How do you make a drain that is just an elbow fitting quiet?

jakano · 01/06/2009, 08:02 PM

I just have an 1.5" bulkhead with an upturned 90 with a strainer for a drain and I cannot make it quiet at all. I am to the point now where my pump is backed off so much its barely moving water and it still loud.

chrismunn · 01/06/2009, 08:07 PM

you might be able to try the hofer gurgle buster?

http://home.everestkc.net/jrobertson57268/HGB/

jakano · 01/06/2009, 08:11 PM

Im not using an overflow box just a 90 fitting turned up so I doubt that would work. It's like it has a constant siphon going, so instead of a drain I have a vacuum. I can turn the fitting upside down and it will suck water out of the tank down to the end of the fitting in seconds. I need to get rid of this siphon affect and just have a drain. The pump I am using only pumps at 600 gph so a 1" drain should be enough and I have two 1" lines draining. I am draining to a basement sump two floors down so maybe with a drop of that distance it will always have a siphon and I am just stuck with noise?

kgross · 01/06/2009, 08:43 PM

It does have a constant siphon. You really should build a box around it to make it work better.

But with that said if you put the external durso on it, it will help with the siphon problem. But an elbow with a strainer on it will not keep a very constant water level.

Kim

jakano · 01/06/2009, 09:01 PM

I have an external durso already. Sounds like I am just kind of s.o.l

kgross · 01/06/2009, 09:07 PM

I think you are sol. The only thing you could would be put in some air vents in the pipe part way down, but that would not be easy and I'm not sure if it would make much of a difference anyway.

Kim

therealfatman · 01/06/2009, 09:10 PM

The dark line you see on the two differing drains is simply a piece of rigid air line tubing placed through a drilled hole. The drain fitting made with a "T" fitting has a cap on it with the tube through a hole you must drill through the cap. The drain made from a 90 degree fitting merely has a small hole drilled in it to accept the tubing. glass-holes sells these 90 degree fittings predrilled for the same cost as an undrilled fitting. Raise the tubing up and down until the system operates the quietest. A simple piece of electrical tape will hold the tubing where you find it works best.

There will be no siphon with this arrangement, however you must realise without the siphon your flow will drop appreciably. Most people try to eliminate siphons as their flow is not usually consistent/dependable.

kgross · 01/06/2009, 09:14 PM

Even with the vent, you can get a siphon effect in the pipe, which is I believe the problem the OP is having.

Question. Is your drain submerged in the sump or above the waters surface?

kim

jakano · 01/06/2009, 09:19 PM

The drain lines empty above the surface of the water.

Saboral · 01/06/2009, 10:36 PM

The only way he could then have a siphon if the pipe has another low point in it at which the pipe is completely filled with water. This may be the case with a very long "basement run" my suggestion is the same as thererealfatman's. You will have to adjust the air tube length until it breaks the siphon and may have to add multiple or larger tubes.

01/06/2009, 08:02 PM	#1
jakano Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: columbus ohio Posts: 1,562	How do you make a drain that is just an elbow fitting quiet? I just have an 1.5" bulkhead with an upturned 90 with a strainer for a drain and I cannot make it quiet at all. I am to the point now where my pump is backed off so much its barely moving water and it still loud.

01/06/2009, 08:07 PM	#2
chrismunn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 4,200	you might be able to try the hofer gurgle buster? http://home.everestkc.net/jrobertson57268/HGB/ __________________ Marine Aquarists Association of South Texas Austin Reef Club PBITAWA... Current Tank Info: 14g bio cube

01/06/2009, 08:43 PM	#4
kgross Premium Member Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Nampa, ID Posts: 5,870	It does have a constant siphon. You really should build a box around it to make it work better. But with that said if you put the external durso on it, it will help with the siphon problem. But an elbow with a strainer on it will not keep a very constant water level. Kim __________________ Proud Member of the Idaho Marine Aquarium Society America will only be the Land of the Free as long as it is the Home of the Brave. Current Tank Info: AGA 180gallon tank, VHO/MH lighting, DSB, calcium reactor, Also a 7 Gallon Nano softy tank, and a 32 gallon cube

01/06/2009, 09:07 PM	#6
kgross Premium Member Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Nampa, ID Posts: 5,870	I think you are sol. The only thing you could would be put in some air vents in the pipe part way down, but that would not be easy and I'm not sure if it would make much of a difference anyway. Kim __________________ Proud Member of the Idaho Marine Aquarium Society America will only be the Land of the Free as long as it is the Home of the Brave. Current Tank Info: AGA 180gallon tank, VHO/MH lighting, DSB, calcium reactor, Also a 7 Gallon Nano softy tank, and a 32 gallon cube

01/06/2009, 09:14 PM	#8
kgross Premium Member Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Nampa, ID Posts: 5,870	Even with the vent, you can get a siphon effect in the pipe, which is I believe the problem the OP is having. Question. Is your drain submerged in the sump or above the waters surface? kim __________________ Proud Member of the Idaho Marine Aquarium Society America will only be the Land of the Free as long as it is the Home of the Brave. Current Tank Info: AGA 180gallon tank, VHO/MH lighting, DSB, calcium reactor, Also a 7 Gallon Nano softy tank, and a 32 gallon cube

01/06/2009, 08:11 PM	#3
jakano Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: columbus ohio Posts: 1,562	Im not using an overflow box just a 90 fitting turned up so I doubt that would work. It's like it has a constant siphon going, so instead of a drain I have a vacuum. I can turn the fitting upside down and it will suck water out of the tank down to the end of the fitting in seconds. I need to get rid of this siphon affect and just have a drain. The pump I am using only pumps at 600 gph so a 1" drain should be enough and I have two 1" lines draining. I am draining to a basement sump two floors down so maybe with a drop of that distance it will always have a siphon and I am just stuck with noise?

01/06/2009, 09:01 PM	#5
jakano Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: columbus ohio Posts: 1,562	I have an external durso already. Sounds like I am just kind of s.o.l

01/06/2009, 09:10 PM	#7
therealfatman Moved On Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 1,471	The dark line you see on the two differing drains is simply a piece of rigid air line tubing placed through a drilled hole. The drain fitting made with a "T" fitting has a cap on it with the tube through a hole you must drill through the cap. The drain made from a 90 degree fitting merely has a small hole drilled in it to accept the tubing. glass-holes sells these 90 degree fittings predrilled for the same cost as an undrilled fitting. Raise the tubing up and down until the system operates the quietest. A simple piece of electrical tape will hold the tubing where you find it works best. There will be no siphon with this arrangement, however you must realise without the siphon your flow will drop appreciably. Most people try to eliminate siphons as their flow is not usually consistent/dependable.

01/06/2009, 09:19 PM	#9
jakano Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: columbus ohio Posts: 1,562	The drain lines empty above the surface of the water.

01/06/2009, 10:36 PM	#10
Saboral Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Blacksburg, Va Posts: 368	The only way he could then have a siphon if the pipe has another low point in it at which the pipe is completely filled with water. This may be the case with a very long "basement run" my suggestion is the same as thererealfatman's. You will have to adjust the air tube length until it breaks the siphon and may have to add multiple or larger tubes.