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

[afgun]

good comment. I notice small snails in my filter socks, guessing with a single gate, the opening is large enough they just pass through (if was running 2 valves the opening in each would be narrower).

Screening the primary only?

I screened both. A little PVC, chopping the ends off of an elbow, and some bird netting:

Inserted the in the bottom of the siphon and durso elbows. This morning there was a snail stuck on the siphon screen; the restricted flow was causing it to cycle through startup mode. Unfortunately due to my canopy and the size of the weir, it's awfully difficult to get my hand in there to clean things out... but a little creative bending of our net and I was able to sweep the snail out of the way after shutting down the main pump.

 

[banzai75x]

I have a 1.5" hole and 1" hole in my overflow. I'd like to do the Herbie. Should I use the 1.5" as the main overflow and the 1" as my emergency? Or the other way around?

I plan on using a Tunze Silence 1073.040 as my return pump.

 

[das75]

^ either one would be able to keep up with your pump.

 

[Rhodes19]

I screened both. A little PVC, chopping the ends off of an elbow, and some bird netting:

Inserted the in the bottom of the siphon and durso elbows. This morning there was a snail stuck on the siphon screen; the restricted flow was causing it to cycle through startup mode. Unfortunately due to my canopy and the size of the weir, it's awfully difficult to get my hand in there to clean things out... but a little creative bending of our net and I was able to sweep the snail out of the way after shutting down the main pump.

Now that's a neat idea.

 

[Rhodes19]

I have a 1.5" hole and 1" hole in my overflow. I'd like to do the Herbie. Should I use the 1.5" as the main overflow and the 1" as my emergency? Or the other way around?

I plan on using a Tunze Silence 1073.040 as my return pump.

I'd go with the 1.5" hole as the main overflow. It can give you more flexibility if you upgrade your return pump.

 

[dakineacct]

Ok Herbie gurus, setting up a Perfecto 120 and have a couple of questions.

1. What should the dimensions for 'x' and 'y' be in the attached sketch?

2. Is there any benefit to using a 1-1/4" standpipes when my bulkheads are 1"?

 

[TheFishMan65]

X = the greatest distance such that you don't get waterfall noise into the over flow. The higher it is also the less drain back into the sump. It could be no stand pipe.
Y =as big as you can such that a siphon can still form. The greater distance allow for ease of tuning.

I don't think a larger pipe will help you any.

 

[dakineacct]

X = the greatest distance such that you don't get waterfall noise into the over flow. The higher it is also the less drain back into the sump. It could be no stand pipe.
Y =as big as you can such that a siphon can still form. The greater distance allow for ease of tuning.

I don't think a larger pipe will help you any.

Thanks, little follow up.

1. The flow of the full siphon drain will be controlled by a gate valve below the bulkhead (I should have showed it in the sketch), so the level of water in the overflow and the resulting waterfall noise can be controlled through adjustments in the gate valve. I was wondering if those who are currently running Herbie setups have found through trial and error that there is a "sweet spot" for the x dimension.

2. There is very little distance between the rim of the tank and the teeth of the wier, so there is not much play in the y dim. How high does the water level need to be above a 1" stand pipe to create a full siphon?

 

[RocketSurgeon]

I would think that if you are restricting the siphon line, the emergency should be below the teeth and not above it, as it will become more of an open channel, and not an emergency.

 

[TheFishMan65]

I meant to correct myself, but it appears you already know it. The gate valve determines water height. All the pipe does is prevent some water getting into the sump.

The more distance between pipes the greater the range for water evaporation, rock removal or anything else that changes the volume of the system.

I would go an inch below the top and see if it works.

[EDIT]
Note it may never form a siphon because you may not have enough water. The main is choked to fore the siphon.

 

[mightymizz]

Ok folks, got a quick question. I am wanting to install a frag tank plumbed inline with my main system. It will be fed by my display tank drain, and overflow into the main sump. Basically a typical gravity fed tank.

There will be NO creatures that I will put into the frag tank portion of my system and my display tank already has a herbie setup working wonderfully, BUT I don't want to or have the room in this 20g frag tank to drill 2 holes for the herbie with an emergency drain.

Question of post here
I was thinking of only going with one hole that would siphon so it would be silent since there will be no creatures that would possibly block the drain and cause an overflow. I would do this method but when my display tank is powered down simulating a power outage, my main siphon drain doesn't start up right away and my emergency drain starts doing the draining. I have to mess with my gate valve to get the flow corrected.

Is this normal in an even such as a power outage? I wouldn't feel safe with just one siphon drain in my frag tank if it couldn't handle the incoming water due to the siphon not functioning correctly. Any reason why the siphon wouldn't start working once the water level was high enough?? Any other thoughts regarding my situation? I don't want to go single drain durso because the Display is dead silent, but I really don't want to drill two holes and have a huge overflow box in my 20g either?

Thanks

 

[TheFishMan65]

The siphon should start back up. What is the height between the pipes? Got an pictures?

 

[mightymizz]

The siphon should start back up. What is the height between the pipes? Got an pictures?

I went out the back of the tank verses out the bottom. I used the 90 degree "elbows" to create the main siphon (facing down) and the emergency siphon with the elbow facing up. There is about a 3 inch difference between the two openings of the elbows.

I can't drill the bottom of the frag tank as I am almost positive its tempered glass so I have to go out the back sides.

Here is my herbie on Display which I don't want to have to do on my frag tank.

 

[mightymizz]

Bump, Im looking to start this frag tank up!

 

[RocketSurgeon]

Ok folks, got a quick question. I am wanting to install a frag tank plumbed inline with my main system. It will be fed by my display tank drain...

There will be NO creatures that I will put into the frag tank portion of my system ...
Thanks

You have creatures in your display tank? Gonna have creatures in frag tank. It never fails, something is gonna take a FREE ride!

 

[mightymizz]

You have creatures in your display tank? Gonna have creatures in frag tank. It never fails, something is gonna take a FREE ride!

I got the overflow box and the top is covered by gutterguard. I guess I could do two holes one on top of the other instead of side by side which would help save space in the small 20g.

If I go this route, anything to consider that you might not have thought about when going "side by side?"

 

[TheFishMan65]

How deep in the sump is the siphon tube?
Where is the valve?

I agree with RocketSurgeon, but still want to figure out why it does not start properly.

 

[mightymizz]

The flex tubing that is connected to the drain line is submerged about 4 or 5 inches underwater in the sump.

Here is a picture of the gate valve coming off the main drain.

Any comments on doing the two holes "on top of each other?" With an overflow box?

 

[TheFishMan65]

Make it about an inch under water and try it.

Don't see why that wouldn't work and no elbows.

[EDIT]
Oops

 

[mightymizz]

So if my drain line was submerged about an inch under the water, it might help with starting the full siphon?

Also, anyone have any thoughts regarding the two holes stacked on top of each other to create a herbie drain, the bottom one being the main, the one above it being the emergency drain?