Is your overflow noisy and how can you "dampen" the sound?

revhtree · Jun 2, 2021

Gurgling noise? Water falling sounds? Is your overflow too loud? I know many of us have struggled with our tank overflow being a little more noisy than we would like. Depending on where your tank is located a loud overflow can present a pretty frustrating experience for all involved. So let's talk about it today!

1. Do you think your current overflow is too noisy?

2. What are some tips and tricks to cutting down on a noisy overflow?

image via @FireEMT

WVNed · Jun 2, 2021

All I do is make sure the water flows smoothly from one place to another. Falling water is noisy.
Full siphon drains are quiet. Drains with a trickle that run down the inside of the pipe are quiet.
Weirs where the tank water level falls only 3/4 of an inch to the level inside the box are quiet.

tbrown · Jun 2, 2021

I have an AIO so no overflow. I do plan on adding a sump eventually.

In the past, I just used the old "airline down the tube" trick to kind of mute the gurgling sounds.

Goaway · Jun 2, 2021

I am new to all the plumbing needs of a sump. I have no advice as my overflow gurgles here and there. Sound of trickling water is over powered by my sump pump, another overly noise making piece.

So, upgrade to a quiet pump, look into hard plumbing. I got things to do.

ylreefer · Jun 2, 2021

I have to say I've never been more impressed by the lack of noise from my RS650P. It's the quietest tank I've ever owned. And the largest. In fact it's so quiet the cats water fountain makes more noise than the overflow. 1 year in and no adjustment made.

Super impressed with it. .

Tugboat Reefer · Jun 2, 2021

I bought the exotic marine 22" overflow and 29 gallon sump kit a year ago, and could not be happier. I suggest these products to anyone who wants something that really works like it should.

tbrown · Jun 2, 2021

Mibu said:
I am new to all the plumbing needs of a sump. I have no advice as my overflow gurgles here and there. Sound of trickling water is over powered by my sump pump, another overly noise making piece.

So, upgrade to a quiet pump, look into hard plumbing. I got things to do.

What kind of noise does your pump make? There are ways to quiet those down as well depending on what is causing it. Some pumps are just notoriously noisy and nothing can be done about it...

Westside Guy · Jun 2, 2021

ylreefer said:
I have to say I've never been more impressed by the lack of noise from my RS650P. It's the quietest tank I've ever owned. And the largest. In fact it's so quiet the cats water fountain makes more noise than the overflow. 1 year in and no adjustment made.

Super impressed with it. .

Red Sea tanks are pretty quiet.

Bars · Jun 2, 2021

I am incredibly happy that I finally have the space for a bean animal overflow. Absolutely dead silent. Full siphon drains are the way to go.

Did make a small mistake when plumbing and made the standpipes too short, which caused a tremendous amount of noise. Redoing it is nearly impossible now, so I placed a bunch of blue filter sponges underneath the weir. Dead silent again and easily removed to rinse the stuff out if you're worried about detritus.

DiefsReef · Jun 2, 2021

Dealing with this issue right now. I have Eclipse L Overflow Box (1000 GPH) on my 120gal and the drop from weir to the box is to high. Moved water up to almost dangerous level and still noise. At the moment waiting on another pump I can adjust the return down because I think what I have installed is pushing around 1300gph at the tank and to much for this overflow.

DiefsReef · Jun 2, 2021

Bars said:
I am incredibly happy that I finally have the space for a bean animal overflow. Absolutely dead silent. Full siphon drains are the way to go.

Did make a small mistake when plumbing and made the standpipes too short, which caused a tremendous amount of noise. Redoing it is nearly impossible now, so I placed a bunch of blue filter sponges underneath the weir. Dead silent again and easily removed to rinse the stuff out if you're worried about detritus.

Was going to try this solution but was told its a matter of time before it will clog and overflow. To scary for me!

ylreefer · Jun 2, 2021

Could you

Bars said:
I am incredibly happy that I finally have the space for a bean animal overflow. Absolutely dead silent. Full siphon drains are the way to go.

Did make a small mistake when plumbing and made the standpipes too short, which caused a tremendous amount of noise. Redoing it is nearly impossible now, so I placed a bunch of blue filter sponges underneath the weir. Dead silent again and easily removed to rinse the stuff out if you're worried about detritus.

Could you not extend the length of thr pvc inside the overflow box using a straight cuppler. I did this when my last tank came woth pvc that was cut to short. Ultimately increasing the hight of the tubes.

Goaway · Jun 2, 2021

tbrown3589 said:
What kind of noise does your pump make? There are ways to quiet those down as well depending on what is causing it. Some pumps are just notoriously noisy and nothing can be done about it...

It makes a loud gurgling noise from air getting trapped. Its all soft plumbing. And its sca pnp system. So, pretty generic.

CoralB · Jun 2, 2021

I use the herbie system and once dialed in I can’t tell you if there is water even flowing in my tank without looking at it . Always been happy with this system

Fezbearer · Jun 2, 2021

No sound from the overflow. About the only thing I can hear is my skimmer.

Greybeard · Jun 2, 2021

I started with a pair of H2Overflows... they were fine, but honestly, not great quality for what you're paying. Anyway, I wanted to lower the water level in the display a bit (rimless tank, couldn't keep from splashing when cleaning). Picked up a pair of 2" street L's and a pair of 2" low profile strainers to keep the snails out. Achieved my desired water level, and the plain 'ol PVC parts aren't any louder than the H2Overflows were. IMHO, the PVC looks better, though I wish I could have found some black PVC street L's. No big deal, coraline well on it's way to making it a moot point already.

So, cheap PVC overflows, bulkheads through the back glass (peninsula setup), 3" of horizontal 2" pipe to another pair of bulkheads, into a homemade acrylic external overflow box. Standard BeAnAnimal setup from there, dropping about 18" to the sump. Gate valve on the full siphon drain. No problems, no noise. Can handle higher volume than I want passing through the sump... When I first set this system up, I intended to go with the Triton system. 10x turnover target... I figured 1500 gph, and bought a pump to that spec. I'm running it now at about half power, maybe 700 gph. Plenty of flow through the sump.

Had the plumbing routed to the 'proper' holes in my sump, and found they were constantly in my way. Maybe doesn't look as nice and finished, but it works well.

Neptune auto feeder is the loudest piece of equipment I currently own. Works great, easy setup, easy maintenance, fish _love_ getting fed on a schedule... but the durned thing is loud.

zalick · Jun 2, 2021

Bars said:
I am incredibly happy that I finally have the space for a bean animal overflow. Absolutely dead silent. Full siphon drains are the way to go.

Did make a small mistake when plumbing and made the standpipes too short, which caused a tremendous amount of noise. Redoing it is nearly impossible now, so I placed a bunch of blue filter sponges underneath the weir. Dead silent again and easily removed to rinse the stuff out if you're worried about detritus.

Mini prefilter and trickle filter! I think you are on to something.

1. dead silent
2. Read up on Beans Bar & Grill (beananimal.com) and master the concepts he discusses. Then you can make your own version to suit your needs.

Linflas · Jun 2, 2021

I have an EShopps 1000 HOB on my 110 gallon tank and I ended up making a couple of Stockman pipes which quieted it down considerably. I can't drill as the tank is tempered glass.

tbrown · Jun 2, 2021

I just run 5 freshwater planted tanks with noisy air pumps I. The same room, not a noise can be heard from my saltwater tank. Or my kids, my wife, my dogs, the TV....