How do i get rid of the trickling sound?

[Jonas Bergkvist]

Question one: I just got my first saltwater tank up and running. I haven't cycled it yet but i will start that next week. I noticed that the overflow box makes a trickling sound. No matter how i adjust the gate valve i can't get it soundless. How can i get rid of it? Please see attached video.

Question two: After a while when the water starts to evaporate i refill my return pump compartment, and when i do i hear that the overflow box sounds even more. It's just like when i refill the water something happens with the return pump. Maybe it gets easier for it to pump it up to the aquarium? Is this normal?

Thank you!

Jonas

 

[j.falk]

Get rid of the tank.

 

[Jonas Bergkvist]

Oh dear, am i stuck with this noise? Jeez! I did count on some sort of noise coming out of it but not this much. What i did not know was that every time i refill my sump with fresh water this sound becomes even worse! GAH! How can i solve that? Is it even possible? Maybe an ATO will help in this regard....bleh!

 

[Flippers4pups]

Unfortunately I can see the video.

In the overflow box, do you have any pipes that stand up in it? If there's stand pipes, where the water enters the pipes is lower than the teeth of the overflow box, a "trickle" sound will happen. This allows for water to cascade from the teeth to the water level in the box.

Raising the drain pipe end up close to the level of the teeth will minimize this "cascade" effect, allowing the water level in the overflow box to be higher.

 

[CollectOyster04]

There will be those that probably know better than me, but I would think one of two things should/could help. First, raising the water level in the overflow to about the height of the bulkheads (so not so much of a waterfall), and/or possibly putting elbows facing down from the bulkheads into the overflow if they'd fit.
Either of these should help diminish the trickling sound.

 

[Jonas Bergkvist]

Unfortunately I can see the video.

In the overflow box, do you have any pipes that stand up in it? If there's stand pipes, where the water enters the pipes is lower than the teeth of the overflow box, a "trickle" sound will happen. This allows for water to cascade from the teeth to the water level in the box.

Raising the drain pipe end up close to the level of the teeth will minimize this "cascade" effect, allowing the water level in the overflow box to be higher.

This is something i will try, thank you! It will make it even quieter. I have attached the video again, lets see if you can watch it this time

 

[SliceGolfer]

Pictures would be helpful vs video

 

[Jonas Bergkvist]

There will be those that probably know better than me, but I would think one of two things should/could help. First, raising the water level in the overflow to about the height of the bulkheads (so not so much of a waterfall), and/or possibly putting elbows facing down from the bulkheads into the overflow if they'd fit.
Either of these should help diminish the trickling sound.

Thank you! Just like @Flippers4pups suggested, i will absolutely try this! I will also look into if i can find some elbow pipes somewhere

 

[Jonas Bergkvist]

Pictures would be helpful vs video

Ok, i got one for you!

 

[Flippers4pups]

I can't see the video. Can you take a picture?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Ok, i got one for you!

Okay, if a 90 degree elbow would fit facing down into the box would help.

 

[Garf]

Top of what I think is the emergency drain is dry, it should be wet. I don’t think you’ve got enough water in there. The normal drain should be totally full of water causing a syphon, making it quiet. This is adjusted with the gate valve.

 

[Jonas Bergkvist]

Top of what I think is the emergency drain is dry, it should be wet. I don’t think you’ve got enough water in there. The normal drain should be totally full of water causing a syphon, making it quiet. This is adjusted with the gate valve.

The first picture i took does not show the full syphon that well, but i have full syphon in the first pipe, then second pipe is a trickle one, and the last is dry. Please excuse my awful drawing

 

[CollectOyster04]

Look up some pics of bean animal overflow setups. If the noise is coming more from the secondary pipe(hard to tell from the video), installing an elbow on the secondary(use the pics you find as a reference) will definitely help. Emergency can stay as is. Your overflow looks a bit tight, so you may need to get creative.
In my old overflow(it was deep), I was able to overlap the elbows over each other. I also had the height where I was able to use a threaded elbow and buy strainers for them to keep small fish/snails from being sucked in. Obviously strainers in the tank at the bulkhead would accomplish the same thing. Just remember if using strainers, to clean them often. I always keep an extra set to swap out, then clean. Clogged strainers can definitely become a problem (so I've heard, lol ). But it's definently better than having a snail jambed in the plumbing.

 

[CollectOyster04]

For your second question, your return pump will experience different resistance (pressure) depending on the water level. That can change it's performance. Same will go for a protein skimmer. That is why it's imperative to place your skimmer in one of the other sections(not the return if you can help it) of your sump to keep the water level consistent.
As the tank ages, your overflow pipes will grow some sludge inside and change their efficiency. Not by much, but every so often you may find yourself tweaking the flow to accommodate. You'll know when (your overflow box will tell you). This is why having a gate valve( easier to fine tune) is so much better than having all ball valves.
Also, having an auto top-off will make life a bit easier. They're relatively inexpensive, but will be a blessing when you eventually are going to be worrying about keeping your parameters stable.

 

[Garf]

Ok, i got one for you!

The first picture i took does not show the full syphon that well, but i have full syphon in the first pipe, then second pipe is a trickle one, and the last is dry. Please excuse my awful drawing

Ah. Ok, so you’ve got waves slurping down the blue return.

 

[Montiman]

I would add a Durso or Maggie muffler to the middle drain.

In theory this drain can be tuned to near silent without a muffler but in practice. I am always happier with a muffler on the trickle drain.

 

[vetteguy53081]

At the inlet to reservoir in tank. ... place an elbow so it’s in the water, not above as it is now. That should resolve issue

 

[laverda]

I use 45 degree fittings on the top my drain lines keeping them quite at a variety of flow rates. Also they will get quieter as the get a film on them over time.

 

[slojim]

regarding pump noise - touch everything in the sump. I use an ATO, but at times I'll dump some water in there for various reasons, and it gets a lot louder. I always assumed it was pump noise due to less head loss/more flow, but I eventually realized that my ATO probe holder was close to a branch pipe in the back corner of my sump and the extra water would bring them in contact, creating a vibration. I moved it over and it went away.