NEW plumbing method for an ULTRA QUIET REEF TANK!!!! LONG !!!!
- Thread starter Herbie
- Start date
Beenalongtime79
New member
thrlride,
With all things being the same besides your change in addition of the ball valve, you are still getting the same water volume movement as before.
The extra speed when letting the valve run completely open is due to the quicker displacement of water by the air bubbles. So, in addition to just the water coming down, you have bubbles being thrown into the water and this will push more water over the baffle as it too is also taking up space in the sump under the water. Make sense?
Peace,
John H.
With all things being the same besides your change in addition of the ball valve, you are still getting the same water volume movement as before.
The extra speed when letting the valve run completely open is due to the quicker displacement of water by the air bubbles. So, in addition to just the water coming down, you have bubbles being thrown into the water and this will push more water over the baffle as it too is also taking up space in the sump under the water. Make sense?
Peace,
John H.
mod for single bulkheads
mod for single bulkheads
I just found this thread. I wish I'd found it before I built the custom overflow on my tank. I'm putting a 33G tank together and I need a reasonably large amount of flow for my chiller. I have a standard 18" high 33 and dremeled out a 8" wide overflow that goes into a 8" deep overflow box on the back of the tank. With 500GPH+ going through there and into my sump I had a really noisy overflow and the hot tub effect in my sump. I built something similar to get around the problem. Here's a pic:
The effect is the same as Herbie's idea, but I'm restricted to using a single bulkhead in the overflow box. I don't think I can run my level in the overflow as high in this design, but its totally quiet. I'm having some trouble dialing it in (the ball valve is sticky) so I'm going to switch to a gate valve when I can find one.
mod for single bulkheads
I just found this thread. I wish I'd found it before I built the custom overflow on my tank. I'm putting a 33G tank together and I need a reasonably large amount of flow for my chiller. I have a standard 18" high 33 and dremeled out a 8" wide overflow that goes into a 8" deep overflow box on the back of the tank. With 500GPH+ going through there and into my sump I had a really noisy overflow and the hot tub effect in my sump. I built something similar to get around the problem. Here's a pic:
The effect is the same as Herbie's idea, but I'm restricted to using a single bulkhead in the overflow box. I don't think I can run my level in the overflow as high in this design, but its totally quiet. I'm having some trouble dialing it in (the ball valve is sticky) so I'm going to switch to a gate valve when I can find one.
Beenalongtime79
New member
dkuyper,
Excellent idea... now what'll happen when the main line gets clogged up. Hehe.
Now you can explain to all your friends why you have all those strange tubes coming off the overflow.
Peace,
John H.
Excellent idea... now what'll happen when the main line gets clogged up. Hehe.
Now you can explain to all your friends why you have all those strange tubes coming off the overflow.
Peace,
John H.
Beenalongtime79
New member
Drock,
He's got just one drain... no extra emergency drain line that I can see.... I mean sure he piped a pseudo one off of the main line, but I'm talking about the main one getting clogged up
This is however very unlikely since you would need something honking big to do, like a massive tang.
Peace,
John H.
He's got just one drain... no extra emergency drain line that I can see.... I mean sure he piped a pseudo one off of the main line, but I'm talking about the main one getting clogged up
This is however very unlikely since you would need something honking big to do, like a massive tang.
Peace,
John H.
The problem with the single drain clogging is the biggest problem I can see. I've got a cylinder of gutter guard in there so that should keep anything large out. If I had known how loud an overflow like this would be with unrestricted drains (and I had read this thread) I would have put two bulkheads in the overflow box.
I still have to replace the ball valve with a gate. I'm leary of busting the assembly (especially at the bulkhead) because you need a lot of torque to tune the ball valve.
D
I still have to replace the ball valve with a gate. I'm leary of busting the assembly (especially at the bulkhead) because you need a lot of torque to tune the ball valve.
D
Beenalongtime79
New member
Hey Dkuyper,
If you can't get your hands on a gate valve. I highly recommend any of the true union ball valves, their action is so much smoother than the ones that look like pool table balls you get from HD or lowes. You can get the true union ones at HD and Lowes as well.
Peace,
John H.
If you can't get your hands on a gate valve. I highly recommend any of the true union ball valves, their action is so much smoother than the ones that look like pool table balls you get from HD or lowes. You can get the true union ones at HD and Lowes as well.
Peace,
John H.
drock59
Premium Member
rufio, i didnt notice the single drain line, so that makes that design even that much better!!
I would definately recomend the gate valve. I am using a ball valve right now and it works ok, but i need to adjust it every once in while, and it is a pain to get it perfect.
You can get ball plumbing stuff really cheap at http://www.savko.com/
I would definately recomend the gate valve. I am using a ball valve right now and it works ok, but i need to adjust it every once in while, and it is a pain to get it perfect.
You can get ball plumbing stuff really cheap at http://www.savko.com/
Willy315
New member
I have a gate valve on mine and it works perfectly. Got mine at www.usplastics.com
drock59
Premium Member
im having some issues with my tank using this plumbing method. I know this thread is all but dead, so if someone could chime in i would appreciate it.
When i simulate a clogged main return line and the water level rises to the emergency drain, so does the water in the tank. THe problem is, the tank level keeps rising until overflow.
Any thoughts on how to fix this?
When i simulate a clogged main return line and the water level rises to the emergency drain, so does the water in the tank. THe problem is, the tank level keeps rising until overflow.
Any thoughts on how to fix this?
I don't know if this would work, but you could try putting an upside-down U on the emergency drain and make sure that the top of the U is below your tanks normal level and the drain into the sump is not submerged. If your overflow level rises it will fill the emergency tube and create a siphon which will drain your overflow quickly. I think you'd end up with a seesaw effect when the siphon dies after it drains the overflow, but this is probably better than a flood.
DrBDC
Active member
From what I can tell all this is doing is finding the flow level that just almost overpowers the drain. Very similar to tuning a skimmer esp if you have an airstone style. The emergency would then need to be the same size as the pipe it is backing up. On my tank even it's the same, it just happens that my pump is just about 600 gph after head loss apparently and it runs just right for my 1 inch drain. Most don't even have a backup. Having to throttle back the return pump is actually no diff than controlling flow of the drain, which btw you shouldn't do either. You never really know if you're at the max drain speed til you pass it up due to water column volume over the drain hole etc. speeding up what you "thought" was maximum speed.
I can keep mine quiet just with a durso and an airline with an airline valve on it. I found my sweetspot before I put the valve in the air tube. Some may need it. Others may only need the hole and no airline. If my tank makes any noise I pull the airline, run water, and put it back.
I can keep mine quiet just with a durso and an airline with an airline valve on it. I found my sweetspot before I put the valve in the air tube. Some may need it. Others may only need the hole and no airline. If my tank makes any noise I pull the airline, run water, and put it back.
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