Herbie pipe heights?

[TheDentist]

First time with a sump and setting up a herbie overflow and a little confused on one thing; how tall do you all make your emergency drain relative to the overflow teeth?
Im putting my main drain 6 inches below the emergency pipe but Im not sure where to place the e pipe.

Thanks for the help!

 

[WWIII]

I'd recommend somewhere around an inch or less. You don't want it to be above, but you don't want it very low either. If its much further below overflow you will hear the water falling over the overflow and it can be a little loud. Having it several inches above the main drain usually stops the main drain from making a vortex and sucking air.

 

[TheDentist]

Okay. So, right at the base of the overflow teeth may be too tall?

 

[Barrett]

I would go 1/2” below the teeth.

 

[Idoc]

I have mine about 1/2" below the overflow teeth... keeps the tank super quiet without water falling or trickling noise.

 

[Idoc]

Here's a good link...

http://gmacreef.com/herbie-overflow-reef-tank-plumbing-method-basics/

 

[WWIII]

Okay. So, right at the base of the overflow teeth may be too tall?

Yeah it would, you want it to fall a little to prevent water jumping straight into the emergency pipe. That can be loud as well.

Edit - ideally you want hardly any water going into the emergency. With only 2 pipes it's unavoidable, but you can adjust the valve on main siphon to get it just barely trickling over and you can't hear it

 

[ca1ore]

The other important consideration is that you want the mouth of the emergency low enough so that in the event the main siphon gets blocked there is enough head pressure that can build up to ensure the emergency can actually handle all of the flow. Clearly this can also be accomplished by upsizing the emergency, though most folks seem not to do this.

So it's a balance between minimizing the sound of falling water and providing enough potential head pressure. I go a bit lower than 1/2" below the bottom of the teeth, preferring 1 1/2". Also, put intake screens on your siphon. Yes, it will require periodic cleaning, but it essentially eliminates that sudden occlusion.

 

[PedroYoung]

Here's a good link...

http://gmacreef.com/herbie-overflow-reef-tank-plumbing-method-basics/

Man, thanks a million for posting that link!! What a great overview.

 

[Ftrain576]

Getting ready to do he same thing PedroYoung..Were you able to get your emergency pipe sized just right on the first try, or did you have to do it a few times to get it just right? Did the 1 1/2 inch below the waterline work for you? Thanks and good luck!

 

[PedroYoung]

Getting ready to do he same thing PedroYoung..Were you able to get your emergency pipe sized just right on the first try, or did you have to do it a few times to get it just right? Did the 1 1/2 inch below the waterline work for you? Thanks and good luck!

Still in the planning stages, have changed direction about half a dozen times, sometimes you just have to pick a route and blast ahead

 

[Ftrain576]

So so true..At least the worst that would happen is that you would just have to cut a new pipe. Not like having to rip apart all of the plumbing because of an error after you glued it all together.

 

[PedroYoung]

So so true..At least the worst that would happen is that you would just have to cut a new pipe. Not like having to rip apart all of the plumbing because of an error after you glued it all together.

Haha, I have almost decided to just get a new tank and go with a shadow overflow with bean animal, it's only $$$$$$ after all (yeah right).