the issue - though yes anything is a possibility.
> 
> Yesterday the issue was less. My gf texted once to say they had stopped, but then they started later in the day. Definitely less last night though I didn't spend too much time looking at it as I was stocking the final fish in the tank. I'm hoping it was just the air that I introduced while fiddling with it.
> 
> I gotcha on the tightening pattern. I will look at that tonight. I also got some bonded filter pad that I'm going to add as it's rumored that helps with the bubbles.


Yeah...I have the bonded pads in each of my trays....one piece in each tray that is. The white side facing down.


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## Dawg2012 (May 10, 2012)

Last night I cleaned the filter for the first time and installed the bonded pads in all the trays. I put the pads in the bottom of the tray, blue side up, then filled the rest of the tray with BioMax.

The filter was dirty, but not too bad. There was a lot of duckweed in it as I had it on the tank when it was an mbuna tank. I removed all the duckweed when I converted it to a Tang tank.

Tightened the lid 'snug' and in an alternating pattern.

This morning, no air bubbles! 

I'm hoping it stays like this. I was worried because not only do the microbubbles cloud the water, my Cyps were CONSTANTLY trying to eat them. Anyway, hopefully all will be well. Thanks for the advice.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Dawg2012 said:


> Last night I cleaned the filter for the first time and installed the bonded pads in all the trays. I put the pads in the bottom of the tray, blue side up, then filled the rest of the tray with BioMax.
> 
> The filter was dirty, but not too bad. There was a lot of duckweed in it as I had it on the tank when it was an mbuna tank. I removed all the duckweed when I converted it to a Tang tank.
> 
> ...


Awesome....glad to hear. :thumb:


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