Herbie Overflow question

[TheTangFuzz]

Alright I've got my first tank with a sump setup it's a 90g with a 30g sump. Predrilled for a durso so 1" and 3/4" holes. I'm wanting to switch to a herbie because the noise in the sump is annoying. sounds like a bathtub blah blah. So, my only problem is my sump size and the way it's designed. I don't have a large amount of room because about 1/2 is a fuge I also have a very small return section (pic below). My worry is that the way a herbie works the drain is quite a ways in the overflow box and I don't know if I'll have enough room in my sump for the water if power cuts.

Side question if I put my hand in the tank with everything running will that affect the water level in the sump/overflow? (I've been in the hobby for roughly a year maybe 11 months and I've not had a sump before.

 

[Webslinger]

Lower water level in sump

 

[TheTangFuzz]

Lower water level in sump

What would I do with my skimmer in that case

 

[ReefHog]

Are you concerned that the water above the Herbie pipe in the overflow will overflow the sump? The tank level will not lower to the top of the herbie pipe. Only to the bottom of the overflow teeth. If you need to make room in your sump for extra water, you need a lower fudge section. I ran a 20 gallon long sump on a marineland 90 gallon with no issues. My fudge was only 7” though.

 

[TheTangFuzz]

Are you concerned that the water above the Herbie pipe in the overflow will overflow the sump? The tank level will not lower to the top of the herbie pipe. Only to the bottom of the overflow teeth. If you need to make room in your sump for extra water, you need a lower fudge section. I ran a 20 gallon long sump on a marineland 90 gallon with no issues. My fudge was only 7” though.

That is my exact concern. With the full symphony pipe being under water I thought the water would stop when it was out of the water ?

 

[ReefHog]

That is my exact concern. With the full symphony pipe being under water I thought the water would stop when it was out of the water ?

The only "extra" water it will drain is the water above the pipe that is "in the overflow compartment." Depending how high you have the pipe, probably only a a gallon or two. The big concern with overflowing sumps is the return pipe as that is draining the entire tank surface above the return pipe opening.

 

[Snoopy 67]

I think you should relocate your heater to the skimmer chamber.
1/2 of the element is out of the water & it's upside down!!!!!

 

[nereefpat]

@Blakerr , it's good to plan things out, but I don't think you should be concerned here. Could you post a picture of your overflow?

 

[ReefHog]

I think you should relocate your heater to the skimmer chamber.
1/2 of the element is out of the water & it's upside down!!!!!

It looks like the water level is only an inch or two from the top of the heater (refugium) section. I would lower that section a few inches to give you more room for error. I like to keep my heater "after" the temp probe so the heater is not affecting the reading.

@Blakerr , it's good to plan things out, but I don't think you should be concerned here. Could you post a picture of your overflow?

+1

 

[TheTangFuzz]

I think you should relocate your heater to the skimmer chamber.
1/2 of the element is out of the water & it's upside down!!!!!

It's fully submerged and okay. Thank you for the concern

 

[TheTangFuzz]

It looks like the water level is only an inch or two from the top of the heater (refugium) section. I would lower that section a few inches to give you more room for error. I like to keep my heater "after" the temp probe so the heater is not affecting the reading.

+1

That section is static and cannot be lowered with the current baffles that are installed. the temp probe is in the return section now it's reading fine

 

[TheTangFuzz]

@Blakerr , it's good to plan things out, but I don't think you should be concerned here. Could you post a picture of your overflow?

Currently I just have your standard durso overflow about an in from the top of the weir.
My concern is holding the extra "few gallons" from the top of the herbie pipe. How close can the herbie be to the surface?

 

[TheTangFuzz]

@Blakerr , it's good to plan things out, but I don't think you should be concerned here. Could you post a picture of your overflow?

Currently I just have your standard durso overflow about 1' from the weir

 

[nereefpat]

My siphons are about 6" from the surface for a 1" pipe, but they don't need to be that low. It does need to be a few inches below, so it doesn't vortex. There is a tradeoff, in that the lower the pipe can move more water, but the lower the pipe means more water drains to the sump.

It's going to depend on what type of overflow box you have, but the water is probably only a gallon or so.

 

[TheTangFuzz]

My siphons are about 6" from the surface for a 1" pipe, but they don't need to be that low. It does need to be a few inches below, so it doesn't vortex. There is a tradeoff, in that the lower the pipe can move more water, but the lower the pipe means more water drains to the sump.

It's going to depend on what type of overflow box you have, but the water is probably only a gallon or so.

I have just your basic corner overflow. As you can see from my picture I don't have a ton of room left in my sump for draining that is my ONLY concern. the right fuge section cannot be lowered and the left can't go much lower because the skimmer needs it about that high.

When you say vortex I assume you mean like a sink drain making a vortex and allowing air in the pipe?

 

[nereefpat]

I think you'll be just fine.

Yes, by vortex I mean the drain sucking air from the surface.

Start with a pipe 4'' or so from the surface. Install it. Run the system and then shut off the return pump and see what happens. Make sure you have the return to the display set up in such a way that it doesn't siphon too much water back when the return pump shuts off.

 

[TheTangFuzz]

I think you'll be just fine.

Yes, by vortex I mean the drain sucking air from the surface.

Start with a pipe 4'' or so from the surface. Install it. Run the system and then shut off the return pump and see what happens. Make sure you have the return to the display set up in such a way that it doesn't siphon too much water back when the return pump shuts off.

Okay, I think I'm going to give it a try this weekend