Silencing overflow into sump.

[bkvreef]

Help!
I did a freshwater test of my setup yesterday and it worked great!
However, my drain lines were having lots of air go through them.
Initially I had the drains so they stopped several inches above the water line.  Which as u can imagine the splashing was making lots of noise.  To stop this I added an extension so it went below the water line, but then all the bubbles gave a loud gurgling sound.

Any insight on how to silence this would be great.

[Ashlar]

What I did was make a right angle right at the water line, then cut slots in the horizontal pipe.

[Boonjob]

Put a ball valve on your return pipes and tweak the main one down till it is under a full siphon.. no more noise or bubbles

[Ashlar]

Put a ball valve on your return pipes and tweak the main one down till it is under a full siphon.. no more noise or bubbles

Valves on drains scare me. I've had too many snails take Mr. Toad's wild ride, even with snail guards on the inlets. A turbo stuck on a halfway closed ball valve is a recipe for a flood.

[bkvreef]

What I did was make a right angle right at the water line, then cut slots in the horizontal pipe.

I have never seen that before.
Are the slits just on top or both top and bottom?

Any other ideas?

[Viggen]

How is the drain in the overflow box?

Do you have that silenced somehow?

[bkvreef]

Here it is what I'm using:
http://www.glass-holes.com/1500-gph-Overlfow-Box-Complete-Kit-gh1500kit.htm

I am not sure what the pump is that I am using.  It came with the setup.  Best I can tell is that it is a Chinese pump used more so in ponds.  But when I did the water test the balance was great (overflow easily kept up with the pump).

[Ashlar]

I have never seen that before.
Are the slits just on top or both top and bottom?

Any other ideas?

The slits are just on the top. Air and water can equalize without making a huge splash or burping.

[Viggen]

Hmmm.... Not sure what to say on that, there isn't any room to put a silencer in the overflow box

I made a durso standpipe for my tank, makes it almost silent....

Can you modify the sump to use a filter sock?  So it dumps in there?

Not really sure what the best way is to reduce airflo into the drain.  Possibly play with reducing the size of the intake?  If there is room put a 1 to 3/4in reducer in there..... Looks to be pretty tit in the overflow box though

[Boonjob]

Valves on drains scare me. I've had too many snails take Mr. Toad's wild ride, even with snail guards on the inlets. A turbo stuck on a halfway closed ball valve is a recipe for a flood.

Which is why we run multiple pipes.. I run 2, 1 semi closed under siphon the back up is wide open, if the siphon is plugged the over flow pipe will take the flow, and the now present noise of air being sucked into the overflow alerts me something is wrong with the siphon pipe....

But I dont use overflow boxes anymore, I just drill the glas and run pipe off the bulk head.

[bkvreef]

Which is why we run multiple pipes.. I run 2, 1 semi closed under siphon the back up is wide open, if the siphon is plugged the over flow pipe will take the flow, and the now present noise of air being sucked into the overflow alerts me something is wrong with the siphon pipe....

But I dont use overflow boxes anymore, I just drill the glas and run pipe off the bulk head.

I am assuming that is the "herbie?"
I have looked at doing that but I would much rather find a solution that will work using the overflow box I have.  Right now I am leaning toward getting a smaller pump and try that.
I have been emailing glassholes and they are being helpful but there is no phone number thus it takes several days to go back and forth, uggggh!

[Twizted1]

I just up graded to a larger pump. I notice that my system is a lot quieter. Not sure why?

[Viggen]

More h20...... Less air being sucked in is my guess

[Tony]

I just found a rather easy way to silence the entirety of the system without reworking the plumbing in my tank.  It was originally set up with a wet-dry, and the drip tray silenced quite a bit of the air that went through the lines.  When I tried running plumbing straight into the sump I was getting a large amount of air noise.  My tank is pre-drilled on the bottom in an overflow compartment so I didn't have the option of running a secondary line and trying to make that one full siphon.  Instead, I ran a piece of tubing through the large drain going into my sump, and made the tube the full siphon.  Not only did that cut down on the water, but the tube being inside the pipe gave the air bubbles something to adhere to, and were able to escape back out before making it to the sump.  Combine the return with a ball joint, and you can tweak it however you like.  Nothing fancy, but it was cheap and easy.

[bbtm64]

Excellent solution

[lazylivin]

That is a good idea Tony and happy birthday

[Tony]

Thanks 

[DaveG.]

Valves on drains scare me. I've had too many snails take Mr. Toad's wild ride, even with snail guards on the inlets. A turbo stuck on a halfway closed ball valve is a recipe for a flood.

The different critters that end up in the sump somehow always blow my mind.  My water dumps into the sump below the waterline, no noise.  The water from the skimmer can make a noise if the return line gets bumped.  It is supposed to be returned on a piece of sponge like material, when it is, it is near silent.  At least you can't hear it with the doors closed.

As far as keeping the whole setup quiet, I have an idea I haven't acted on.  Get some sheet metal at the hardware store, the zinc plated steel used for custom duct work or crafting gutters.  line the inside of the stand with it and cover it with sound deadening material like dynamat or brownbead typically used for car stereo applications.  Parts express has their brand on the cheap.  It probably wouldn't cost $50 for everything.