Durso question

Rbei312 · 11/10/2012, 06:54 PM

How do I stop my standpipe from surging? The tank will run for a while then it stops draining. The sump drops down, then it cuts loose and drops a bunch of water. It normals out for a while, like maybe a couple minutes then does it again. Scratching my head on this one......

blanden.adam · 11/10/2012, 11:06 PM

It sounds like you are trying to push too much flow through the pipe. What can happen is you are pushing a certain amount of flow through your system that your standpipe cant handle. The water level rises until the pipe is completely submerged and forms a siphon. When this happens, the pipe carries water a lot faster than before, and "flushes" the overflow box until the siphon breaks, giving you those surges that you are seeing.

Try turning down the return pump with a gate valve.

Daimyo68 · 11/10/2012, 11:42 PM

More info on your setup will help, and some pics if possible of your drain. I'm assuming the end of your drain pipe is submerged? What size pipe and bulkhead?

It sounds like your center pipe may be too long. I've seen this many times, and what happens is the drain cannot keep up with the flow. If you shorten the pipe a little bit so that it sits further down in the overflow, this issue is solved.

billdogg · 11/11/2012, 05:42 AM

Durso drains gurgle for one of two reasons - usually a combination of the two, actually.

First is flow. If your drain is the standard "reef ready" 1" pvc, the MAXIMUM flow that your durso can handle is ~ 350gph. As mentioned above, a gate or ball valve on the output from the return pump will allow you to fix that easily.

The second is air. Drill a very small hole in the top cap of your standpipe (1/8" or so) This will allow the water draining form the DT to mix with air and eliminate the surging.

One other issue common to ALL drains - regardless of style - make sure all runs from the overflow to the sump are as straight as possible and always downhill. Water does not like to run uphill! Oversize plumbing will help a bunch with that as well.

HTH

Please see the attached chart to show max flow rates for a given size PVC.

SkyJunkie · 11/11/2012, 08:05 AM

I had the same problem and couldn't figure it out to save my life. I made the standpipe longer and it went silent.

Rbei312 · 11/11/2012, 09:07 AM

Ok...here's more info;
75 gal DT, 25gal sump. The tank is reef read ready with the standard bulkheads which would be a 1 inch drain. The sump drain compartment is located directly under the tank drain bulkhead so it's a straight 8 inch run into the sump. I'm running a maxi- jet 4500 but with about 40 inches of head will cut it back to around 700 gph wide open. I have it gated at the pump with a ball valve. Right now I'm at about 60% on the valve. It did get better last night when I started dialing it down but it's still doing it. My durso is one of those that slide up and down, it's coupled together and one pc slides inside another for height adjustment. One question I've always had is where is this supposed to be adjusted as far as height? I can't find anything on the net except a patent on the thing. It was patented by some guy in Milwaukee and AGA. Another thing that's weird is it has 3 three eighths diameter holes in the perimeter of the pipe opposite the intake at about te same level. Are these siphon breaks? Got me swinging. It also has a 1/8 inch hole drill in the top of it. I tried putting a valve up there to try and control the air intake but it doesn't seem to help unless I close it completely, and then it gets worse. I'll try pulling the pump back more but I'm losing all my flow in the tank.

billdogg · 11/11/2012, 01:38 PM

Make up for the "lost" flow by adding a power head or two - you will have the added benefit of eliminating dead spots in the tank. As the chart I attached shows - the 1" pipe is good for a Max of ~ 350gph, regardless of the height of the standpipe.

mginani · 11/11/2012, 01:48 PM

I am a newbie so take with a grain of salt, but I just set-up my Durso and the same thing happened. I started with a 1/8" hole in the cap and it did what you described. I kept enlarging the hole by 1/64" at a time and eventually it stopped. Could be the hole is too small.

Rbei312 · 11/11/2012, 05:45 PM

Thanks for the advice. It's not half as bad as it was but it still does it. I did put a couple power heads in for flow. Temporary till I can buy a couple vortechs. I'll continue tweaking it till it stops. Mginani, how big did you end up drilling the hole before it stopped?

mginani · 11/11/2012, 09:10 PM

7/32" is what worked for me.

mkrizzz · 11/12/2012, 12:12 AM

Any way you can change your durso to a Bernie or beananimal overflow? Lots of flow and completely silent! Go read!

11/10/2012, 06:54 PM	#1
Rbei312 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 38	Durso question How do I stop my standpipe from surging? The tank will run for a while then it stops draining. The sump drops down, then it cuts loose and drops a bunch of water. It normals out for a while, like maybe a couple minutes then does it again. Scratching my head on this one......

11/10/2012, 11:42 PM	#3
Daimyo68 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: North Palm Beach, FL Posts: 2,270	More info on your setup will help, and some pics if possible of your drain. I'm assuming the end of your drain pipe is submerged? What size pipe and bulkhead? It sounds like your center pipe may be too long. I've seen this many times, and what happens is the drain cannot keep up with the flow. If you shorten the pipe a little bit so that it sits further down in the overflow, this issue is solved. __________________ 120g, 50g Sump, SRO XP2000i, MP40W x2, DIY Hybrid LED/T5 Fixture, Apex PBMAS VP 2010-11 PBMAS 2017 President Last edited by Daimyo68; 11/10/2012 at 11:50 PM.

11/11/2012, 01:38 PM	#7
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	Make up for the "lost" flow by adding a power head or two - you will have the added benefit of eliminating dead spots in the tank. As the chart I attached shows - the 1" pipe is good for a Max of ~ 350gph, regardless of the height of the standpipe. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

11/10/2012, 11:06 PM	#2
blanden.adam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Manlius, NY Posts: 1,666	It sounds like you are trying to push too much flow through the pipe. What can happen is you are pushing a certain amount of flow through your system that your standpipe cant handle. The water level rises until the pipe is completely submerged and forms a siphon. When this happens, the pipe carries water a lot faster than before, and "flushes" the overflow box until the siphon breaks, giving you those surges that you are seeing. Try turning down the return pump with a gate valve.

11/11/2012, 08:05 AM	#5
SkyJunkie Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Southern California Posts: 159	I had the same problem and couldn't figure it out to save my life. I made the standpipe longer and it went silent.

11/11/2012, 09:07 AM	#6
Rbei312 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 38	Ok...here's more info; 75 gal DT, 25gal sump. The tank is reef read ready with the standard bulkheads which would be a 1 inch drain. The sump drain compartment is located directly under the tank drain bulkhead so it's a straight 8 inch run into the sump. I'm running a maxi- jet 4500 but with about 40 inches of head will cut it back to around 700 gph wide open. I have it gated at the pump with a ball valve. Right now I'm at about 60% on the valve. It did get better last night when I started dialing it down but it's still doing it. My durso is one of those that slide up and down, it's coupled together and one pc slides inside another for height adjustment. One question I've always had is where is this supposed to be adjusted as far as height? I can't find anything on the net except a patent on the thing. It was patented by some guy in Milwaukee and AGA. Another thing that's weird is it has 3 three eighths diameter holes in the perimeter of the pipe opposite the intake at about te same level. Are these siphon breaks? Got me swinging. It also has a 1/8 inch hole drill in the top of it. I tried putting a valve up there to try and control the air intake but it doesn't seem to help unless I close it completely, and then it gets worse. I'll try pulling the pump back more but I'm losing all my flow in the tank.

11/11/2012, 01:48 PM	#8
mginani Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arlington, Texas Posts: 88	I am a newbie so take with a grain of salt, but I just set-up my Durso and the same thing happened. I started with a 1/8" hole in the cap and it did what you described. I kept enlarging the hole by 1/64" at a time and eventually it stopped. Could be the hole is too small.

11/11/2012, 05:45 PM	#9
Rbei312 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 38	Thanks for the advice. It's not half as bad as it was but it still does it. I did put a couple power heads in for flow. Temporary till I can buy a couple vortechs. I'll continue tweaking it till it stops. Mginani, how big did you end up drilling the hole before it stopped?

11/11/2012, 09:10 PM	#10
mginani Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arlington, Texas Posts: 88	7/32" is what worked for me.

11/12/2012, 12:12 AM	#11
mkrizzz Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 35	Any way you can change your durso to a Bernie or beananimal overflow? Lots of flow and completely silent! Go read!