Need Advise: Re-plumbing My Tank - Quiet Style!

[Keith P]

Hi all,

I've been neglecting my tank for the past year or so. Time to revamp everything.

Here is a pic of my current setup:

My tank is totally to loud. You can hear it from the entrance to my apartment building through out the halls!

Here is my plan:

- Overflow noise. The internal overflow box of my Tech 65 combined with a durso makes a TON of noise. I have tried messing with the drain exit, multiple durso designs, adjusted flow, etc.
My answer: Herbie style drain. (Submerged drain with a gate valve and a backup drain.)


- Pump noise. I had a MAG 9.5. I switched to a Marineland Utility pump (I think a 4500). I have a foam pad under the pump. They are just VERY loud. Is my only option to go down a size in pumps? I can do that....

Any suggestions would be great. I need a decent amount of flow since I use one pump to feed the tanks return, chiller, GFO reactor, & possibly UV. I think simplifying the system may be necessary.

 

[Brando457]

Can you snap a pic of your overflow box inside.

 

[Keith P]

I even called Oceanic a few times trying to sort it out..

 

[LatinP]

You sure the problem is coming from the overflow box? I have the exact same overflow except mine is setup on the corner did have a noise problem when it was first setup but it came from the plumbing underneath.

What noise exactly are you hearing is it a flushing noise, trickling noise or something else?

 

[aznt1217]

Not sure what it could be but I THINK I know what you are referring to.

Overflow: Can you put an airvalve adjuster on the Maxijet on that thing? It looks like the hole is too large. It can also be the height of the durso and theres too much water flowing down at too high of a height.

Return Pump: No you don't have to downsize. I run a Mag 7 and it's DEAD Silent. I've also ran a Mag 9 and 12 once (too much) and they were fine. Forget the foam pad. Put a piece of rubber under it. Make sure that your impeller and all the parts of the pump are tight and seated properly.

 

[NewfiDog]

On the drain line you can try putting a valve on it, and closing it slightly to help reduce the noise but not to much that you dont get enough flow. This worked great for me, if i open the valve it is very noisy, close it a little and its better. Just a thought.

 

[thirty6]

On the drain line you can try putting a valve on it, and closing it slightly to help reduce the noise but not to much that you dont get enough flow. This worked great for me, if i open the valve it is very noisy, close it a little and its better. Just a thought.

this worked for me as well

 

[Keith P]

I'm not willing to close the drain valve with out a backup. Hence the "herbie method".

I wonder if this pump is salvageable.

What kind of rubber can I use?

This is what the foam I got looks like (Home depot)"

 

[Keith P]

Okay. I closed the drain valve. OMG! It's so much quieter! If 12 o-clock is wide open, I only turned it to like 1 o-clock.

Now all I hear is the pump.

If I move the return hose it gets quieter, then the hum will start again. Maybe rubber will do it. Maybe a new impeller assembly is due.

 

[NewfiDog]

 

[Keith P]

Bump, any hints on what kind of pad I should put under my pump? I may try a new impeller.

 

[Widdy]

Bump, any hints on what kind of pad I should put under my pump? I may try a new impeller.

I used some neoprene padding I got from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MAEWIO/?tag=reefs04-20

 

[ming]

I'm not willing to close the drain valve with out a backup. Hence the "herbie method".

I wonder if this pump is salvageable.

What kind of rubber can I use?

This is what the foam I got looks like (Home depot)"

So I take it that you have a backup drain now?
I did the herbie method, works fantastic. My pump also is 1800 gph without any sound of water splashing in my sump. But I would suggest using a gate valve because you want it to be as precise as possible. Ball valves are too unprecise. I wouldn't do the valve without a backup unless you want to possibly risk overflowing your DT one day.

 

[Keith P]

I honestly have the ball valve c,owed only a tiny bit. It blows my mind how a little tweak made such a difference.

 

[NewfiDog]

It simply keeps the air from gurgling.

 

[rkaragozler]

what size pump are you using, and what size is the drain line.

 

[piranhapat]

What size PVC you got in the overflow draining. If its is 1 inch change it to 1 1/4 inch using durso. You can add adjustable fitting at the bottom of PVC. You don't have to change bulk fitting. So it will go to your 1" Bulk head fitting. My is so quit I don't even know its on. And I don't even have air setting just a hole on the top. Using Mag 9.5 which is very quite too...

 

[piranhapat]

See if this helps....... http://www.rl180reef.com/frames.htm check out durso link on bottom of site....

 

[NewfiDog]

He has a durso in his first pics. I think hes got the drain going but has noise from pump vibration now.