Loud Overflow

[Chris’s fish]

Hello,
I recently set up my 125 gallon aqueous mega overflow aquarium. Everything is fine except the overflows are super loud. I’m using the mega overflow kits. The actual overflow itself is quiet, but air is getting into my drain lines and making it super loud. Does anybody know how to fix this? I have tried adjusting the drains with ball valves but that doesn’t help. Thank you.

 

[jsker]

A couple of more pictures with different views would help out a lot :)

 

[Chris’s fish]

A couple of more pictures with different views would help out a lot :)

 

[jsker]

Thank you for posting the pictures, that helps out a lot @Chris's fish

I have my overflow piped down under the water level when the line enters the sump.

Let get some more help #reefsquad

 

[Chris’s fish]

Thank you for posting the pictures, that helps out a lot @Chris's fish

I have my overflow piped down under the water level when the line enters the sump.

Let get some more help #reefsquad

I tried that but tons of air still came out and bubbled making tons of noise. Thanks and more help would be greatly appreciated

 

[W1ngz]

What's going on at the sump water level? It looks like you have some sort of zig-zag thing going on with elbows. I'd start by removing that and just have the pipe go straight into the water about 1-1/5" below the surface.

 

[jsker]

I tried that but tons of air still came out and bubbled making tons of noise. Thanks and more help would be greatly appreciated

let see if we can get @Flippers4pups , he is pretty good at this

 

[vetteguy53081]

What I see is lots of elbows and turns allowing direction of flow to gurgle back as it is headed downstream. I would also install siphon breaks at top tubes and try packing some nylon wool/grass in the overflow which disrupts air that enters the overflow.
I agree with Jsker that pipe needs to submerged a little more. Air is generally the cause of overflow noise.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I would have to agree with @W1ngz. Having the 90 degree elbows and horizontal runs is trapping air. It creates air pockets that jam up the flow.

Having a more straight vertical runs to the sump and ending just below the waterline will help a great deal. Using spa flex pvc tubing instead of hard pvc may make it easier to get from the DT to sump.

 

[W1ngz]

If you're removing sections of pipe to redo some things, consider adding many more unions so you can more easily disassemble the plumbing to clean or work on.

Since it looks like you need to pull and cut, consider redoing your left drain entirely. Just have it come down, 90 to the right, and 90 straight down. Remove what I marked with the red line, and replace it with the blue.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Straight as possible helps. Here's a picture of my drains from my DT:

 

[Chris’s fish]

I would have to agree with @W1ngz. Having the 90 degree elbows and horizontal runs is trapping air. It creates air pockets that jam up the flow.

Having a more straight vertical runs to the sump and ending just below the waterline will help a great deal. Using spa flex pvc tubing instead of hard pvc may make it easier to get from the DT to sump.

Thanks for your reply.

If you're removing sections of pipe to redo some things, consider adding many more unions so you can more easily disassemble the plumbing to clean or work on.

Since it looks like you need to pull and cut, consider redoing your left drain entirely. Just have it come down, 90 to the right, and 90 straight down. Remove what I marked with the red line, and replace it with the blue.

Ok thanks. I’m not sure if I can hard plumb it due to the amount of room I have in my stand. So if I used flexible tubing and made sure it was angled the whole way could that work?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Here's some "getto" mod picture s of my "bubble" buster. Drains terminate into a box that allows the bubbles to rise and burst inside the box. Flow drains out the bottom.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Straight as possible helps. Here's a picture of my drains from my DT:

This is the direct flow I was referring to. Great pic example

 

[Flippers4pups]

Thanks for your reply.

Ok thanks. I’m not sure if I can hard plumb it due to the amount of room I have in my stand. So if I used flexible tubing and made sure it was angled the whole way could that work?

Yes, 45 degree elbows and flexible tubing to make turns. Try not to have horizontal runs. If that's not possible, angle them down to allow it to drain to the sump.

 

[W1ngz]

....... I’m not sure if I can hard plumb it due to the amount of room I have in my stand. So if I used flexible tubing and made sure it was angled the whole way could that work?

Hard plumbing is cake if you measure carefully and use unions. You can build individual assemblies away from the tank and just screw them together once the cement has cured.

Flexible tubing like @Flippers4pups uses in the above photo helps eliminate long horizontal runs. A long horizontal and various turns ends up turning your plumbing into the same thing as rapids and waterfalls in a river.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Here's some "getto" mod picture s of my "bubble" buster. Drains terminate into a box that allows the bubbles to rise and burst inside the box. Flow drains out the bottom.

Call it Ghetto but Very creative !!!

 

[Flippers4pups]

I would stay away from clamps, especially metal ones. They will corrode in time. I like "spa flex" pvc tubing. It's pvc and can be glued into pvc fittings. Used for spas and pools. Can be bought at big box hardware stores. Prime it and glue it the same way you would hard pvc pipe.

Using true unions will allow you to take it apart if needed.

 

[Chris’s fish]

Hard plumbing is cake if you measure carefully and use unions. You can build individual assemblies away from the tank and just screw them together once the cement has cured.

Flexible tubing like @Flippers4pups uses in the above photo helps eliminate long horizontal runs. A long horizontal and various turns ends up turning your plumbing into the same thing as rapids and waterfalls in a river.

Ok, I think I’ll go with flexible tubing. Probably going to be some pond tubing because that’s the only stuff I have locally. Should I bother with ball values then?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Ok, I think I’ll go with flexible tubing. Probably going to be some pond tubing because that’s the only stuff I have locally. Should I bother with ball values then?

I wouldn't restrict drain lines. No. Only return line should have ball valve.