Please help! :/

[Hozat24]

I just finished plumbing my tank and it only has one hole drilled in the overflow. So i decided to plumb it using a durso standpipe. I even got a cap and drilled a hole in it and pht some airline tubing in the hole with a ball valve. As soon as i started running the tank with water i noticed that there is air being trapped within the drain. The drain pipe is an inch in water in the sump.

i also have my return set at its lowest setting. The drain pipe over the sump rattles a little due to what i believe is air being trapped in the pipes. I was wondering what i can possibly do to release the air from my piping. I would like to do anything to decrease the bubbles and the noise especially. Any tips that anyone has who dealt with the same problem would be much appreciated. In the meantime ill be playing around with the plumbing to see what can work.

 

[Beau_B]

Far from an expert... but bubbles mean it’s not a full siphon. Either restrict the pipe (valve) or increase the flow (pump).

 

[Hozat24]

Far from an expert... but bubbles mean it’s not a full siphon. Either restrict the pipe (valve) or increase the flow (pump).

I increased the flow and the same thing continued but in a more violent manner. I put it back on a much lower setting and adjusted the gate valve and it was very quiet. The only problem is that once i put my return on feed mode, the siphon would break and i would have to spend hours readjusting it

 

[Peace River]

For a Durso drain the water level should be mid-level on the "T" so that water spills down the drain and doesn't completely fill the horizontal pipe. Can you lower the water level in the overflow by reducing flow? You may be able to temporarily add a valve on the flow side of the pump to make sure sure that is the issue. It sounds like you may have an oversized pump for that system if that is a low as you can turn down the flow already.

Here is a link that may be helpful:

Overflow Boxes and Drain Styles - Durso, Herbie, and Bean Animal

Decide which of the three most common types of drains and overflow boxes is right for you and your tank.

blog.marinedepot.com

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Good evening,

I wanted to tac on a few thoughts.

On the drain, since you only have 1 we should not have any valves- ball or otherwise. It’s a safety thing. With only 1 drain we want to keep flow open and unrestricted to avoid that oh no moments

. Can you give some info. Tank size, plumbing diameter, pump used, etc. like peace said, and from your pix the pump does look like it is overpowering the drain capacity.

 

[Hozat24]

For a Durso drain the water level should be mid-level on the "T" so that water spills down the drain and doesn't completely fill the horizontal pipe. Can you lower the water level in the overflow by reducing flow? You may be able to temporarily add a valve on the flow side of the pump to make sure sure that is the issue. It sounds like you may have an oversized pump for that system if that is a low as you can turn down the flow already.

Here is a link that may be helpful:

Overflow Boxes and Drain Styles - Durso, Herbie, and Bean Animal

Decide which of the three most common types of drains and overflow boxes is right for you and your tank.

blog.marinedepot.com

So after the tweak, my water level has been constant at the point in the photo i just attached. About the durso, how would it get a good siphon if only half of the tee is under water? Wouldn’t the whole elbow need to be submerged in order the start the siphon and prevent any air from being trapped into the pipes? Also my return pump is one of the Jebao ones and i know they aren’t the most reliable but its only until i save up to get a better brand. But its definitely strong but i have read that people use it for 120 gallons which is the same size tank as mine. Im running it on the lowest setting while someone else is running it 75%.

 

[Beau_B]

Well, there you go, Peace with the knowledge. Looks like Durso can’t be full siphon, given the air hose... duh. I’m of no help. Good luck!

 

[mfinn]

i also have my return set at its lowest setting.

What pump is it?

Your drain pipe looks like 1" pvc?

 

[mfinn]

So after the tweak, my water level has been constant at the point in the photo i just attached. About the durso, how would it get a good siphon if only half of the tee is under water? Wouldn’t the whole elbow need to be submerged in order the start the siphon and prevent any air from being trapped into the pipes? Also my return pump is one of the Jebao ones and i know they aren’t the most reliable but its only until i save up to get a better brand. But its definitely strong but i have read that people use it for 120 gallons which is the same size tank as mine. Im running it on the lowest setting while someone else is running it 75%.

With the durso setup, you are never going to be able to rid the drain line of some air.

 

[Hozat24]

Good evening,

I wanted to tac on a few thoughts.

On the drain, since you only have 1 we should not have any valves- ball or otherwise. It’s a safety thing. With only 1 drain we want to keep flow open and unrestricted to avoid that oh no moments

. Can you give some info. Tank size, plumbing diameter, pump used, etc. like peace said, and from your pix the pump does look like it is overpowering the drain capacity.

The tank size is 120 gallon basically a 4 foot long by 2 foot wide by 2 foot high. The piping is 1 inch leading up to a 1.5 inch bulkhead back to a 1 inch pipe draining into the sump. My return is a Jebao DCT 12000

 

[Hozat24]

What pump is it?

Your drain pipe looks like 1" pvc?

Jebao DCT 12000 and yup is 1 inch

 

[mfinn]

The tank size is 120 gallon basically a 4 foot long by 2 foot wide by 2 foot high. The piping is 1 inch leading up to a 1.5 inch bulkhead back to a 1 inch pipe draining into the sump. My return is a Jebao DCT 12000

If the bulkhead is 1-1/2", you should use 1-1/2" pipe and fittings all the way.

 

[Hozat24]

With the durso setup, you are never going to be able to rid the drain line of some air.

Is there a better way to plumb the tank with only one drilled hole other than the durso? I know my options are limited

 

[Hozat24]

If the bulkhead is 1-1/2", you should use 1-1/2" pipe and fittings all the way.

dang man thats what i had before but the durso was going crazy on it. Like the return wasn’t strong enough because the 1.5 piping was causing too much siphon

 

[Joseph Disalvo]

You will need to make some sort of vent on the drain.

 

[Hozat24]

You will need to make some sort of vent on the drain.

Anything specific or any pictures of how that could be possible?

 

[mfinn]

Jebao DCT 12000 and yup is 1 inch

On a 120 gallon tank, there really is no reason to go much over 600 gph through the sump.
I'm not sure how low that pump you have will go, but I would think it should get down to 900-1000 gph and with head loss, should put you in the correct amount of flow.
Like I said, if the bulkhead is 1-1/2", then you need to go with 1-1/2" pipe.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

If your running 1 drain I would not run a full siphon. With no emergency back up should you lose the siphon the pump will overpower the durso. A full siphon will flow more gph than durso set up

 

[mfinn]

Anything specific or any pictures of how that could be possible?

you already have a air in the top?
that's a vent.

 

[Peace River]

So after the tweak, my water level has been constant at the point in the photo i just attached. About the durso, how would it get a good siphon if only half of the tee is under water? Wouldn’t the whole elbow need to be submerged in order the start the siphon and prevent any air from being trapped into the pipes? Also my return pump is one of the Jebao ones and i know they aren’t the most reliable but its only until i save up to get a better brand. But its definitely strong but i have read that people use it for 120 gallons which is the same size tank as mine. Im running it on the lowest setting while someone else is running it 75%.

A Durso doesn't use a full siphon. In fact, the vent hole in your vertical tube will prevent a full siphon. The Jebao pump is fine as long as it isn't overpowering the system. As mentioned, you will want as large of drain pipe as the system will allow.