Overflow/drain pipe help!!

jaygalindo · 06-18-2009, 03:08 PM

So I finally have my 80 gallon tank up and running stocked with just live rock. @ weeks ago when I tested the flow of my tank with just tap water, making sure everything ran good and no leaks, it ran great on the first try. The only problem was my drain pipe to my sump was a little loud because the first row of holes that I drilled was about an inch over the water line. So I made a new drain pipe lowered the holes so that they are all submerged but now the overflow is gurgling and the pump is faster than the flow. I know this because the water level in the sump is down an inch and the level in the DT is up. Please let me know if you have any ideas for a fix.

Thanks

J

cdeboard · 06-18-2009, 03:10 PM

Is this an external or internal overflow?

jaygalindo · 06-18-2009, 03:16 PM

external, Eshopps PF-800 and using a Mag 7 for return

cdeboard · 06-18-2009, 03:26 PM

Do you have the internal box in the tank? I had a similar issue when I first setup my first HOB overflow.. and I forgot to add the little box that regulates in the DT.
Added it.. then no issues at all... it will only gargle now when the pump is catching up with the overflow.

jaygalindo · 06-18-2009, 05:22 PM

I know I have the overflow installed correctly because a couple of weeks ago on my test run of the system it was working great. I guess I got greedy when trying to silence my drain pipe because that is the only thing that I tinkered with between then and now. Same number of holes in the drain pipe, same size, only difference is now all of the holes are submerged versus the old pipe had a row of 3 holes that was above the water line. Would this be the difference in my flow?

PackLeader · 06-18-2009, 05:25 PM

You need to dial down the flow. A gate valve is ideal, ball valve will work but not as well, and either needs to be placed after the pump on the return line.

rodcpierce · 06-18-2009, 05:41 PM

^^^^ bingo!!!!!

jaygalindo · 06-18-2009, 05:50 PM

I guess I am trying to figure out why it is doing this now and not 2 weeks ago. I used simple plumbing then and my tank ran great. No air in the siphon and I dont know why its gurgling.

PackLeader · 06-18-2009, 05:53 PM

How long did you run the system two weeks ago? It can take a while before the gurgling starts.
The gurgling is happening because the pump is returning the water to the tank faster than the overflows will naturally allow. So it is creating a forced vertex/siphon. That is why you always should install a gate valve on the output of the pump in order to dial it down a bit as needed.

jaygalindo · 06-18-2009, 05:58 PM

I ran it for 3 days

06-18-2009, 03:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
jaygalindo Spanish Shawl Nudibranch Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puyallup, Washington Age: 27 Posts: 76 Skin: Mint Karma: 63	Overflow/drain pipe help!! So I finally have my 80 gallon tank up and running stocked with just live rock. @ weeks ago when I tested the flow of my tank with just tap water, making sure everything ran good and no leaks, it ran great on the first try. The only problem was my drain pipe to my sump was a little loud because the first row of holes that I drilled was about an inch over the water line. So I made a new drain pipe lowered the holes so that they are all submerged but now the overflow is gurgling and the pump is faster than the flow. I know this because the water level in the sump is down an inch and the level in the DT is up. Please let me know if you have any ideas for a fix. Thanks J

06-18-2009, 03:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
cdeboard Montipora Digitata Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Grayson, KY Age: 26 Posts: 1,054 Skin: Mint Karma: 7463	Is this an external or internal overflow? _________ My 125G build thread: http://www.3reef.com/forums/show-off...ild-66332.html

06-18-2009, 05:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
PackLeader Giant Squid Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Reno, NV Age: 27 Posts: 5,450 Skin: Mint Karma: 50921	You need to dial down the flow. A gate valve is ideal, ball valve will work but not as well, and either needs to be placed after the pump on the return line. _________ Jason 200 gallon long reef: 55 gallon sump, 20 long fuge, 300+ pounds LR, 750W MH, 216W T5, ASM G4+ skimmer, reactors, wavemaker, etc Hippo tang, O clown pair, firefish, starry blenny, YT damsel, BJ trigger, Scopas tang, chromis. Too many corals and inverts to list. http://www.3reef.com/forums/show-off...-60554-19.html [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

06-18-2009, 05:41 PM	#7 (permalink)
rodcpierce Aiptasia Anemone Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Cedar Rapids, IA Age: 25 Posts: 575 Skin: Dark Karma: 3053	^^^^ bingo!!!!! _________ 125 gallon reef born on 03-07-2009

06-18-2009, 03:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
jaygalindo Spanish Shawl Nudibranch Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puyallup, Washington Age: 27 Posts: 76 Skin: Mint Karma: 63	external, Eshopps PF-800 and using a Mag 7 for return

06-18-2009, 03:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
cdeboard Montipora Digitata Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Grayson, KY Age: 26 Posts: 1,054 Skin: Mint Karma: 7463	Do you have the internal box in the tank? I had a similar issue when I first setup my first HOB overflow.. and I forgot to add the little box that regulates in the DT. Added it.. then no issues at all... it will only gargle now when the pump is catching up with the overflow.

06-18-2009, 05:22 PM	#5 (permalink)
jaygalindo Spanish Shawl Nudibranch Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puyallup, Washington Age: 27 Posts: 76 Skin: Mint Karma: 63	I know I have the overflow installed correctly because a couple of weeks ago on my test run of the system it was working great. I guess I got greedy when trying to silence my drain pipe because that is the only thing that I tinkered with between then and now. Same number of holes in the drain pipe, same size, only difference is now all of the holes are submerged versus the old pipe had a row of 3 holes that was above the water line. Would this be the difference in my flow?

06-18-2009, 05:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
jaygalindo Spanish Shawl Nudibranch Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puyallup, Washington Age: 27 Posts: 76 Skin: Mint Karma: 63	I guess I am trying to figure out why it is doing this now and not 2 weeks ago. I used simple plumbing then and my tank ran great. No air in the siphon and I dont know why its gurgling.

06-18-2009, 05:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
PackLeader Giant Squid Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Reno, NV Age: 27 Posts: 5,450 Skin: Mint Karma: 50921	How long did you run the system two weeks ago? It can take a while before the gurgling starts. The gurgling is happening because the pump is returning the water to the tank faster than the overflows will naturally allow. So it is creating a forced vertex/siphon. That is why you always should install a gate valve on the output of the pump in order to dial it down a bit as needed.

06-18-2009, 05:58 PM	#10 (permalink)
jaygalindo Spanish Shawl Nudibranch Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puyallup, Washington Age: 27 Posts: 76 Skin: Mint Karma: 63	I ran it for 3 days