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

[tc760]

I have a modular marine 2400 overflow using bean animal and it's extremely quiet compared to the old durso on my other tank. The only issue ran into (more of a lack of understanding) is that any change in flow changes the sound. So when putting my DC pumps in feed mode or having them vary flow I get noise. So I can't have different flow patterns throughout the day using my return pumps. This isn't a big deal just one of those "O DC pumps are cool cause I do all these extra things" then I find out it's at a cost. You need a good gate valve on the full siphon in order to dial it in.

The skimmer and UV pumps are the loudest things on my tank and they aren't that loud.

 

[Crabs McJones]

What?

"Is your overflow noisy"
Ear plugs

Poor attempt at humor

 

[Shooter6]

Last week I fixed an overflow set up almost exactly like yours. All I did was cut the main overflow tube to about 1/3 the length in your pic and left the elbow off. I put a white handle ball valve from lowes on that drain pipe near the outlet. ( gate valve is best but these ball valves work pretty well). Then I drilled a vent in the top of the second, only because it was glued. Otherwise I would have pulled it off too. I adjust the full syphon on the main to where a little water trickles from the second pipes outlet.
This tank is now dead silent after the owner delt with it sounding like a flushed toilet for 3 or more years.

Hers kept getting syphon on the overflow pipes until it would drain past the inlet, then it would refill the box and start the cycle again. That no longer happens!

 

[ClownWrangler]

I think that the flow rate required for a refugium to effectively do its job at filtration and nitrate removal is highly overestimated in most systems. How many times per day does the entire contents of your tank actually need to pass through the sump? Using a return pump to achieve desired flow within the display tank is an inefficient way to go. I would say if you have noise issues, try just getting a smaller return pump and make up for the loss of flow in the main tank with power heads or wave makers. They are more efficient at creating flow because they are not fighting 4 to 5ft of vertical head pressure , which takes a lot of energy.

 

[Ditryin]

Last week I fixed an overflow set up almost exactly like yours. All I did was cut the main overflow tube to about 1/3 the length in your pic and left the elbow off. I put a white handle ball valve from lowes on that drain pipe near the outlet. ( gate valve is best but these ball valves work pretty well). Then I drilled a vent in the top of the second, only because it was glued. Otherwise I would have pulled it off too. I adjust the full syphon on the main to where a little water trickles from the second pipes outlet.
This tank is now dead silent after the owner delt with it sounding like a flushed toilet for 3 or more years.

Hers kept getting syphon on the overflow pipes until it would drain past the inlet, then it would refill the box and start the cycle again. That no longer happens!

This sounds like what I've been dealing with. I assumed the noise was where the water falls into the sump but now I'm wondering if doing the Herbie method would fix it. Would it?

It's a constant gurgling with a "whoosh" that comes in waves. I admit, I do like the noise. It's soothing and if the house is dead quiet I know something's wrong with the tank immediately, but a little quieter would be lovely. ;Happy

 

[WVNed]

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.

Cut a piece of plastic canvas to fit inside the box. Make it about as high as the weir. Cut out where the holes are through the tank. Place it in the box.
It will channel the water down into the box and make it much quieter.
A taller standpipe in the rear will help too.

 

[tbrown]

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

Obstacle.

 

[DiefsReef]

Cut a piece of plastic canvas to fit inside the box. Make it about as high as the weir. Cut out where the holes are through the tank. Place it in the box.
It will channel the water down into the box and make it much quieter.
A taller standpipe in the rear will help too.

I raised the stand pipe until it was almost at the top. when I closed the main it came to about a 1/16 of an inch from the top. Still made noise inside If the new pump doesn't help will start looking at other options. I like the plastic canvas idea!

 

[NDIrish]

Mine is pretty quite. I use Lifereef silencer on my overflow.

 

[Bigtrout]

Believe it or not, I have a hang on back overflow on my freshwater planted. It is the bigger one with the 2 outlets. Set one outlet up as a 4inch standpipe as emergency drain the other with a strainer like a herbie. With a good gate valve it dials right in to complete silence. Set it and forget it. Been running without issue for 1.5 years.

 

[motzCOreefer]

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

The two small tubes are the air return. The water gets sucked from below below the waterline.

 

[DaddyFish]

I struggled A LOT with the overflow on my new 215. Once I figured out that the problem was the maximum flow possible through the weir slots (without having more than 1/2" fall) then it was a no brainer. Gate valve and drain filter on the main drain, Sicce SDC return pump and dial it in. DEAD silent now.

 

[MikesMach1]

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

I went with hard plumbing in mine seems to be pretty quit to me ,with the adjustability

 

[ZoWhat]

Hey.... as long as it drowns out the voice of my spouse asking me stupid questions from the other side of the house.... I'm okay with noisy drains

 

[Magic City Reefer]

Hey.... as long as it drowns out the voice of my spouse asking me stupid questions from the other side of the house.... I'm okay with noisy drains

You mean like: ”did you buy MORE corals?!” or “how much did you spend this time?!”

... not speaking from experience or anything lol

 

[Anchor]

You walk into the room where I have my tanks and you would think you are on the seashore with a hurricane approaching.. 3 tanks with a single downflow each and it sounds like toilets flushing one tank at a time.. they all suck a lot of air.. Yes, I have a plumbing problem.

 

[Anchor]

You mean like: ”did you buy MORE corals?!” or “how much did you spend this time?!”

... not speaking from experience or anything lol

If that's your significant other in your avatar, I think you are doing fine... But getting away once in awhile.. precious. ..

 

[Magic City Reefer]

If that's your significant other in your avatar, I think you are doing fine... But getting away once in awhile.. precious. ..

Haha thanks for the compliment! She’s great, I’m just joking.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Hi All
I just finished testing my plumbing system, I when with a standard Bean Animal setup, currently the overflow is all but silent, could tune a little more I think

First trial of plumbing I was’t getting the return flow I wanted from pump so had a bit of noise from not having the flow and the water dropping in the weir.
Modified the height of both the main siphon and secondary drain and seemto fix the issue along with a new / larger return pump.
Reason for raising the full siphon was to reduce the water drop and the amount of water that flow back when return pump is turn off.

still have to work on the sump noise, noise coming from water falling into the filter socks, most likely purchase some silencers / cover things that sit on top of the sock.

 

[keithIHS]

I started out with the Synergy 16″ Shadow Overflow v2, but the rear box is too low so the water level is too low so the drop from the weir to the water level is too far so too noisy. More detail here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/synergy-reef-shadow-v2-overflow-noisy-internal-box.762427/
Replaced the Synergy with Exotic Marine's 20" overflow. The holes for the EM match those for the Synergy. The EM is much quieter at much higher flow rate. My only complaint about the EM is the weir. A clownfish went into the overflow twice. I put some leftover BRS 1/4" screen in front of the weir and problem solved, but it's not pretty. Can anyone out there print a snap in comb weir?