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

[pelphrey]

Sounds like your return pump is stronger then your drains can keep up with. Just throw a ball or gate valve on it to cut it back some which should stabilize your sump water level.

I assume your return pump is pumping out the sump which overfills your tank and the emergency on the herbie activates with the full siphon filling your sump back up which repeats the process. Cutting back the return pump should solve it all.

The sicce 1.5 is adjustable and I have it set at the lowest setting. I do agree with you, is there a benefit in adding the T to it or should I add the ball valve to the dedicated line and not T the return line?

The water level in the overflow does fluctuate, but not enough to enter my emergency drain. My emergency drain is plumbing directly into my return chamber for safe measures. I also have a pretty good sized backup batter on my return pump & heater with all other accessories running on the auxiliary side. We don't have power problems in my area but I wanted to be safe and also because I've yet to get my siphon to start back correctly after the return pump has been restarted. This does activate the emergency and with the drain running into my return section it reduces my chances of burning the pump up.

The main reason I am fighting to resolve this is so that I can get an ATO setup for redundancy and to keep my salinity in check. But until I get the return chamber situation figured out the ATO will have to wait and I'll have to top off myself.

The other solution I thought about was if I did T off the return - added a reactor and directed that back into the return section. But I am not so sure that will completely resolve my issue.

The eshopps cube sump is really nice, as it fits in my stand perfectly with little room to spare. But the drain chamber and return chamber are in the back. With white acrylic dividers eshopps made it a complete hassle to see the water level in these chambers.

Thanks soulpatch for the information!

 

[Herbie]

The sicce 1.5 is adjustable (has an internal flow restricter, but that wont help with the 1.5 on that size tank. Just set up an 18" cube tank, almost identical to yours, and the 1.5 is definitely not too much flow for that size tank ..........if anything , its a little under powered.
A 1" tuned drain with no air induced will flow a serious amount of water if needed.

Good call though SP.

Pics of the sump design may help ............
Not really liking that high center divider .

 

[soulpatch]

The sicce 1.5 is adjustable (has an internal flow restricter, but that wont help with the 1.5 on that size tank. Just set up an 18" cube tank, almost identical to yours, and the 1.5 is definitely not too much flow for that size tank ..........if anything , its a little under powered.
A 1" tuned drain with no air induced will flow a serious amount of water if needed.

Good call though SP.

Pics of the sump design may help ............
Not really liking that high center divider .

Yeah the pipes might flow enough water but that sump design might slow the progression to your return chamber which is the chamber next to the socks int he original pic if I read that all right.

Agree that a sicce 1.5 should not be overpowering for the drains but it might be overpowering what the sump is getting to the return chamber. You wouldn't activate the emergency in that instance since the small return chamber would basically run dry but not have enough water to fillt he tank up to the emergency level.

Do you still have that sponge between the front two chambers? If you take that out how is your flow? And you have your drain wide open at this point correct?

I mean Herbie is much better at this than I have seen others have issues with that sump in the nano section which required some modding of water pass throughs.

 

[pelphrey]

Here is a good demonstration on the sump -

 

[SARBoy]

Hi all,

I'm after a little help/advice. I've built an overflow with two overflow pipes, one is to be full siphon and the other is an emergency with only a trickle. Both have ball valves and the full siphon is throttled back to maintain the siphon.

While the full siphon is working well with no noise into the sump there is the noise of bubbles near the ball valve which sounds a little like clicking.

My question is how do I purge the full siphon of these bubbles. Will they eventually go or do I have to look at my design? Here are some pics to help.

The overflow box.

From the top.

From left to right, sump return, emergency overflow, full siphon.

The sump from left to right, full siphon, emergency overflow, return.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[Herbie]

Hi all,

I'm after a little help/advice. I've built an overflow with two overflow pipes, one is to be full siphon and the other is an emergency with only a trickle. Both have ball valves and the full siphon is throttled back to maintain the siphon.

While the full siphon is working well with no noise into the sump there is the noise of bubbles near the ball valve which sounds a little like clicking.

My question is how do I purge the full siphon of these bubbles. Will they eventually go or do I have to look at my design? Here are some pics to help.


Cheers,

Tom

The ball valve is placed too high, but will work. Ideally, the ball valve (should be a gate valve, BTW) should be placed as close to the sump as possible to be the quietest . At least that's what I have found that works the best. If the valve could be just above the sump in your plumbing picture, you could more easily reach it for adjustment and it will be quieter .Why ? Because after the valve , there is usually a pocket of air that's almost impossible to get out .

When starting the tuned pipe to purge air, I usually like to close it all the way and let the water run down the emergency. That will let the air rise right out of the tuned drain. Then start opening the valve slowly to adjust from there.

Dont get frustrated if its hard to adjust, it really should be a gate valve on the tuned pipe. (You may want to change that now while you have the chance) .

HTH,
Herbie

 

[shellsea]

Plus 1 on the gate valve!!!! It will make tuning a whole lot easier.

 

[nctinter]

Ok I'm a little confused. I've been running a herbie on my tank for about 5 years now and it has been great. I recently putting in two Gyre 150s and when they're on pulse mode the water level in the overflow box rises and falls about an inch. It's very annoying. My emergency drain is just below the weir so that I can keep the water level high and avoid nose from splashing. Any idea what I can do about this? The tank is a reef ready tank with 2 corner overflows but I removed one so it is just two 1"drains

 

[ChitownBrickie]

I have not seen this thread in a while and just wanted to post my results. I have been very happy with the Herbie setup it runs ultra quite and is real easy to adjust. I kind of modified my piping a little bit since I am also running a RDSB off of the overflow line, so I have two (2) gate valves. One controls the overflow, the other controls the flow through the RDSB.

I'm just curious to know what is going on with the bucket? I see you have plumbing running through it. I'm not criticizing in any way. I'm new to the hobby. thanks

 

[soulpatch]

remote deep sand bed in the bucket I am assuming. It is a tool for nitrate control some people employ.

 

[ChitownBrickie]

Interesting, thanks for explaining that soulpatch.

 

[ChitownBrickie]

I'll be using the Herbie Method,

In determining if my drain is big enough to handle the flow of the pump...

I have a predrilled reef ready tank (holes on bottom) 3/4" bulkhead for my main drain & 1" bulkhead for my emergency drain.
My display tank is 55 Gallons.
6x Turnover rate x 55 Gallons = 330gph.
Reef Central’s Drain/Overflow Size Calculator results are:
Recommended minimum drain pipe diameter = 0.75 inches
Recommended minimum linear overflow size = 5 inches.

1) So I need to make sure that whatever pump that I buy does not exceed 330gph (after head loss) unless I intend to put a ball valve on the return line correct?

2) The main drain bulk head is 3/4” should I use ¾” pipe or bump the pipe up to 1”?

Thanks for your help

 

[jwscott]

Hi All, Does anyone have detailed pics of the "Herbie" setup? I can't seem to find any in this string. Thanks!!
John

 

[pelphrey]

Hi All, Does anyone have detailed pics of the "Herbie" setup? I can't seem to find any in this string. Thanks!!
John

http://gmacreef.com/herbie-overflow-reef-tank-plumbing-method-basics/

 

[jwscott]

Need a link to the Herbie setup pics

Need a link to the Herbie setup pics

I can get to that link! Thank you sir!!

 

[MrRBW]

http://gmacreef.com/herbie-overflow-reef-tank-plumbing-method-basics/

The timing of posting this link is impeccable! What a great site! thanks for posting

 

[FLSharkvictim]

I went with the 20'' Synergy External Overflow box! I am trying to decide if I should run all three drains at 1.5'' or should I reduce them down to 1'' drains?
The problem is my sump only has two 2 1 '' drains so it has to be reduced somewhere.

 

[soulpatch]

I went with the 20'' Synergy External Overflow box! I am trying to decide if I should run all three drains at 1.5'' or should I reduce them down to 1'' drains?
The problem is my sump only has two 2 1 '' drains so it has to be reduced somewhere.

Have your main and first emergency go into the sump bulkheads. The third emergency most cut off above the water line in the skimer or return section of the sump so you can hear the crashing water and know you have an issue to address.

As for reduction I'd likely do it at the bulkhead of the overflow.

 

[cbender73]

darn it, picture links are no good

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

https://gmacreef.com/herbie-overflow-reef-tank-plumbing-method-basics/