NEW plumbing method for an ULTRA QUIET REEF TANK!!!! LONG !!!!

[rdmpe]

Interesting. I always tune my gate valve so that the water is just about to flow into the emergency drain - to the point that sometimes the water will slowly trickle over the edge of it. So if my water in the overflow were to rise at all, it is immediately returned to the sump via the emergency drain. Hopefully this will prevent the topoff from being activated when it should not.

 

[GMGQ]

Hmm, I see what you're saying...

But like I said, the level in my sump has stabilized for the last few days, despite the backing up of the drain at night.

One factor leading to the slower drain is probably because i recently discovered one of my overflow U-tubes cracked, so I'm using a clear one for now. The other ones had been painted black to deter algae growth. This clear one has already started sliming over with algae :S

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6575758#post6575758 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jacmyoung
I had the same question, once your evaporation is to the point of the new lowered float level should the same problem occur?

I have been topping off manually but always wondered how an auto top off may be worked out with this system. Maybe a sensor in the overflow box to shut off the top off when the water is too high in the overflow?

 

[BeanAnimal]

mY tank has a linear overflow 4' long. The tank can't run at a higher level. The sump is well over 50 gallons the effect of even an 1" or 2" of difference in the overflow chamer has really no effect on the sump level at all. My top-off system therefore has no problems.

 

[rdmpe]

My topoff system is muscle power at the moment Having an external overflow may lead to some different behavior than what I have with an internal chamber. My main drain has about 5" to 6" of water over it and the chamber itself is about 12" x 8" or so.

 

[mcegelsk]

Very interesting.

 

[us2000ua]

I still have problem with this system. Yes, it's dead silent, but it fluctuates. Level rises in the morning. I have 200G with two 1" overflows, (gate valves on both), use two 3/4" as emergency (1" pipe).
I have tunze osmolator topoff system and in the morning water level in the sump is above sensor. I think I know my first mistake. My emergency drain pipe is 1/2" above overflow teeth, so when water hits the emergency my tank level rises too. May be that's why sump level changes??? I'll make drain pipes shorter, just 1/8" lower then overflow teeth. I can not do it lower, because if water level in my overflow boxes is too low, let's say more then 1" it makes splashing sound. My sump is in basement and I have Iwaki 70. It's about 1200 GPH. (11' head) And I have two 3.4 seaswirls.
Is there something that can affect it? My Ph swing is 8.16 to 8.24 morning/evening, no corals yet. I have to stabilize the system first. Please help.

 

[foundahobby]

works

works

I have been using this system for about 3 years now without any problems with fluctuation. You can not have the drain pipe seating in water. As this will cause backup pressure.

 

[tygger]

Seems like people with large systems, >125g and more than one drain, are having problems with fluctuation. Not sure why...

 

[Untamed12]

I think I know my first mistake. My emergency drain pipe is 1/2" above overflow teeth, so when water hits the emergency my tank level rises too

Yes, I think that is the problem. This allows the level of water in the main display tank to rise before the 2nd drain kicks in. Given the display tank is large surface area, that is a lot of water that is no longer in your sump.

The 2nd drain needs to be comfortably below the overflow teeth. The only change in volume would therefore be the amount of fluctuation within the overflow box itself. As this is a small area, the fluctuation should be very small.

I think the optimal condition is to throttle back the 1st drain until the 2nd drain is just starting to be used, but is nowhere near it's capacity.

 

[rdmpe]

I also agree with untamed. I try to keep mine right at the top of the emergency drain so that is is just barely running over sometimes.

My drain exit is submerged. Because of that, my drain balance is very sensitive to the water level in the sump. It would not really matter if I had an auto topoff system but I don't.

I'm going to make a new drain exit line that is not submerged but is just right around the water surface. Hopefully that will make the system even more stable.

 

[Herbie]

WOW........Back now!

WOW........Back now!

Hey Guys,
WOW, I have been away for a while after a big move and hadnt realized how this big thread has become.
I have since broken down the tank that I used to run this system on and sold everything off sadly. It was working great for me though.
I just have gotten back into the hobby again once the big move has settled down a bit.
Set up a "small" 37 oceanic cube reef tank with an external overflow box.............hate it! Should have spent the money and went with a custom oceanic tank with a built in overflow. I am now starting to tinker with quieting down this tank! The overflow itself it very quiet and I would recommend it to anyone wanting a cheap and quiet hang on overflow. It is made by Hurricane filters, called "quietflow". I only have it going to a small 5.5 gallon sump, so I could fit my top-off 5 gallon kent jug and dosing pump inside the stand with the sump. It seems to be working out pretty good.........but a little louder than I would prefer. I will work on fixing that!

I looks like this plumbing system has some issues when it comes to running dual overflows, large tanks (over 125G), and hot overflows. Anything under 125 with a single overflow appears to be working good, from what I have skimmed over on this thread.
Anyway........if anyone needs any help or questions, I will try to answer them as best as possible. Although I havent been running it for year or two now.
It WAS working great for me. I think one of the things that helped me keep a consistant water level was using a top off system.........dosing pump in my case. That might be one important key to having this system work trouble free.

Good Luck...........
Later...........Herbie

 

[Pesce]

Weird...you started this thread exactly 2 years ago today!

 

[rdmpe]

That is very wierd!

Well, it has been working very well on my 180 with a single drain. My sump return is a Dart which also tees off to feed a fuge. So with about 6' total head pressure and the bleed off to the fuge I'm thinking it is probably doing about 1500 gph or so. Hard to tell though really. But the thing is absolutely silent. I go to some of the lfs and hear their systems sucking like a big toilet and I can't imagine having that noise in my livingroom!

I just put in a new drain exit pipe that is just at the sump water level rather than submerged like my old one. I think it will make the overflow level more independent of the sump water level. It was never really a problem, just a small tweak as far as I'm concerned.

 

[tygger]

Re: WOW........Back now!

Re: WOW........Back now!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7036522#post7036522 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Untamed12
Yes, I think that is the problem. This allows the level of water in the main display tank to rise before the 2nd drain kicks in. Given the display tank is large surface area, that is a lot of water that is no longer in your sump.

The 2nd drain needs to be comfortably below the overflow teeth. The only change in volume would therefore be the amount of fluctuation within the overflow box itself. As this is a small area, the fluctuation should be very small.

I think the optimal condition is to throttle back the 1st drain until the 2nd drain is just starting to be used, but is nowhere near it's capacity.

That is exactly how I have mine setup. The emergency drain is trickling at times...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7037196#post7037196 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Herbie
Hey Guys,
WOW, I have been away for a while after a big move and hadnt realized how this big thread has become.
I have since broken down the tank that I used to run this system on and sold everything off sadly. It was working great for me though.
I just have gotten back into the hobby again once the big move has settled down a bit.
Set up a "small" 37 oceanic cube reef tank with an external overflow box.............hate it! Should have spent the money and went with a custom oceanic tank with a built in overflow. I am now starting to tinker with quieting down this tank! The overflow itself it very quiet and I would recommend it to anyone wanting a cheap and quiet hang on overflow. It is made by Hurricane filters, called "quietflow". I only have it going to a small 5.5 gallon sump, so I could fit my top-off 5 gallon kent jug and dosing pump inside the stand with the sump. It seems to be working out pretty good.........but a little louder than I would prefer. I will work on fixing that!

I looks like this plumbing system has some issues when it comes to running dual overflows, large tanks (over 125G), and hot overflows. Anything under 125 with a single overflow appears to be working good, from what I have skimmed over on this thread.
Anyway........if anyone needs any help or questions, I will try to answer them as best as possible. Although I havent been running it for year or two now.
It WAS working great for me. I think one of the things that helped me keep a consistant water level was using a top off system.........dosing pump in my case. That might be one important key to having this system work trouble free.

Good Luck...........
Later...........Herbie

Wow, the great Herbie is back! Thanks for posting this. I don't think I could've lived with a tank in my room without this mod. :beer:

 

[Herbie]

Holy cow.........that is weird !!! I didnt even realize the date when I first posted this thread. Guess it proves you just cant walk away from this hobby!
I am glad this thread was able to help a few people out. My tank was driving me crazy at the time. I was trying anything I could to quiet it down. Man.............did I go through some PVC when I was tinkering with it back then. I finally got something to work and figured I would post it, just to help someone else out.
My newest dilemma is trying to figure out which overflow "hose" type is louder..........smooth wall pvc vs. that corrugated "spa" type of hose??? I am doing some testing now.
Also diliberating on whether to make my hang on tank overflow work quieter.........or custom order the same tank I have now (37 Oceanic) with a megaflow in the center???
Its kind of ironic that I am not even using this "silent overflow system" on my tank right now. I am still seriously considering getting the custom tank so I CAN use this system again though, because it did work very well. I should have done it in the first place. Oceanic wants about $400 bucks for a custom 37 gal. Reef Ready tank and about a 2-3 month lead time. aaaahhh....... decisions.........desisions !!!!

Later...............Herbie

 

[KH971]

bump

 

[deds]

will this works with 2 main drain pipes? 1 to sump and another to skimmer? or i should just go with 1 big drain and T it to skimmer? im planning my 500g with dart as return what size drain is appropriate?

 

[drock59]

T it

Also, has anyone had aeration problems with this design. I am seeing a decrease in pH and aeration is the problem.

 

[deds]

will 2" drain okay?

 

[rdmpe]

I would assume a skimmer will aerate the tank really well. Since I run my skimmer 24/7 I haven't had any issues.

If your gate valve is up high, maybe you could experiment with a valved air intake added just below the gate valve to introduce some air into the pipe. Maybe you could add a little airline tubing barb below the gate valve somehow, then connect some airline tubing with a valve on it.