Return is LOUD!

[E.intheC]

Overflow is LOUD!

OK. I just spent the past 5 hours setting up my 45 cube. It's almost done. Just the fun stuff is left, like setting up the controller, lights, and aquascaping....

One quick thing.. the overflow is LOUD. It's a reef ready Marineland Cube. It looks like it's designed well, but I can hear it all over my (tiny) apartment.

I'm going to let the saltwater run through it and build up a slime coat as I've heard this helps w/ the noise, and I've got my return pump turned down to its lowest setting (the Marineland utility pumps have controllable flow)

There's a tube coming out of the drainage piping to allow air in the plumbing, but it seems like there's a lot of noise coming from that part.

Any other tips?

I'd really appreciate it. Thanks in advance:happysad:

 

[Reeftanker3295]

Stick a piece of mousepad underneath it to help with vibrations.

 

[E.intheC]

That's a great idea for the return pump, however it's actually the drain/overflow area of the tank that's making noise.

Sorry for sounding like an idiot in my title.. I'm beat as all hell. These tank setups always take 3x as long and are more work than you think:tired: :smash:

 

[Reeftanker3295]

I would suggest making durso standpipes, they quiet down overflows alot and dont take up alot of room. Heres the link to make your own http://dursostandpipes.com/make-your-own-diy and you can also buy them on that site. And I know what you mean with the setups, my 90 gallon is taking a very long time to set up!

 

[E.intheC]

hmmm.. thank you for the link. I've heard about those, and about the 'herbie' style overflow that's featured on RC, but I don't think I can add those now that the tank is full of water and livestock.

 

[NYC Joe]

I have the 60 cube from marineland and had that noise too.

Heres what I did, i stupidly glued a 90 degree elbow coming straight from the inlet going down to the sump. what a mistake.
Was not quiet.
i thought the slime would help, Nope!

I did a sort of external durso going down.
(easiest was to describe.)

I put a T coming from the inlet. regular plumbing down. but the above part of the T has a little pipe. and then a end cap.
I drilled a hole into the end cap. and put a piece of rigid line tubing.
now i have 2 places where air comes in.

More air = less noise

 

[Reeftanker3295]

Well dont the overflows stop filling up after the tank gets to a certain point? Just take out 15-20 gallon and the overflow should just empty out into the sump if you take the standpipes out and then stay dry. Do that when you have your durso standpipes all ready and then install them quick and fill the tank back up.

 

[NYC Joe]

painfull if you have the half moon shape overflow. but it reallly quieted it down.
Its so narrow, you have to have tiny fingers.
+ if its the same tank theres no room for a durso inside.
has to be outside.
the air hole is key.

I never want to do it again.

I replaced the bulkhead and all other components. PITA!

 

[masterswimmer]

Eric, how about some pix? Might be able to offer some advice with the aid of a visual

Russ

 

[E.intheC]

I will try to take some pictures tonight. Its just the stock overflow setup right now.

 

[RARECLOWNSNJ]

Tank

I saw the design on these tank with the overflow coming from the back glass, i ordered a custom drilled one with a corner over flow.

The loud noise in the over last for a few days after a water change but not that bad.

I love my tank.

 

[E.intheC]

The loud noise in the over last for a few days after a water change but not that bad.

Hopefully that's true here. I'm going to also try making a silencer using an empty pill bottle. I've seen that before and it's been suggested on RC.

I'd love to keep hearing ideas though.

 

[fcamargo6thave]

get a peice of rubber like the one you put in the cabinets of kitchens. make sure you poke alot of holes into it and put at the top of the overflow, my friend did this with his overflow and u wont believe how quiet it is. he bought those little rubber mats in ikea

 

[E.intheC]

That's a good idea too. I wonder if that will help my problem as I think mine is more related to the airline intake itself.

Thank you for that as well

 

[E.intheC]

I've noticed that the noise almost completely goes away when I put my finger over the air intake pipe. (It causes the water to empty out of the overflow section though..so that's not an actual solution.)

 

[aznt1217]

Get a piece of airline tubing to extend the air intake out. It should tone down the noise substantially.