Is it just me or does the Eshopps PF800 Suck?

I've been working on this overflow for 3 days straight. Some of you already know I'm setting up a 20 gallon sump and purchased the PF-800 Eshopps overflow and using a 700gph Pondmaster Mag pump. I've been in contact with Eshopps guys, which I must say have been fairly prompt with responses. Although, the suggestions so far still leave me with a loud overflow!! I've resorted to turning the pump down to around 35-40% of flow just to keep the overflow from sounding like a total toilet bowl! Even at it's quietest setting now, I still have a good amount of noise. I was previously using 3/4" siphon PVC to the sump, which I swapped for 1 1/4" today. Same results, same excessively annoying noise. Anyone have any ideas on this one? I'm stumped and near ready to trash the entire sump project and grab another Fluval and forget about the extra 20 gallons and refugium.

Here's what I'm using for those not familiar with the design.
http://www.eshopps.com/overflowboxes.php

 

Should I possibly try a rubber return instead of PVC?

 

does your overflow box come with a cover? u-tube? you using a foam rubber filter in there?

 

No cover, yes it's a u-tube and it comes with a foam filter (not rubber).

 

Get rid of the foam and build one of these:

Hofer Gurgle Buster Construction

 

One can usually vent the trapped air in the plumbing by shoving some airline tubing down the hole. Move it down slowly and eventually you'll get to the right area where the air is trapped and the gurgling will stop.

Did they have you do this? This works on all brands of overflows.

 

this would be the right direction to go to make it more quiet. ^^^^

the expatiation of overflows being completely quiet when running 500 or 600 gal. an hour of water through them just ain't going to happen just water running through the plumbing is going to have some noise no matter what is done.



this what i done with my plumbing to quiet it down the over flow drain line that gos from the hob overflow i slipped inside of 2" pipe and i used a foam to fill in the space between the 2 and allows it to draw air there instead of down the drain of the hob overflow. if i pull out the foam the sound comes from that spot in the plumbing and not the overflow...

 

Did that. It made an improvement, but as I stated previously, I can run the pump at 35-40% with the Hofer Gurgle Buster and reduce the sound, but it's still quite loud. Any other ideas? Possibly rubber hose rather than PVC?

 

you could try a flex hose, there not to expensive in price maybe $15-20 off ebay. I also made a cover out of plastic or cardboard "temp" to lay over the top of the box. just make sure you cutout for the u-tubes.. that helps too.

 

Maybe vinyl tubing to get rid of a bit more of the sound.


An overflow will not be 100% silent, though. The drain is part of the design, and there's no way to make a drain quiet if there's water and air in it.

I've seen the 3-pipe overflow design, and that might be a bit more quiet.