In the first pic, it appears there is a clear pipe in the drain. Is that vented to air? If so, it is sucking air and that is why you are getting bubbles.
Why is my sump doing this
- Thread starter Impala67
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Then you will have bubbles. There are some DIY bubble reducers out there that may help, but not sure as I have never used them.
In regards to the noise, what kind of return pump do you have? Model of return? With a HOB overflow like that, the pump needs to be sized accordingly and can even be a little larger than recommended, as long as you can add in a valve to slow the return flow (AC pump only). If it is a DC, pump, do not use a valve and adjust the speed until the drain is quiet.
try adjusting the speed up or down until the noise stops with that tube removed.
Then the pump may be undersized for the side of the drain. If it is undersized, then it will never be able to provide enough flow to stop the sucking noise.
OP
OP
Impala67
Well-Known Member
It’s not the return pump in fact the pump is over sized! The problem is at the siphon it’s self the water going into the holding box isn’t fast enough so it doesn’t make a full siphon and hence the noise so that’s why the pipe is there.
So the pipe from tank to overflow box is not sucking enough water into overflow box to account for the drain size of the pipe. I got ya.
if you turn pump up, does the overflow box get higher or does the tank level get higher? Or both?
If you turn the pump up and the level in the overflow box does not rise, then not much you can do at that point, as then you have maxxed out the u-tube and the drain is flowing more than the u-tube is bringing, so there will be noise. If that makes sense.
If that is the case, you can try to reduce the size of the line for air and this will reduce bubbles. Just got to find a happy median between noise and bubbles.
There is also the option of turning the drain in the overflow box into a durso style overflow. Then you can tune it via starting with a small hole. This would require you remove the sponge, place a Tee on the pipe or the drain in the box, then another 90 on that Tee so it turns down towards to bottom of the overflow box and then put a short piece of pipe and a cap on top of the Tee. The Tee would be placed so that it looks like the pic below. Once that is done, you will drill a tiny hole in the cap and keep making the hole a little bigger until the noise stops and the bubbles are minimal.
Or you can do a DIY bubble reducer and try that.
Kind of like this. (stock image from google)
OP
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Impala67
Well-Known Member
Ya when I turn the pump up the tank rises but not the overflow box I will definitely try to do that diy I really appreciate all your help and I’ll let you know how it goes!!!!!!So the pipe from tank to overflow box is not sucking enough water into overflow box to account for the drain size of the pipe. I got ya.
if you turn pump up, does the overflow box get higher or does the tank level get higher? Or both?
If you turn the pump up and the level in the overflow box does not rise, then not much you can do at that point, as then you have maxxed out the u-tube and the drain is flowing more than the u-tube is bringing, so there will be noise. If that makes sense.
If that is the case, you can try to reduce the size of the line for air and this will reduce bubbles. Just got to find a happy median between noise and bubbles.
There is also the option of turning the drain in the overflow box into a durso style overflow. Then you can tune it via starting with a small hole. This would require you remove the sponge, place a Tee on the pipe or the drain in the box, then another 90 on that Tee so it turns down towards to bottom of the overflow box and then put a short piece of pipe and a cap on top of the Tee. The Tee would be placed so that it looks like the pic below. Once that is done, you will drill a tiny hole in the cap and keep making the hole a little bigger until the noise stops and the bubbles are minimal.
Or you can do a DIY bubble reducer and try that.
Kind of like this. (stock image from google)
Not a problem and let us know how it goes. Someone may run into the same issue and this could be very helpful to them, so a report back would be awesome.
BostonReefer300
Valuable Member
This would work, right?
Perhaps I'm not understanding this right, but is the basic problem that the drain pipe keeps losing siphon because it's not filling fast enough from the tank overflow? Then increasing overflow (as mentioned above) would be one fix. But what about restricting flow from the drain? Maybe a ball valve at the end of the drain by the sock outlet? That way you could slow the rate of drain so the siphon doesn't break?
Sorry if that's a stupid suggestion. I'm no plumbing expert
Restricting it at the drain would have to be absolutely perfect, otherwise the overflow box could slowly fill up over time, causing a flood.
My siphon used to gurgle a lot initially.
I would block the hole to try get more water down.
Overtime it has cured itself.
Try a mesh sock instead of the fuzzy thing you look to have.
I buy the redsea socks with the larger mesh. Also much better flow. I've not heard a gurgle in weeks.
I've recently put a check valve on the return. That slowed the return enough to drop the level in my wier 5mm.
I'm going with the sock you have being the problem. That's an end stage sock and will clog up very quick. Just my thought
I would block the hole to try get more water down.
Overtime it has cured itself.
Try a mesh sock instead of the fuzzy thing you look to have.
I buy the redsea socks with the larger mesh. Also much better flow. I've not heard a gurgle in weeks.
I've recently put a check valve on the return. That slowed the return enough to drop the level in my wier 5mm.
I'm going with the sock you have being the problem. That's an end stage sock and will clog up very quick. Just my thought
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