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

[chadfish]

I even thought about building up the outside box another inch so I can raise the water level. Might go that route if this new pump I get doesn't work.

I've found that the sound occurs both at high and low flow rates. I have a Jebao 6000 l/h on a 50gal acryllic (46 actual gal). I can run it on setting #1 or #10 and there is no difference. I'm happy that the box can handle that range of flow, though. Very happy in that regard. It's amazing how much flow you can get from a 1" vertical pipe.

 

[chaoticreefer]

Mine is pretty loud but it's by my own doing. Every time I changed the sock my O/F bulkhead would start leaking (started about 3-4 years after the tank has been running). Its just a small space to get back there to tighten it up and I figured the more times I end up tighten it up the chances are the problem will get worse or create a secondary problem. The last thing I want to do is have to drain the tank and pull it out to get full access to that bulkhead. Soooo...to fix the problem I just removed the down pipe in the sump so I can change socks without having to move any sort of plumbing. But that's where I created a source of loud sound, but I can live/sleep through it.

 

[Dburr1014]

Due to my work and hundreds of rock concerts, mine seems like it has always been quiet

Rock on!

 

[blazn]

I have two holes drilled in each corner overflow. That leaves me no option for a full siphon. Unless someone has any ideas, I'm stuck with this unpleasant gurgle.

The 120 I just finished setting up only has two holes in each of the overflows and I set both up as Herbie's (full suctions in each) and ran my return over the back of the tank ("street" elbow). With an Exotic Marine sump kit and a DC return pump, I'm extremely pleased with the result, as there is absolutely zero sound from water movement, at the DT or the sump, all I can hear is the gentle sounds of the fans in the light. After years of hearing a small waterfall in my prior 90 gal overflow, I didn't think it would be possible to have an aquarium this quiet.

 

[motzCOreefer]

My tank came with a Maggie muffler but it was a bit loud.

So I ghetto modified it with a Tupperware and some Tubing.

But then I didn't like the way it looked so I 3d printed my own muffler.

 

[Enkopaaisen]

I had the sound like a bathtub drain. Added a ball vault to the end of the drain in the sump, make the flow a bit smaller. The noise is gone.

 

[vlangel]

My display tank is in our living room and has a HOB overflow box. My DC return pump and sumo are in the basement directly below the display tank.
The display tank has a gurgling/trickle sound but I consider it pleasant, (kind of similar to those in house fountains), so I am ok with the sound.

 

[claudio wagner]

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.

hi! can you explain that trick ?

 

[Dale_M]

My RS300XL only has a slight trickle noise where the water enters the filter sock area.
The actual drain pipe and the overflow weir are dead quiet.
I may try using some poly-fil in the media cup to silence the trickle.

 

[claudio wagner]

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

hi there, can you explain how that system is ?

 

[tbrown]

hi! can you explain that trick ?

Take a small diameter tube, such as an airline, and attach it so that it dangles inside the tube going from the overflow into the sump. It typically breaks the siphon and makes the gurgle less.

 

[Fezbearer]

I

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.

Same here. I never hear it though since I only set it up when I'm working.

 

[Bars]

I tried 10 ppi "sponge" but it's not good enough. Going to get 20ppi, which should work and still open enough for me to be confident on a day-to-day basis, but would remove if I'm away for any length of time.

I'm also thinking about gluing in a very small piece of plastic on the inside of the wet-side weir to act as a "ramp". That might help too.

I use 10 ppi as well. What I did is make a 4 inch ''wall'' of filter sponge. It's important the sponge makes contact with the water level inside the overflow. Otherwise you'll still get the waterfall effect. I also cut mine half the width of my overflow box and put a piece of pvc tubing in between the sponge and glass to hold everything in place. It's impossible for my overflow box to overflow. If that's not an option and you have an emergency drain, just place the sponge under the emergency drain.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Ear Plugs

 

[Dale_M]

Ear Plugs

What?

 

[claudio wagner]

Take a small diameter tube, such as an airline, and attach it so that it dangles inside the tube going from the overflow into the sump. It typically breaks the siphon and makes the gurgle less.

I think I got it... the water has to drain inside this small tube or it is just to serve as obstacle for the water falling down... sorry my ignorance.. LOL

 

[Dcozine]

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.

I have same overflow on a 125gal and was constantly having noise problems and water height issues until I figured out I had just enough space to put in Bean plumbing inside the box, and it has been quiet ever since. I also don't have to keep adjusting my valves to get the flow just perfect.

 

[claudio wagner]

My tank came with a Maggie muffler but it was a bit loud.

So I ghetto modified it with a Tupperware and some Tubing.

But then I didn't like the way it looked so I 3d printed my own muffler.

In this system all the water pass through this 2 small tubes ? It is not to much little flow downward ?

 

[Magic City Reefer]

My overflow has a straight vertical pipe down to the sump. It’s my biggest complaint about my tank. It’s loud. I’ve tried messing with the valve to slow the water draining into the sump to match the return pump to no avail. The overflow pipe has a cap that quiets it down a bit, but then a oil-slick type film starts to build on the water surface. The film goes away <5 min after I remove the cap (and expose the noise). Therefore I am left with the option of either a quiet-ish (not fully “quiet”) tank with a film build-up on the water surface or a loud tank with cleaner water.

I would love to hear some advice!

 

[Ditryin]

I turned a standard two hole overflow into a herbie without drilling another hole. Instead the return is inside of the safety pipe. Dead silent and safe. If anybody is interested I can document.

YES, please!!