HELP with Durso sump silencer "T"

[socal-rich]

I have a 75 gallon tank, it had been drilled for a 1.5" drain, and the overflow box is 5"x5". My return pump is a Mag12 (plumbed to 1.5" then reduced to 1") which also feeds a 1/4 hp chiller (plumbed with 3/4" line). The drain pipe is 1.5" and is submerged a couple inches below the water level of the sump. The sump water level is about 6".

I built a 1.5" Stockman standpipe for it. The Stockman standpipe successfully silenced the overflowbox. The water level is high and stable (no fluctuations).

I have always had a noisy sump though (air traveling down the drain pipe and emptying into sump). Recently I have been trying to solve the "hot tub" sump problem because I have read others have been able to (I thought it was just me ).

I followed the drawing below, it helped a bit, but I still have LOTS of air entering the sump from the drain pipe.

I tried reducing the drain pipe to 1" but all it really did was increase the water level in the tank and make the overflow box work overtime.

I have the T much higher than the water level now, it seemed to reduce the bubbles a little more.

Others who have used the above drawing said it was successfull in silencing their sump.

What else could I try?

 

[kozmo02]

im in the same boat as you, my overflow is silent, but my sump has the hot tub problem.

i was told in the past "the standpipe is for overflow noise, for the sump noise you are on your own" i guess not too many people worry about the sump noise, but it bugs me, I'm gonna tag along and see what info i can get, I will try anything.

 

[MrSandman]

Hmm...if you still have those same parts available for the mod you did above, try reorganizing it in this manner and see if it works any better.

That pipe on the top part of the Tee doesn't even need to be there, but it might help minimize the amount of splashing and salt creep. Also, depending on the depth of your sump, you may want to try adding a section of PVC on the submerged end of the Tee as well. Hope this helps.

 

[socal-rich]

Thanks MrSandman I'll try that drawing also. I have used plumbing tape so far so its easy to disassemble and reconfigure.

I have also seen some drains that snake back and forth in an attempt to slow down the water I guess.

There is also the good ol' filter sock, but I'd rather not use one if I dont have to, ya know?

Also, one quick question, in your drawings you keep the T close to the water, is that on purpose? Maybe the reasoning why will give me a better understanding of what is happening.

 

[socal-rich]

I tried that new diagram out and it looks like a lot less bubbles, I can really feel the air pressure on the vent pipe.

I'm going to pick up another T tomorrow and see if I can fit another bend with a vent under the first to get the last of the air trapped in the water out.

Thanks again!

 

[MrSandman]

In the 1st photo you posted above, there really isn't any reason to place the Tee close to the water. However, in the 2nd picture, you really have no choice but to put the Tee close to the water since that is where the elbow is. Actually, the way my sump is plumbed, i have mine just like the 2nd photo and it works great. It really takes alot of the noise out. The 1st photo was just a quick attempt to try to show another way to try it. Let me know if the 2nd way works for you like it did for me.

 

[MrSandman]

Actually, now that i think about it it might work better if after the elbow you go to a larger diameter pipe for a short length then do the Tee mod like photo 2 w/ larger Tee's. The larger pipe will slow the water flow down and may get it slow enough so that the bubbles have more time to dissipate to the surface before being pushed down below the surface. Again, just throwing out ideas..which i haven't tried yet that you might want to consider.

 

[socal-rich]

thats also a great idea, I think slowing the water down is the key

I have been thinking smaller diameter drain pipe, but doesnt smaller diameter pipe increase the velocity? larger does seem to make more sense

its going to be a large pipe though as I am allready at 1.5" good thing I have a large sump

I also tried an S bend in the pipe with the vent at the top of the S, it was venting a lot, but still had a lot of bubbles draining

 

[socal-rich]

ok I followed your second picture, but did like yous said, after the elbow I increased the diameter of the pipe

I also capped the T and drilled a hole in it

this is the BEST I have seen it be, I think this is as good as it gets for now, very few bubbles, and very silent

as a test I put my finger over the vent hole, and watched what it used to do, froth and gurgle and belch bubbles into the sump, when I released my finger from the hole a jet of air shot out! the is really some air pressure coming down this thing

anyways thanks for the help!

 

[polymorphus]

AHAHAH its the Stockman with Socal-Rich's hammer of doom sump silencer.

 

[socal-rich]

total hogbenation!

 

[jun41]

Socal-Rich,

I tried that same diagram as the one you tried but I still have a couple things to iron out. How big is the hole in your cap? And also how tall is the cap from the tee? My cap isn't very far and when my the water starts flowing water starts shooting out and literally sounds like a toilet. I'm going to try lengthening it and see what will happen.

 

[jun41]

Still have bubbles. Does anyone know if this will work better in saltwater than freshwater? I'm still in the leak check phase but I figure saltwater acts totally different than freshwater(foams and what not). I hate when things don't work the way that you want. Time to go mix some salt water.

 

[yoink326]

After reading this I decided to make one. My drain was so bubbly that it was creating a skimming effect! So I guess it wasn't that bad. Anyways, it works like a charm so thanks guy. I didn't have an end cap, so the top of the Tee is just open, yet it's still silent. Any reason why I should put one on and drill a small hole in it?

 

[MrSandman]

Still have bubbles. Does anyone know if this will work better in saltwater than freshwater? I'm still in the leak check phase but I figure saltwater acts totally different than freshwater(foams and what not). I hate when things don't work the way that you want. Time to go mix some salt water.

Not sure if it will work better in saltwater when compared to freshwater...however, it will work differently. The size of the hole doesn't really matter...but the bigger the better, IMO. Again...this isn't the end all cure all to sump noise. You must take the necessary precautions to silence your tank via durso standpipes, stockmans, etc. This is really intended for those as a last resort once all other attempts have failed to silence the sump to the level you like. Kind of like the icing on the cake so to speak.

Notice how the water level of the sump is right at the center of the assembly. I'd say that this is the ideal position...however since many peoples sump levels fluctuate, i'd probably suggest that the water level not be any higher up on the assembly than this. If the assembly is submerged, it will not work as intended. If anything. I would suggest raising the assembly a bit higher up and extending the vertical pipe out of the Tee that goes down into the water. Play with this length to see what is the best. The deeper it goes, may work better.

 

[MrSandman]

After reading this I decided to make one. My drain was so bubbly that it was creating a skimming effect! So I guess it wasn't that bad. Anyways, it works like a charm so thanks guy. I didn't have an end cap, so the top of the Tee is just open, yet it's still silent. Any reason why I should put one on and drill a small hole in it?

No reason really to put a drilled endcap on the end. I don't have one on mine and it works great. The only reason i could possibly see doing this is either to muffle the sound a bit more.......or to capture salt spray from the bubbles popping directly under the endcap.

 

[guitarfish]

I have a 75g and a Durso pipe. I experimented with all kinds of designs on the drain, and this was the only solution I ever came up with that worked. The outlet pipes point in the opposite direction of the return pump. My sump (30g) is a baffleless sump. There are a small amount of microbubbles that make it back into the 75g, but not enough to bother me.

 

[Nosferatu]

I just use a bunch of filter media, the white and blue kind you know. About 3 layers in the sump overflow chamber. Also i make sure my line is nice and straight so the water drains evenly down the sides of the overflow hose so it seems to cut into the water and not splash

 

[amygdala17]

Does anyone have updated links to the initial photos and diagrams that started this thread? I can see the pic of the last one, and it looks pretty good, I'll probably go that route, but would like to see all of the ideas so I pick the best setup for my tank.

 

[niteshado]

Yes I would like to see the diagrams again. I remember this post but didn't copy it and now also have the "spa" effect.

Larry