Quietest Drain Design

[Kinetic]

I've heard of the Standpipes, but are they really all that quiet? I've heard a lot of people trying many many different methods in quieting their drains. What do you guys use? What would you recommend?

I'm going to have a 12" x 6" x 6" external overflow with two 1.5" drains, what would you recommend?

 

[Elite]

If you setup correctly, it's really quiet.
Don't know how big the tank is but 12x6x6 with 2x1.5" drains is a bit much .. My overflow box is 12x4x4 and it has 2x1" drains ..

 

[Kinetic]

one of the drains has a gate valve to feed my skimmer =/

I'm guessing that one would be just as loud? I'm having 1.5" drains just for redundancy.

What kind of "correctly" setup drains do you have?

 

[Elite]

Airhole is not too big or too small.... The pipe has to tall enough so there is no waterfall sound .. :lol: ..

 

[reefkeeper1]

The Stockman Standpipe works well for me. They are very quiet if you get it right. If you have room in your overflow, the Durso also works.

 

[Kinetic]

is the key to it all the little airhole? I see in his diagrams he uses a little airline tube controller. I guess that would be best?

 

[magma01]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8469972#post8469972 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kinetic
is the key to it all the little airhole? I see in his diagrams he uses a little airline tube controller. I guess that would be best?

the airhole is important in that too small then not enough air is drawn in which will cuz a strong syphon. that will make the drain louder. and you will get the flushing effect.

i forget what too big of a hole does

 

[Kinetic]

did you guys use one of those airline valve things? or just drilled the hole a certain size?

 

[Elite]

I just drill the hole. Start small and make it bigger as needed.

 

[reefkeeper1]

I kept drilling a single hole larger and larger, but a single hole big enough to match my flow was too loud because of the noise caused by the air being sucked into the hole. What worked out for me in the end were two holes big enough for two lengths of airline tubing. With airline tubing in the holes, that drew just enough air for my overflow. I think the two holes vs one hole worked for me since one big hole will cause a lot more air turbulence and noise vs two smaller holes.

Every few months, I have to clean out the airline tubing of salt spray and dust when I start hearing a gurgling noise - telling me the tubing is getting clogged up.

 

[Kinetic]

sweet, great tips!!!