my upgrade journal/journey

[smitten with ocean life]

what a weekend. sigh. these unions keep springing leaks. i am guessing that points to them not being screwed tight enough due to them not being flush? that and the fact that since its against the wall, you cant really get your hand up in there well to tighten them! holding my breath- nothing leaked overnight.
next problem to figure out- this set up is too stinking LOUD!! its not the equipment running. its the sound of water moving up in the overflow i guess. as this is in the living room, we now have to almost shout to hear each other! please someone tell me there is a way to quiet this thing!

 

[smitten with ocean life]

@UncommonSense , have any ideas for me??

 

[UncommonSense]

these unions keep springing leaks. i am guessing that points to them not being screwed tight enough due to them not being flush? that and the fact that since its against the wall, you cant really get your hand up in there well to tighten them!

This normally happens when the associated pipe isn’t quite straight, or long enough! — It can also happen if a union is missing its rubber o-ring!

— do you have a larger pair of channel lock pliers, or the aforementioned jaw style oil filter wrench to sneak into the tight space where the unions are?

next problem to figure out- this set up is too stinking LOUD!! its not the equipment running. its the sound of water moving up in the overflow i guess. as this is in the living room, we now have to almost shout to hear each other! please someone tell me there is a way to quiet this thing!

This is almost certainly that pesky gate valve on the primary drain again!

— remember that red handled valve I had you close down partially before? Has that been left wide-open since the test run, perhaps?

Alternatively, is there any area within the tank or sump where the noise is distinctly louder? Or is it definitely from the overflow and drain plumbing?

 

[smitten with ocean life]

it seems like the overflow and drain plumbing is where its coming from. which of these valves do you mean? i ve never messed with them (please dont judge the mess. im still not done!)

 

[UncommonSense]

it seems like the overflow and drain plumbing is where its coming from. which of these valves do you mean? i ve never messed with them (please dont judge the mess. im still not done!)

If memory of your system serves correct, it’s this valve!

Do you recall the full siphon tuning instructions I provided a while back?

 

[smitten with ocean life]

no

 

[UncommonSense]

no

No worries!

So, that valve circled in blue is on (hopefully) your primary drain! — did you take apart the exterior overflow box’s standpipes during cleaning? Or were they left in?

Also, was the gate valve moved from where the prior owner had it? —possibly onto a different drain line?

I’m just making sure we’ve got our ducks in a row before I recommend you start fiddling with things!

 

[smitten with ocean life]

yes it was all taken apart. and to the best of my knowledge, i put it back together how he had it. ive sent him pics and he says it looks like i did it right

 

[UncommonSense]

yes it was all taken apart. and to the best of my knowledge, i put it back together how he had it. ive sent him pics and he says it looks like i did it right

Okay, great!

Assuming the gate valve I circled in blue is on the primary drain (aka siphon channel, has shortest standpipe), here’s what to do:

— With the full tank/sump circulation system operating, start by opening the red gate valve all the way until it stops by rotating counter-clockwise… this will make the system very noisy as air is sucked down the drain and into the sump with the water…

— Start by closing the gate valve a quarter turn clockwise at a time, waiting at least 30 seconds between turns… you will likely go several full turns before it restricts the drain enough to start actually tuning it in…

— you’ll go by sight, sound, and touch here; seeing bubbles discharging in the sump, hearing bubbling/gurgling, and feeling the valve you’re turning vibrate as air bubbles pass through it…

— continue closing the gate valve 1/4 turn at a time, once the bubbles discharging/water gurgling/vibration through the valve start to reduce, or become intermittent; you know you’re getting close… now it’s time for “fine tuning” smaller increment adjustments, and waiting 2-3mins between adjustments!

— once tuned, the primary drain plumbing will stop discharging bubbles, the vibration through the valve will be gone, and the tank will run silent!

— you know you’ve closed the primary drain too far if the secondary drain (aka open channel) starts draining more than a trickle, or discharges bubbles/gurgles!

— remember, wait a few mins between any valve adjustments during fine tuning; this gives any air still trapped in the plumbing/standpipe time to escape!

The idea here is to restrict the primary drain just enough that it can’t suck any air in with the water, creating a full siphon, and silent operation! — if operation is silent followed by intermittent moments of gurgling; the siphon is starting and stopping! (Fine tune valve again in this scenario)

 

[smitten with ocean life]

THANK YOU!! ill give it a try!

 

[smitten with ocean life]

all 3 discharge pipes are making bubbles. how do i know what is the secondary?

 

[smitten with ocean life]

boy do i owe you big time. i can hear in my living room again

 

[UncommonSense]

all 3 discharge pipes are making bubbles. how do i know what is the secondary?

Hmm… Only one or two should be moving any water…

Is it possible that the cloud of bubbles obscured which pipes were making them?

boy do i owe you big time. i can here in my living room again

Awesome!! So you got it tuned in! — the tank’s life support system is officially fully operational, then!

 

[smitten with ocean life]

no they are all 3 moving water. could it be because there are 2 return pumps?

 

[UncommonSense]

no they are all 3 moving water. could it be because there are 2 return pumps?

Potentially! That is a concern!

First step, what pumps are you using? — Advertised flow rates?

If the pumps aren’t out-flowing the drains, then next step is checking the secondary and emergency drain standpipes to ensure they’re fully seated in the exterior overflow box!

 

[smitten with ocean life]

ok. ill try to absorb that. lol. they are the neptune pumps

 

[tbrown]

ok. ill try to absorb that. lol. they are the neptune pumps

In other words, you might be pushing more water than your drain can handle so some water is going through the emergency drain.

 

[tbrown]

If they're adjustable flow rate pumps, you can potentially slow one of the two pumps down until the flow stops coming out of the emergency.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

ahh ok. maybe if i can figure it out i can get it even more quiet! is it not a good idea to have two return pumps?

 

[tbrown]

ahh ok. maybe if i can figure it out i can get it even more quiet! is it not a good idea to have two return pumps?

Most people only run a single.