Adding an overflow to a drilled tank

[jrobbins]

So here is my latest project to try and address an issue I should have taken care of before i filled my tank.

My tank is drilled in the back for a 1" drain, and 3/4" return. Right now there is no overflow on the drain, and i am using a pvc elbow (at a 45 degree angle) with a screen on it as the drain. this works fine, but is quite loud and i think i could get a much higher throughput and lower noise by installing an overflow and either removing the elbow all together, or turning it so that the entrance is always under water (ie. make the elbow face straight down.

Initially i was going to drain a bunch of water from the tank so that I could silicone an acrylic overflow to the back pane of glass. However, I would have to bring the water pretty far down, and will require breaking down a lot of the rockwork if i dont want it or the corals exposed to the air for an extended period of time.

So, here is what i came up with as a solution. I am either going to buy or make an acrylic box, approximately 4"x4" with teeth on the top to skim the surface (imagine a regular 3 sided overflow and add a fourth side to it). then i plan to drill a hole in one pane of acrylic large enough to fit a 1" pvc pipe into.

I would silicone or glue the two together outside of the tank. and then install the overflow box with pvc pipe glued into it, simply replacing the straight pipe and elbow that are there now.

I am not sure how well i explained myself, but if anybody understands what i am proposing, is there any reason it shouldn't work?

Thanks,

Jon

 

[PhoenixOne]

I hope you will have photos. This sounds VERY interesting and I love to see if it works

 

[jrobbins]

Thanks, here is a quick pic i just sketched out....

 

[PhoenixOne]

Ah, now I see. Think its a pretty good idea. How big is your tank btw?

 

[jrobbins]

Ah, now I see. Think its a pretty good idea. How big is your tank btw?

40 gal. long

 

[ssmtcarlo]

if you have the external durso even without the overflow box it shouldnt be that loud. also check custom king i believe he made a few of theses boxes already

 

[jrobbins]

thanks carlo, i'll pm him

 

[autoponicz]

do you have a ball valve or gate valve ?
dialing down the ball valve will help with the noise...

 

[jrobbins]

I control the flow via a T on the return. There is a gate valve on the drain, but i am not really comfortable restricting the flow that way.

do you have a ball valve or gate valve ?
dialing down the ball valve will help with the noise...

 

[Deanos]

Your idea should work, however, I don't think it'll solve your problem (noise). The overflow box will allow you to skim more of the water surface than the elbow/strainer combo, but sound reduction is accomplished with the use of the durso pipe which seems to be already in place.

 

[jrobbins]

Your idea should work, however, I don't think it'll solve your problem (noise). The overflow box will allow you to skim more of the water surface than the elbow/strainer combo, but sound reduction is accomplished with the use of the durso pipe which seems to be already in place.

thanks for the reply.

is there something i can do to the durso to lower the noise coming from it? I have tried enlarging the hole drilled on the top, tried aspirating the drain w/ some airline tubing, tried removing the durso cap completely, and i still get a ton of noise from the thing.

Right now the flow is very low through the sump, so i dont think it is an issue of too many GPH trying to go through a 1" pipe, and i am at a loss as to what to do.

 

[bigbris1]

Hmmm, when I had it the configuration that rendered the least noise was with a homemade filter sock rubberbanded to the end of the drain (in the sump) with the durso open about 1/8".

Questions:

1. Are you using a fliter sock?
2. Which cap are you using on the durso, the one with the hole in the top, or the side?
3. Where's the water level in the drain section of the sump in relation to the drain pipe (is the drain pipe submerged?)
4. Can you pinpoint where the noise is coming from exactly? (I found that most of the water rushing noise I could swear I could hear right thru the piping itself)

Hope this helps Jon.

 

[jrobbins]

Hmmm, when I had it the configuration that rendered the least noise was with a homemade filter sock rubberbanded to the end of the drain (in the sump) with the durso open about 1/8".

Questions:

1. Are you using a fliter sock?
2. Which cap are you using on the durso, the one with the hole in the top, or the side?
3. Where's the water level in the drain section of the sump in relation to the drain pipe (is the drain pipe submerged?)
4. Can you pinpoint where the noise is coming from exactly? (I found that most of the water rushing noise I could swear I could hear right thru the piping itself)

Hope this helps Jon.

Hey Bristol,

Thanks for the reply.

1. No filter sock right now - Not sure how it will reduce noise, but i will put one back on and see how it goes
2. The one with the hole in the side
3. The drain is submerged
4. Almost all of the noise seems to come from the drain itself, (the elbow in the tank), but seems to travel the length of the pipe.

 

[bigbris1]

Hey Bristol,

Thanks for the reply.

1. No filter sock right now - Not sure how it will reduce noise, but i will put one back on and see how it goes
2. The one with the hole in the side
3. The drain is submerged
4. Almost all of the noise seems to come from the drain itself, (the elbow in the tank), but seems to travel the length of the pipe.

You'd be suprised what a filter sock can do. If the pipe is submerged, likely the air entering the sump is contributing to the noise.

The cap with the hole in the side should be open only slightly to reduce the amount of air being sucked down the pipe (which I think is the main problem). You should be able to look at the water going into the elbow & the surface should be flat (if that makes any sense). If there is a vortex, water is going in too fast.

You can change the angle of the elbow slightly, then adjust the durso cap slightly.

 

[jrobbins]

ill give it a try when i get home. thanks again bris.