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

[Avast Marine]

I guess I don't understand how you are plumbing this? Is this a RR tank? Why do you need a t?

 

[TandN]

no its not im gonna have a elbow coming out from the bulkhead with a homemade acrylic overflow. On the outside it will hav a 1-3/4" to 2" adaptor, which will go to a 2" "T" the top of it will be for air release and the bottom of the T will be the drain

 

[Avast Marine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8348485#post8348485 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tanya72806
no its not im gonna have a elbow coming out from the bulkhead with a homemade acrylic overflow. On the outside it will hav a 1-3/4" to 2" adaptor, which will go to a 2" "T" the top of it will be for air release and the bottom of the T will be the drain

Ok, you are misunderstanding the method here. By restricting the drain you will not have any air in the line, thus no air to release (ditch the tee). 1 3/4" is a very uncommon plumming size. I would recommend either 1 1/2" or 2" depending on how much flow you intend. Don't forget your emergency drain as well.

 

[miatawnt2b]

I have a 90 corner overflow with a 1" main durso drain and am using the 3/4 (set about an inch higher) as an emergency backup. Found this thread in searching for a solution to all of the noise that the air was causing in the main drain.

So let's say I remove the 1" durso, cut a piece of PVC about 15" long, drill holes in the pipe about 3 inches from the top and insert the whole thing in the bulkhead of the overflow. Given that the emergency 3/4" drain is still 24" tall, this would allow give about 12" of water level on top of the drain to add pressure to the silent drain thus being a bit better at self correcting. Am I correct in this thinking, or does the pressure of the water above the drain not effect the system much?

Thanks,
J

 

[jaeden]

BTW Thanks Dandy7200 for the advice when I first inquired about this method , up and running church mouse quiet , quite amazing for 160gl system the only noise is the hum of the sedra 5000 on the skimmer , thanks again .

 

[jaeden]

This might help people understand

 

[jaeden]

When the drain on the left is adjusted correctly this is how the water level in the chamber should be therefore no air gets into the system no air = no noise , may add a snail gaurd to the top of the stand pipe

 

[siskiou]

Thanks jaeden and dandy7200!
I'll give this a try

 

[rdmpe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8350617#post8350617 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by miatawnt2b
....... So let's say I remove the 1" durso, cut a piece of PVC about 15" long, drill holes in the pipe about 3 inches from the top and insert the whole thing in the bulkhead of the overflow. Given that the emergency 3/4" drain is still 24" tall, this would allow give about 12" of water level on top of the drain to add pressure to the silent drain thus being a bit better at self correcting. Am I correct in this thinking, or does the pressure of the water above the drain not effect the system much?

Thanks,
J

The main factor in the pressure on your main drain is the height of the overflow water surface from the bulkhead at the bottom. The pressure pushing water through the bulkhead will not be changed by the main drain standpipe length or the water depth over the standpipe top. As long as the main drain is fully submerged that is all that should matter.

There are other issues tho. If the main drain is too close to the surface, it may form a vortex that sucks air into the drain pipe. Also, the deeper the main drain standpipe opening is, then the more water will drain into your sump during a power outage or pump failure. So make sure your sump can handle the drain-down volume.

Also, when you run the main submerged drain, you will be able to get more flow out of it than if it were just a "regular" standpipe/durso/whatever. So I recommend that you try using the 3/4" as the main drain with gate valve, and use the 1" as the emergency overflow. Where the 3/4" pipe comes out, replace that with a 1" pipe that has an adaptor to fit it where the 3/4" pipe currently attaches. If it doesn't have enough capacity to handle the flow, then it will not work as an emergency drain either if your main ever gets clogged, and you may end up with a flood.

Don't bother with drilled holes in the drain IMO, just use a straight piece of pipe and put some type of screen over the top of it to keep fish, snails, macroalgae, etc. out of it. You can easily make a nice screen tube out of plastic gutter guard from home depot or get some perforated pvc. I use this http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/8559/cid/2079


Jaeden - JMO but I think you should have some type of screen on your drain for sure.

 

[miatawnt2b]

Thanks,
Has anyone successfully adjusted this with a ball valve? unfortunately I plumbed the system with ball valves and it's going to be a pain to replace them.
-J

 

[jacmyoung]

You can try the ball valve, if it doesn't work, can always add a gate valve to the drain line after the ball valve.

I just slipped a gate valve securely at the end of my drain line in the sump, didn't even glue it in. You can even let the gate valve submerged, just remove the knob, what's left of the gate valve is all plastic. Slip the knob in to adjust the valve, take the knob out when your done.

 

[rdmpe]

Or replace the screw holding the handle on with a stainless one...

 

[jaeden]

rdmpe ,yes I agree ,will be putting a screen on this weekened from what I understand it's a PITA when a critter gets in there.

 

[db_triggerfish]

bump

 

[fishfeeder]

Need some advice!

Setup:

240 w/ 2 corner overflows...2" drains.

Only has one hole per overflow...returns over the back!

Will only be supplying sump intake...

What should be my best setup? How much flow do you think this will yeild? (so I know which pump to purchase...thinking dart)

All help will be appreciate...can supply more info if needed!

thanx,

Jay

 

[fishfeeder]

Need some advice!

Setup:

240 w/ 2 corner overflows...2" drains.

Only has one hole per overflow...returns over the back!

Will only be supplying sump intake...

What should be my best setup? How much flow do you think this will yeild? (so I know which pump to purchase...thinking dart)

All help will be appreciate...can supply more info if needed!

thanx,

Jay

 

[rdmpe]

With only one drain per overflow, I think you are probably best off doing durso stanpipes. But there are some people here who do the submerged drains with no emergency overflow setup. If you set your sump up right, you can do that and still not risk flooding. But it will have to be well thought out. I didn't do it that way so I can't really help you with it. You just have to set it up so that your pump chamber could pump itself dry in the event of a drain clog, and your display will not overflow.

 

[jacmyoung]

I agree, and also believe you should set the sump up the way rdmpe described even if you don't use a restricted (silent) drain.

 

[ibmgeek]

i only read the first few pages in this thread so i dont know if somebody already asked this question. would this design work if you dont have an internal overflow box? I have a 2 inch bulkhead and two other 1 inch bulkheads (return pump and extra maybe for safety overflow) in the middle of my 90gal tank.

 

[rdmpe]

How will you be pulling from the surface of the display without some sort of overflow? It's very important to pull water off the surface of the tank since that's where organics and other debris naturally collects.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding but I think if you are only draining from the middle of your water column, you might have problems with stufff on the water surface and also with a power outage, your display will drain down to the lowest pipes unless you do some plumbing "tricks" to prevent it.