Reef Ready Corner Overflow Noise

[drcole]

I have a 55 gallon reef ready aquarium that I just set up. There is noise due to flow of water over the weir that drops down because the water in the overflow section sits lower than the DT. I cut back on flow from the return pump to decrease the noise, but what can I do to raise the water level in the area so it doesn't have to fall so far? Only thing that I can think of is making the drain a few inches taller to raise the level. Thanks in advance!

 

[2xal]

I'm not sure what a weir is, unless that's an autocorrect. You could put something back there for the water to cascade down instead of a waterfall. Is it water noise like splashing from waterfalling over the side or a gurgling from the drain?

Edit: I read your post again and think I understand. I agree that putting a pipe in the drain cut off at the level you want the overflow to stay at is a good idea.

 

[drcole]

No gurgling from the drain at all, it's strictly from the water flowing over the overflow

 

[wpeterson]

There are a few things you can do to increase the water level inside your overflow chamber:

• Increase your return water flow - use a bigger return pump, turn up DC pump power
• Decrease your drain water flow - use a valve to limit the drain (not recommended unless you have a backup drain)

When the water level in the return chamber is too low, it means the drain is slightly outpacing the water input from the return line. So you can counter that to bring it into equilibrium.

I run a Herbie drain on my tank with a gate valve on the main drain, which allows me to tune the full-siphon main drain to closely match the input from the return pump. If you do it right, the water level will be at the ideal level and stable, which keeps it from falling too far from the weir into the return chamber and splashing.

 

[2xal]

how will increasing water return flow cause an increase in overflow water level?

 

[drcole]

by outperforming the drainage speed of the pipe, thus resulting in a net increase of water in the DT.

 

[drcole]

I have flex tubing between the DT and the sump so installing a valve there is not an option. I only have a single drain pipe, but would really like to cut down on the noise so I can run a higher flow rate. Once the water reaches the sump, I have a piece of 1" PVC to cut down on the noise. That piece sits within the sock filter. Would it be okay to add a valve on to the end of that in order to cut down on the drainage rate and thus raise the water level in the return section to eliminate the noise from the "waterfall" ?

 

[wpeterson]

I have flex tubing between the DT and the sump so installing a valve there is not an option. I only have a single drain pipe, but would really like to cut down on the noise so I can run a higher flow rate. Once the water reaches the sump, I have a piece of 1" PVC to cut down on the noise. That piece sits within the sock filter. Would it be okay to add a valve on to the end of that in order to cut down on the drainage rate and thus raise the water level in the return section to eliminate the noise from the "waterfall" ?

This will have the intended effect of limiting the drain rate, raising the overflow water level, and limiting the noise from the weir to overflow (waterfall splashing).

HOWEVER - it is not safe to restrict your primary drain line unless you have an emergency drain, so I do not recommend this for a single drain system :-/

If you want a safer way to achieve the same effect, you might get a bigger DC return pump that will allow you to dial in the level of flow to a higher rate than you have now. Alternately, you could use a larger AC return pump with a restriction valve on the return plumbing.

 

[2xal]

by outperforming the drainage speed of the pipe, thus resulting in a net increase of water in the DT.

If your return pump outperforms your drain, your pump will be constantly pumping more water then what your return line can drain back from the DT. In this scenario your sump/refugium level will go lower and lower until your pump is cavitating and microbubble city.

 

[wpeterson]

If you have a tunable drain (herbie, bean animal) than raising the flow rate is a good way to change the operating water height.

If you have a non tunable drain like a single duroso standpipe, you will have to adjust the height of the standpipe.

 

[2xal]

If you have a tunable drain (herbie, bean animal) than raising the flow rate is a good way to change the operating water height.

If you have a non tunable drain like a single duroso standpipe, you will have to adjust the height of the standpipe.

agreed.

 

[Akida17th]

^^ agreed adjust the height of the stand pipe or but a standpipe that is adjustable

 

[Neo Jeo]

I have a 55 gallon reef ready aquarium that I just set up. There is noise due to flow of water over the weir that drops down because the water in the overflow section sits lower than the DT. I cut back on flow from the return pump to decrease the noise, but what can I do to raise the water level in the area so it doesn't have to fall so far? Only thing that I can think of is making the drain a few inches taller to raise the level. Thanks in advance!

I’m having the same problem right now. Did you find a solution?