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

[holdyourlight]

Sounds like there is air in your pipe. Where is the valve? Is the end submerged in the sump? And finally any pictures?

Hmm.
i really don't know how there could be air in the pipe. like i said it works fine with the smaller pump, but as soon as i switch it out, it sounds like a fan is on or something. the end is submerged in the sump. the valve is underneath the bulkhead about half a foot. honestly wondering if i need to reverse the pipes and make the 1" the main drain and the 3/4" emergency

 

[TheFishMan65]

A constant HMMM apparently. How far is the drop from the valve the sump level; any chance of air in there? I kind of doubt it. Can you throttle back the flow and see if it goes silent again? Is the pipe vibrating? I am kind of guessing here, but let's see if it can be figured out.

 

[holdyourlight]

A constant HMMM apparently. How far is the drop from the valve the sump level; any chance of air in there? I kind of doubt it. Can you throttle back the flow and see if it goes silent again? Is the pipe vibrating? I am kind of guessing here, but let's see if it can be figured out.

It's 12 feet down to the basement with most of pipe vertical, there are no large drops. i do not have a valve restriction on the pump side but it is all flex tube so i can put one on very easily and try it. will report back.

 

[TheFishMan65]

Bean recommends the valve near the sump. Don't know if it is true, but I think
Water hits the valve and goes through slowly and back the air out of the upper part of the pipe. A siphon is created in the upper part, but there could still be air in the lower part. Now the flowing water will drag the air out of the pipe, but two issues I see
1) it could take a while for all the air to mix in to the water and get flushed
2) big enough bubbles form that it can't get the air out
I don't know why this would be different with the higher flow (you'd think it would help get the air out), but try adding a valve at the end (I know it terminated deeper) and see what happens.

 

[holdyourlight]

Bean recommends the valve near the sump. Don't know if it is true, but I think
Water hits the valve and goes through slowly and back the air out of the upper part of the pipe. A siphon is created in the upper part, but there could still be air in the lower part. Now the flowing water will drag the air out of the pipe, but two issues I see
1) it could take a while for all the air to mix in to the water and get flushed
2) big enough bubbles form that it can't get the air out
I don't know why this would be different with the higher flow (you'd think it would help get the air out), but try adding a valve at the end (I know it terminated deeper) and see what happens.

I could try adding another valve @ the end.

@ $15 a pop for gate valves though it could be an expensive experiment if it does not work..

I will say this though and i dont know what to take from this... the pipe is only noisy in my living room. The portion in the basement it is completely silent.

 

[TheFishMan65]

Then, I don't think the other valve will help. You could always dry fit and give it a try. Is it the faster flow of water entering the over flow? Or are you sure it is the pipe?

 

[holdyourlight]

Then, I don't think the other valve will help. You could always dry fit and give it a try. Is it the faster flow of water entering the over flow? Or are you sure it is the pipe?

I think it's worth a shot especially considering that the portions of pipe AFTER the gate valve is totally silent.
100% sure it's the pipe

i guess i am just going to play around with some plumbing when i get a chance and see if i can figure it out

 

[TheFishMan65]

Good luck, please let us know what you find.

 

[jc03]

2 overflow boxes/1 bulkhead per box-herbie?

2 overflow boxes/1 bulkhead per box-herbie?

2 OVERFLOW BOXES/1 BULKHEAD PER BOX-HERBIE?
Hello, I'm wondering if you guys can help me. I couldn't find my exact situation while reading throught the thread. I have 2 overflows with only 1 bulkhead in each and no other way to drill the tank. Can I set up one overflow as the Main Drain and the other as the Emergency? What height standpipe in the emergency? Should I worry about stagnant water in the emergency overflow box? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, JC

 

[TheFishMan65]

I would worry about the stagnant water. One solution might be to run a pipe from one box to the other in the tank. This would siphon water out of the emergency drain and into the other.

 

[jc03]

What about running a small air stone in the emergency?

 

[TheFishMan65]

It would help, but it doesn't really solve the problem. In an ideal world your tank is level and water will flow equally into both over flows. The emergency will not be an emergency, it will flow water. So you need to get the water out of that over flow to keep the emergency and emergency.

 

[jc03]

I was thinking that but what if the emergency pipe is set higher than the main, above the bottom teeth of the overflow? In my thought, the main would act as a full siphon and that pipe would only flow water if the main was plugged. Because water would be above the emergency overflow teeth it seems like there would be a little agitation there? The noise of the dursos I have is just too much.

 

[TheFishMan65]

That would prevent water from entering the emergency, but depending on flow the emergency might not be able to form a siphon. If the water is shallow enough that a vortex forms and allows air then you may risk an over flow. If you do it this way rather than an air stone you might consider a power head to help circulate the water. Either would probably work though.

 

[jc03]

I'm afraid of the vortex but only have an inch or two to play with below the top of the tank to make that standpipe an emergency drain. Any ideas? Has anyone set this up before?

 

[TheFishMan65]

I don't remember reading about it, but maybe someone will respond. What about a siphon pipe (as mentioned above) linking the 2 weirs?

 

[jc03]

Unfortunately, I don't think I could do that either. There is a parition in the inside of each overflow facing the inside of the tank. There are teeth low on the box and water flows up, over the partition.

 

[TheFishMan65]

So can you fit it after the partition?

 

[calebjimz]

would this system work for a pump rated for about 1600 gph, - a 4-5ft headheight, along with a 1.25 diameter return piping with about 4 bends in it?

 

[TheFishMan65]

Is think you will be ok. Four feet of head and a 1 inch opening (different than pip size) can get up around 2300 GPH. Your a little larger, but then you have bends so hard to say for sure.