High Flow Return and Noise Level
- Thread starter JAMSOURY
- Start date
- Tagged users None
AquaPhilNJ
Community Member
Myself I usual employ the return pumps suction cups, and do no let the pump touch anything, such as sump walls. Do not let its tubing touch anything else except the DT bulkhead. Placement of carbon filter sheets around it may help.
For me this is a hard one, sometimes I feel I am just lucky. I simply keep making minor adjustments and I've always been able to keep noise down. In contrast, I eventually had to replaced my pump, and did so with a much less powerful one; I just feel powerful return pumps don't do much for increased filtration.
If it matters I have a 55 gallon tank; in past tried pumps 300, 550, 750 gph, currently using 300. I'm currently able to obtain 2 ppm nitrate 0 phosphate (want po4 higher), for me it's not the pump, it's my bio-pellets.
For me this is a hard one, sometimes I feel I am just lucky. I simply keep making minor adjustments and I've always been able to keep noise down. In contrast, I eventually had to replaced my pump, and did so with a much less powerful one; I just feel powerful return pumps don't do much for increased filtration.
If it matters I have a 55 gallon tank; in past tried pumps 300, 550, 750 gph, currently using 300. I'm currently able to obtain 2 ppm nitrate 0 phosphate (want po4 higher), for me it's not the pump, it's my bio-pellets.
What tank do you have? What size is it? What style of overflow does it use? HOB, Durso, Herbie or Beananimal?
If you’re not sure, than a picture of the overflow and the plumbing into your sump would help immensely in diagnosing and attempting to fix your noise issue.
Last edited:
What brand overflow are you using?
For the noise going into the sump, make sure the outlet of the primary drain line is only about an inch under water. This makes it easier for all of the air to purge out of the primary drain line upon adjustment of the gate valve. You do have a gate valve on your primary drain line, right?
As far as the overflow box itself, my guess is that you’re getting the waterfall noise... water rushing down in the internal weir box and splashing as you increase flow, right? I would try to raisethe secondary trickle drain in your external box so that you raise the water level in the external box, thus shortening the distance that the water has to fall in the internal weir box. This will minimize the waterfall/splashing noise coming from the overflow. All of this is of course assuming you have a ghost style drilled overflow set up for your tank.
Once these changes are made, everytime you increase flow on your return pump, you’ll have to slowly adjust and open up the gate valve on your primary drain line accommodate the additional flow and tune the system to make it quiet.
For the noise going into the sump, make sure the outlet of the primary drain line is only about an inch under water. This makes it easier for all of the air to purge out of the primary drain line upon adjustment of the gate valve. You do have a gate valve on your primary drain line, right?
As far as the overflow box itself, my guess is that you’re getting the waterfall noise... water rushing down in the internal weir box and splashing as you increase flow, right? I would try to raisethe secondary trickle drain in your external box so that you raise the water level in the external box, thus shortening the distance that the water has to fall in the internal weir box. This will minimize the waterfall/splashing noise coming from the overflow. All of this is of course assuming you have a ghost style drilled overflow set up for your tank.
Once these changes are made, everytime you increase flow on your return pump, you’ll have to slowly adjust and open up the gate valve on your primary drain line accommodate the additional flow and tune the system to make it quiet.
Last edited:
