Questions about Overflow/Return pump GPH

[Gtinnel]

It does look like the traditional bean animal setup as I know it.

Although who am I to comment I just have a crappy durso, and I didn't even make it the right way (on purpose not because I'm too stupid to attach a tee, a cap, and a 90.

 

[WVNed]

In your second pick I can see the hole in the u shaped pipe.
Like I said. Build one. Figure out why it doesn't work right. Fix it and then let people argue with you on the net.

 

[JNalley]

In your second pick I can see the hole in the u shaped pipe.
Like I said. Build one. Figure out why it doesn't work right. Fix it and then let people argue with you on the net.

with any luck I'll be building one soon... But there are literally hundreds of pics of them in google images, some with holes, some without holes in the main siphon... taken from multiple angles where the tops are clearly visible and there are no holes... I get what you're saying, I'm not arguing your logic about air and the necessary pressure to push it through, just showing you/telling you what I've seen... The only argument you get from me is the use of the term siphon, which if all of these examples I'm seeing without holes in the top are true and correct, they are indeed siphons...

Perhaps they're like this one:

The person clearly drilled a hole in the top and then filled it after the air escaped and siphon was created... I dunno, and perhaps I'll figure it out when I build it.

 

[WVNed]

with any luck I'll be building one soon... But there are literally hundreds of pics of them in google images, some with holes, some without holes in the main siphon... taken from multiple angles where the tops are clearly visible and there are no holes... I get what you're saying, I'm not arguing your logic about air and the necessary pressure to push it through, just showing you/telling you what I've seen... The only argument you get from me is the use of the term siphon, which if all of these examples I'm seeing without holes in the top are true and correct, they are indeed siphons...

Yes they are. I surrender. I suggest you build yours that way. It will be a learning experience for you.
Here is a bean animal overflow

Notice there are no pipes on the end of the main drain.
So why do people add them? Because the drain will suck air as a vortex down from the surface and become noisy
So they stick a u shape on the top moving the opening deeper in the box.
Then it wont start right. It traps air in the u.
Then they drill a hole in the top of the u and it works. The hole lets all the air out so the pipe can completely fill.
Dozens and dozens of threads on here about this.

 

[Gtinnel]

So why do people add them? Because the drain will suck air as a vortex down from the surface and become noisy

Wouldn't it also work to just lower the main standpipe so that it was farther underwater and not sucking in air from the surface (assuming there is enough space to lower it)?

 

[WVNed]

It depends on the depth of the box. I dont put anything on my main drains. Just an open bulkhead. But on my 75 the drain still pulls a vortex and swallows air. I stick a loose tee in the box. It disrupts the vortex formation and stops this.

All my tanks are set up with main drains that are open bulkheads and standpipes. With correctly working main drains the standpipes are silent because you can very finely control how much water goes down them.

 

[Gtinnel]

My drain on my 125 is just two durso standpipes that I never put the drilled cap on the top. It makes some noise, but I've discovered I like the sound as long as it doesn't sound like a flushing toilet.

 

[WVNed]

I admit I like the slight tinkling sound of water flowing too.

My drains go sideways a lot farther than they drop. My sump is off the floor and the tanks are on the same level in the house. So all I have is a few feet of drop but 2 go about 14 feet sideways.
It took some thought to make them work okay.

 

[Gtinnel]

I admit I like the slight tinkling sound of water flowing too.

I thought I was the only one. All you hear about on forums is everyone trying to get their drain/tank as quiet as possible.

ETA before getting into reefing I would often keep small fountains around the house because of the noise

 

[WVNed]

I thought I was the only one. All you hear about on forums is everyone trying to get their drain/tank as quiet as possible.

ETA before getting into reefing I would often keep small fountains around the house because of the noise

exactly
I find the sound relaxing