do people still use dursos?

TikiGreg · 2026-10-15T02:17:20-0400

new tank incoming this week, single drain and return. do people still run dursos or is that outdated and theres something better now?

UncommonSense · 2026-10-15T02:44:18-0400

Most modern tanks have moved to a dual, or triple drain configuration; referred to as Herbie, and BeanAnimal respectively!

The move to multiple drains is both for noise mitigation, and flood protection via drain redundancy! (These configurations run near dead-silent, with one of the drains at a metered full siphon, and the other left wide open as a failsafe!)

You can typically convert tanks which have a single drain, and single return hole drilled to a dual drain (Herbie) tank, with the return plumbed over the rim, if so desired!

mfinn · 2026-10-15T09:08:13-0400

I struggled with noisy durso drains for a couple decades on my tanks and finally decided to try the 3 drain ( Bean Animal ) system about 14 years ago and I love it.
I went with the 2 drain ( Herbie) system on a smaller tank. That is also miles ahead of the durso.

TikiGreg · 2026-10-15T09:42:15-0400

UncommonSense said:
Most modern tanks have moved to a dual, or triple drain configuration; referred to as Herbie, and BeanAnimal respectively!

The move to multiple drains is both for noise mitigation, and flood protection via drain redundancy! (These configurations run near dead-silent, with one of the drains at a metered full siphon, and the other left wide open as a failsafe!)

You can typically convert tanks which have a single drain, and single return hole drilled to a dual drain (Herbie) tank, with the return plumbed over the rim, if so desired!

yeah i run a herbie on my drilled 40g with a eshopps eclipse overflow it is pretty much dead silent.

I'll probably end up doing that this new aquarium masters tank, had hoped for a cleaner look without the return hanging over the edge of the back. I remember how loud my old oceanic was with a mega flow and home made durso on it and the intermittent toilet flush sounds it had.

should I put the ball valve on the 3/4" or 1" bulkhead? im guessing 3/4". and stand pipe an inch or so shorter than the weir right?

UncommonSense · 2026-10-15T13:42:50-0400

TikiGreg said:
should I put the ball valve on the 3/4" or 1" bulkhead?

yup, 3/4”! You always want to put the valve on your smallest diameter drain to avoid any situation where the return out-flows any one drain!

You’ll want a gate valve; they’re more expensive, but well worth the price in the long run for the ability to make minute tuning adjustments!

Are the new tanks drilled bulkhead holes 1.75” for the 1” bulkhead, and 1.5” for the 3/4” bulkhead? If so, I’m currently working on a idea to maintain 1” plumbing on a 1.5” bulkhead hole…

TikiGreg said:
and stand pipe an inch or so shorter than the weir right?

For a Herbie, I like to do around 2” shorter than weir for the primary drain (AKA siphon channel) standpipe, and at or just below the weir for the emergency standpipe! — this yields a slightly wider operating range of water height inside the overflow box before either of the drains start making noise! (Greater vertical distance between standpipes equals less precision required to tune a full siphon)

TikiGreg · 2026-10-15T13:54:50-0400

UncommonSense said:
yup, 3/4”! You always want to put the valve on your smallest diameter drain to avoid any situation where the return out-flows any one drain!

You’ll want a gate valve; they’re more expensive, but well worth the price in the long run for the ability to make minute tuning adjustments!

Are the new tanks drilled bulkhead holes 1.75” for the 1” bulkhead, and 1.5” for the 3/4” bulkhead? If so, I’m currently working on a idea to maintain 1” plumbing on a 1.5” bulkhead hole…

For a Herbie, I like to do around 2” shorter than weir for the primary drain (AKA siphon channel) standpipe, and at or just below the weir for the emergency standpipe! — this yields a slightly wider operating range of water height inside the overflow box before either of the drains start making noise! (Greater vertical distance between standpipes equals less precision required to tune a full siphon)

ive always put a ball valve on the drain and gate on the return. maybe that's unnecessary.

yes I believe that's the size of the holes. tanks supposed to be delivered in the next couple days.

Hopefully I can still plumb it so the return comes out the cut out by the weir.

mfinn · 2026-10-15T14:03:23-0400

TikiGreg said:
ive always put a ball valve on the drain and gate on the return. maybe that's unnecessary.

yes I believe that's the size of the holes. tanks supposed to be delivered in the next couple days.

Hopefully I can still plumb it so the return comes out the cut out by the weir.

You need the gate valve on the drain for fine turning adjustments.
If you don't have an adjustable dc pump then maybe a ball valve on the return.

Kooma · 2026-10-15T14:09:32-0400

UncommonSense said:
Most modern tanks have moved to a dual, or triple drain configuration; referred to as Herbie, and BeanAnimal respectively!

The move to multiple drains is both for noise mitigation, and flood protection via drain redundancy! (These configurations run near dead-silent, with one of the drains at a metered full siphon, and the other left wide open as a failsafe!)

You can typically convert tanks which have a single drain, and single return hole drilled to a dual drain (Herbie) tank, with the return plumbed over the rim, if so desired!

Agreed, i bought a triple drain or beananimal and it is completely silent. I have around 3000gph moving through my system, have a coat to coast external overflow and 3x 2” drains. First if full siphon, second is a 5% for surges or if the main plugs. Third is a emergency that is always dry and 3/8” higher in the overflow box than #2. Having this now i wouldn't run another tank with less.

I had a single srain single return on my last tank and it was always noisy and never was happy with it.

UncommonSense · 2026-10-15T14:36:10-0400

TikiGreg said:
Hopefully I can still plumb it so the return comes out the cut out by the weir.

That should be viable, using a combo of standard 90 elbows, spigot 90 elbows (stubbier), and 45 elbows!

TikiGreg said:
yes I believe that's the size of the holes. tanks supposed to be delivered in the next couple days.

Well, here’s what I’ve got so far in my idea to run 1” PVC pipe relatively unrestricted on a 1.5” bulkhead hole:

— euro/slim style bulkheads, in 32mm (~1.260”OD, vs. 1.315” for 1” PVC) because finding these in 1” from a reputable retailer is quite challenging… Fiji Cube actually lists 1” examples for sale, but have been out of stock for quite a while now…

These called for a 38mm (~1.5”) hole size according to their listing, but apparently I was lied to, and they’re a bit smaller/more restrictive than advertised…

(1.25”/32mm) hole size minimum, will still work in a 1.5” hole…)

The bulkhead ID is around .100” smaller than I’d like due to this smaller OD, but it’s still comparable to the ID of a 1” sch.80 PVC threaded nipple fitting!

(These 32mm pipe size bulkheads will be adapted to 1” PVC via simple metric to imperial adapter fittings, allowing me to run the rest of my plumbing using off-the shelf parts! Alternatively, you could theoretically use a “socket saver” plumbing socket reamer drill bit to enlarge the metric pipe sockets to 1” PVC diameter!)

All this is to say that there’s definitely a few ways to get two proper 1” PVC drain pipes into a tank which is initially drilled for a single 1” and single 3/4” bulkhead!