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

[barnacle bill]

With a "lid" you don't throttle anything back, my iwaki 100 is rockin (2000 gph 2x11/2" drains)and the overlows are quiet!

[thrlride]

Originally posted by DrBDC
That would probably be that the e drain doesn't flow as well or if they are exactly the same bends etc then the difference is that the water column pressure over the main drain is just enough to allow the regular drain to keep up.

Going back to the full open vs throttling back the return. You have a set amount that can go through your drain hole depending on cross sectional area of that drain hole, friction coefficients of the drain pipe material, bends in the drain, and height of the water column causing pressure. That is unchanged. You will always reach that maximum if you over power the gph of the return pump and cut it back to the correct amount. I.e. you can flow 1000 gph with your plumbing. You deliver 1200 and cut it some til it's down to 1000. If you go the route of pinching the drain, that would mean the overall flow is less than that maximum.

You are right that if you pump more than your drain can handle you will have to throttle back the pump. It seems that most that did this mod don't have that problem. I actually don't have that problem and it sort of bothers me that I don't. I know that my tank can handle a little more.

What's really odd about this setup is that it seems there is no flow really happening. My sump water surface is almost stagnant. No bubbles or anything but my pump is running at full power.

[patsan]

This sounds to be a great method to silent the tank.

I just got a new tank that I need to plumb. It has 1 drain and 2 returns drilled in the overflow box.
I'm thinking I can use the 2 supposedly returns as emergency backups and then run the returns over the back of the tank instead of thru the bottom.

I need to ask a question. When you turn your pump off, does the water in the overflow drain into the sump like it does with regular type plumbing?

[Nirol]

Originally posted by patsan
This sounds to be a great method to silent the tank.

I just got a new tank that I need to plumb. It has 1 drain and 2 returns drilled in the overflow box.
I'm thinking I can use the 2 supposedly returns as emergency backups and then run the returns over the back of the tank instead of thru the bottom.

I need to ask a question. When you turn your pump off, does the water in the overflow drain into the sump like it does with regular type plumbing?

Yes, Pat it would drain from the overflow down to the top of the submerged drain standpipe. You will also back siphon to the lowest point of the return plumbing. unless you put in a siphon break hole in the nozzle.

[patsan]

Originally posted by Nirol
Yes, Pat it would drain from the overflow down to the top of the submerged drain standpipe. You will also back siphon to the lowest point of the return plumbing. unless you put in a siphon break hole in the nozzle.

Thanks so much. I think this would be a good method to use with the new tank. I think I even understand "most" of it...which is scary.
I understand the basic concept of plumbing a tank...I just didn't know how I was going to do mine because I wanted to avoid all the hassles with the noise and bubbles.
So basically it works like all the traditional type plumbing, except it's silent?

[tygger]

Unless your drain pipe is water tight at the bulkhead, water will begin to seap through and eventually drain all the water in the overflow box. Leave room in the sump for the extra water, unless you want to glue your drain pipes in the overflow... I wouldn't though.

[patsan]

Originally posted by tygger
Unless your drain pipe is water tight at the bulkhead, water will begin to seap through and eventually drain all the water in the overflow box. Leave room in the sump for the extra water, unless you want to glue your drain pipes in the overflow... I wouldn't though.

No, I don't want to glue them in. I should have enough room in the sump to handle whatever water is in the overflow.
What do you mean it will seap and eventually drain?
I know with the tank we have running right now, when we turn the pump off, the water immediately starts draining from the overflow into the sump. The pipes aren't glued into the bh's on that tank either.

[Nirol]

Originally posted by tygger
Unless your drain pipe is water tight at the bulkhead, water will begin to seap through and eventually drain all the water in the overflow box. Leave room in the sump for the extra water, unless you want to glue your drain pipes in the overflow... I wouldn't though.

I agree with Tygger. I had to change out a bulkhead fitting and it was good to know that all that water in there would fit in my sump.

[patsan]

Originally posted by Nirol
I agree with Tygger. I had to change out a bulkhead fitting and it was good to know that all that water in there would fit in my sump.

Why did you have to change it out....was it a bad bh?
I'm assuming the bh's I have are good. They appear to be in great shape and the washer is very thick. They look like heavy duty bh's.
I don't have a problem gluing a pipe underneath in the stand. I'll put a threaded male adapter into the bh and than can glue the pipe onto the male. If I need to change it, I only have to unscrew the male adapter and get a new adapter rather than a new bh.
I just don't want to glue the pipes inside the overflow so I can take them out to clean. Inside the overflow are slip, and underneath in the stand are threaded.

[Nirol]

I overtightened it and broke it. Dumb me. And I didn't want to drain the tank, so I just pulled out the standpipe and let it all drain to the sump and switched it.

[patsan]

Originally posted by Nirol
I overtightened it and broke it. Dumb me. And I didn't want to drain the tank, so I just pulled out the standpipe and let it all drain to the sump and switched it.

Oh, okay. I just didn't know if it had anything to do with this herbie method. You're still happy with the way it works and your tank is still silent? How long have you been using it now?
Has your drain ever clogged where you needed the emergency drain?
Sorry for all the questions, but you know I want to get this plumbing thing right, first time around

[drock59]

revived from the dead! This is such a great method for plumbing the tank. Everytime someone comes over to see mine, they always say something about how quiet the tank is. I love it.

[drock59]

double post

[thrlride]

patsan: What they were saying about the overflow draining in to the tank is that if where the standpipe and bulkhead meet, that may leak if it isn't glued. That isn't unique to just this type of method.

Mine leaks like this very slowly too....

Mine has been running this way for 3 months now and I love it. It will barely overflow the emergency drain occasionally but I don't worry too much about it. I figure, if I have it almost overflowing that drain then I am good to go.

BTW, a gate valve is so much easier to control than the ball, so go that method.

[patsan]

Originally posted by thrlride
patsan: What they were saying about the overflow draining in to the tank is that if where the standpipe and bulkhead meet, that may leak if it isn't glued. That isn't unique to just this type of method.
Mine leaks like this very slowly too....
Mine has been running this way for 3 months now and I love it. It will barely overflow the emergency drain occasionally but I don't worry too much about it. I figure, if I have it almost overflowing that drain then I am good to go.
BTW, a gate valve is so much easier to control than the ball, so go that method.

Thanks. Hopefully I'll be able to start the plumbing job soon. I had just ordered true union ball valves, so I'll use that. Rufio said they work, and these are good ones I ordered, so they'll turn much easier than the kind HD sells.

[mc-cro]

I have been using this for about 6months now, and I must agree,
when properly tuned, it is dead silent.
However, I have found that mine needs constant fiddling. I am positive that it is because the pump output rate has fluctuated and started to decline over the last several months.

[patsan]

Originally posted by mc-cro
I have been using this for about 6months now, and I must agree,
when properly tuned, it is dead silent.
However, I have found that mine needs constant fiddling. I am positive that it is because the pump output rate has fluctuated and started to decline over the last several months.

So it gets noisy on you? I have a brand new Velocity T4 that I've heard nothing but praise for, so hopefully it will work good and I won't have those problems.

[tygger]

Originally posted by patsan
No, I don't want to glue them in. I should have enough room in the sump to handle whatever water is in the overflow.
What do you mean it will seap and eventually drain?
I know with the tank we have running right now, when we turn the pump off, the water immediately starts draining from the overflow into the sump. The pipes aren't glued into the bh's on that tank either.

I mean... if you glued the stand pipes, then the water level in the overflow box will only drain to the top of the standpipe. If you don't glue them (in which I didn't, due to similar reasons you stated), then the water will initially drain to the top of the standpipe and then slow drain all the way due to water draining from the bottom of the stand pipe where it connects with the bulkhead. It's not a problem if you leave enough room in your sump to handle to overflow.

[Beenalongtime79]

What's w/ all the fuss over draining standpipes? If you've got nice solid Sch80 bulkheads, all you need is to put like two layers of teflon tape on the threads of your standpipe and then just twist it in... My standpipe never leaks and the water stops at the top lip of the standpipe.

Peace,
John H.

[thrlride]

rufio, that's assuming every one has threaded bulkheads. Mine are slip fit on the inside.

[drock59]

thrlride, it will cost you ten bucks to get threaded bulkheads or less. Well worth the investment and far less hassle. Rufio has it right.

[Nirol]

Originally posted by patsan
Oh, okay. I just didn't know if it had anything to do with this herbie method. You're still happy with the way it works and your tank is still silent? How long have you been using it now?
Has your drain ever clogged where you needed the emergency drain?
Sorry for all the questions, but you know I want to get this plumbing thing right, first time around

No problem! Your threads have helped me too! I have no leaks. I tuned mine by using a ball valve on the T from my return plumbing to the fuge part of the sump (slower flow in there) That valve is very touchy! an .125in turn and the water moves up or down an inch in the overflow. A little gate valve there would be easier. Once set it stays pretty stable though. No drips, no clogs, no sound!

[thrlride]

Originally posted by drock59
thrlride, it will cost you ten bucks to get threaded bulkheads or less. Well worth the investment and far less hassle. Rufio has it right.

No doubt about it. Not everyone has the abilty or desire to change them out for that though.

I believe that schedule 80 fittings require a different hole size too but I'm not 100% sure.

[patsan]

I have sch 80 bh's, but they are slip inside the overflow and theaded on the side inside the stand.

[thrlride]

I may be looking at the picture wrong but it looks like the overflow side is threaded...