megaflow noisy and fluctuates

[snowdad]

I'm setting up a 215 gal reef tank from Deep Sea Aquatics (the guys from the good old days at Oceanic).

It has dual corner overflows, and I installed AGA Megaflow drainpipes, since they are the same design previously used at Oceanic. These are generally durso-style.

The problem: they are VERY noisy, with sucking noises, and fluctuations in the overflow water level.

Drilling a couple 1/8 holes in the end cap raised the water level a bit, but did not solve the noise or fluctuation problem.

I measured the flow at 650 gph for each overflow.

There is a long run to my fish room in the basement, and there is a fair amount of air bubbles going into the sump (both before and after I drilled the extra holes). Does this have any effect?

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[rgonzalez]

Is the height of the intake (one that goes to your sump) at water level? I had the same problem, but the pipe was way low, and once I upped it to water level; the sound stopped.

[snowdad]

The top (cap where the airholes are) is about at the height of the display tank water level, or maybe 1/2 inch below, but the intake itself is down lower.

Overall, the overflow level is about 1-2 inches below the display tank level, although it fluctuates as I mentioned.

I'll try raising the pipe.

I forgot to mention I have 1" bulkheads, if it matters.

Thanks for any ideas!

[snewcrash]

The top (cap where the airholes are) is about at the height of the display tank water level, or maybe 1/2 inch below, but the intake itself is down lower.

Overall, the overflow level is about 1-2 inches below the display tank level, although it fluctuates as I mentioned.

I'll try raising the pipe.

I forgot to mention I have 1" bulkheads, if it matters.

Thanks for any ideas!

Tagging along. I just setup my 75 gallon AGA with the AGA megaflow overflow. My drain is 1 inch, return is 3/4 inch. The drain makes noise like when you can hear water running in a wall when a toilet is flushed. The drainline has both air and water in it. I only ran it for a day when I was leak testing my system so I haven't had a chance to play with it.

Here's a video of my leak test. You can hear the noise in the whole video, you can see my drain line with its mix of air and water starting at 0:05. Is this the same noise you're experiencing?

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[snowdad]

Hmmm ... not exactly the same. I do have that same water-flowing sound you do, but I have a loud suction / slurping sound on top of that, up at the top of the overflow, not down in the sump.

[sfboarders]

You need to slightly drill that hole slightly bigger. What others do is put a valve in the hole to control how much air enters.

[p7seas]

I had roughly the same problem with my 58 gal oceanic. I made a durso drain pipe of my own using inch and a half pipe stepping it down to my one inch bulk head. I don't know why, but that did the trick.My tank is now whisper quiet.

[snowdad]

Thanks - I'll try those ideas. I may also just build my own new one with some 1 1/4 pipe and fittings I have.

[jdthomas24]

i also had this issue a few weeks ago with a 150 oceanix dual overflow tank. I made my own design pipes and i had to drill the holes bigger in the end. i started with small 1/8 inch holes and in the end one hole is 1/8 and the other is 1/4. i is quit ncw so i stopped. i was going to drill both but hey dont fix it if its not broke. remember you have to insert small tubing in the those holes and the tube needs to be above water level. you have done that right?

[Overgreen]

remember you have to insert small tubing in the those holes and the tube needs to be above water level. you have done that right?

I'm having the same issue. Ive slide the pipe all the way to the bottom of the overflow to quiet it and get the water to halfway stay level. It was fluxuating quite a bit but now its only doing it about 1/4 of an inch but better then an inch. I do have a pretty good size external pump on it pumping if I had to guess probably around 1200 gph or 1100 with the added lose with the height . Its running into a 75 gallon homemade sump.

[zero26]

Also one thing that helped me on my Megaflow 90 is making sure the pipe that enters the sump is above the water line. Also seems to keep the sucking noise down.

[Overgreen]

Yeh mine is dumping under the water into the refuguim. its ok kinda now but I can't find anywhere the level should really be set because it kept flucuating so much,

[willybub]

i have a durso in my 90g and i drilled a couple 3/8" holes in the pipe lower in the pipe in the overflow box to cut down on the air being sucked into the pipe. i imagine thats what the noise your hearing is air chatter through the pipe. drilling the holes helped a little bit but i had to install a true union ball valve on the end of the drain pipe in the sump and throttle it down a little bit..the discharge on my drain is under the water now. the reason for the union ball valve is for easy cleaning, dont want it plugging or you may have a flood issue. i have my sump balanced out that there isnt enough water in it to over flow my tank so im safe that way. but i run the risk of starving my return pump and burning it out...that or water damage if the valve ever plugged up

[Overgreen]

Well that makes sense what you said. I do really notice all the bubbling and gurgling after I turn it back on after feeding and the water levels fluctuate alot in my sump then it calms back down. See i'm curious as so exactly what happens when you lower and raise the pipe in the overflow. I have looked and looked and haven't found any instructions. I figured I could find something that would explain it. With that much adjustment in something I would have to think it would make a big different somewhere but I can't find anywhere its wrote in stone. I was going to call the manufacter and see if they can point me in the right direction.