Overflow noise levels?

[Gaffes]

My reef tank is in the same room as my home theater system. I am in the process of upgrading alot of the components of the tank, and am considering buying a drilled tank, adding a sump, etc. but I'm wondering about the noise levels. I listen to alot of classical music and have an audiophile system and want to keep noise levels low if at all possible.

As it is, my setup is currently pretty noisy due to an AquaC Remora skimmer. (which I love)

I'm probably going to go with the upgrade, for water quality and ease of maintainence reasons, but was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of the noise level difference between the water overflowing to a sump and an AquaC Remora.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Joew]

Easy way to avoid alot of noise is to go with a Durso Standpipe.

http://www.dursostandpipes.com/

Regards,
Joe W
_________________
Mercedes Benz 280

 

[Anonymous]

a durso or stockman standpipe, and keep the water level in your overflow box as high as you can. You get less of the 'waterfall' sound then.

My water level in my overflow chamber is 1" below tank level. Dead silent.

B

 

[GuyAFA]

I'm using a durso system and it still is very noisy. I've installed a 90 degree elbow at the sump end to direct the flow but it still gurgles and causes excess noise. I've tried closing down the drain flow with the ball joint but then I have to dial back the return flow to the tank. I've been using the return flow as powerheads. I'm getting lots of microbubbles and lots of sound. Any ideas?

 

[Len]

Yo Gaffes, I'm an fellow audiophile I don't have my tank next to my main stereo rig (noise is one issue, but the other is electrical noise from pumps, fans, ballasts, etc.). However, my tank is next to my HT system.

Anyhow, you can make overflows virtually silent. Dursos still make some noise, so it's not the way I go about doing it. Rather, I use a gate (or ball) valve below my tank on the overflow drain. I restrict the flow just enough to raise the water level in my overflow box so that there is 1) no water cascading sound and 2) no air being sucked into the pipe. This makes it virtually silent, and it is reliable from my experience. If you can install a secondary emergency drain in case the pipe gets clogged and the water doesn't drain fast enough, it will be error proof.

Hey Guy, completely close the air intake of your durso (seal the top cap if it isn't sealed) and use the valve to restrict flow. You should be able to turn down the drain flow to match the return flow. This way, it's silent and will create very little bubbles into the sump (Dursos are nasty bubble generators IME).

As for the microbubbles, that could be caused by a small link anywhere in the plumbing (will create a venturi effect), too much bubbles entering the sump, skimmer bubbles getting to the return pump, etc. If your tank is new, microbubbles are normal and will subside over a few months.

 

[Len]

BTW, if you're willing to change skimmers and go with a sump setup (within a cabinet), it will be quieter then your Remora. Use good sound barrier materials in the sump and get a nice in-sump needle-wheel skimmer. The noise level can be amazingly low. That way, you don't miss any of the microdynamics on your stereo 8)

 

[3putt]

Guy,

You can also add an additional tee joint after the 90 degree elbow and make another semi durso type setup in the sump. This allows the air, which is causing the gurgling in the sump, to escape up out of the tee and the water to continue out the other opening. Works great for me and has reduced noise alot. Len's way is certainly very silent but its also very difficult to fine tune with a ball valve, gate valves work much better. Hope that helps!

 

[Mcg180]

Len's response is virtually the best way to resolve the problem. I have a 210 with a sump in the basement. The durso pipes resolved the cascade sound however you could still hear the water rushing down the durso tubes and resonanting through the water column. The tank is in my family room with my Sunfire Amps and B&W 802's so that was not working well. Unfortunately I did not know Len had resolved the problem but through the process of elimination I came to Len's resolve, however, I used both the drain and return in the overflow box as drains. The 3/4 inch original returns are used as the main drain without a durso but in the sump I have two gates valves which I dial back just enough to raise the water level in each of the boxes to the top of the dursob tube in the 3/4 returns. Virtual silence with the added pleasure of knowing that if the 3/4 inch drains become completley blocked, the 1 inch durso will handle all the flow with no overflow possibility - at least as of yet. Make sure to put an egg crate in the bottom of the overflow box with a rock on it so no snails will end up over the hole or in the drain.

 

[das75]

Drains will definitely be a noise factor but make sure you consider the return pump. I'm running about 1000gph through 2-2" Dursos, not silent but not a problem. What I find most annoying though is the hum from the Dart I'm using on the closed loop and many consider it to be a quiet pump. Never used one but guess you should think about a submersible.

Another things to be aware of is the gurgling you may get from the Dursos into the sump. Again no experience but another drain that supposed to work is referred to as a Herbie (sort of what mcg180 I think is talking about).