herbi overflow question?

kendo · 05/26/2010, 09:52 AM

Hi, I'm setting up the Herbie style overflow for my new 120 gallon. My question is should the strainer on the drain line be above the water line or below(fully submerge)the water line.

Thanks, Ken

Rizup · 05/26/2010, 11:01 AM

The full siphon drain needs to be submerged well below the water line. The second emergency drain will be used to set the water level as there will be a very small amount of water trickling down it. This drain will need a gate valve near it's exit that you will use to adjust the water height in the overflow box and tune the system. That's the short of it, there is much more info in the original thread.

D-Nak · 05/28/2010, 10:42 AM

Rather than searching through the original thread, does anyone have photos they can post in this thread? Just curious to see what it looks like.

jet fixer · 05/28/2010, 01:09 PM

Here is how I did it on a Aqueon 75 Gal RR tank. The pictures are not the greatest but they may help.

Pipes in overflow

drain into sump

Rizup · 05/28/2010, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rizup

The full siphon drain needs to be submerged well below the water line. The second emergency drain will be used to set the water level as there will be a very small amount of water trickling down it. This drain will need a gate valve near it's exit that you will use to adjust the water height in the overflow box and tune the system. That's the short of it, there is much more info in the original thread.

Forget what I said about setting the water level and the gate valves

Not sure where my mind was at the moment I wrote that

Indymann99 · 05/29/2010, 07:51 AM

I run a Herbie and I believe the proper operation is as follows:

The PRIMARY drain is fully submerged (I run mine 2 in under the water level in the overflow).

The EMERGENCY drain is 100% DRY in normal operation I have mine set for 1/2 in above the normal DT level.

Waterlevel in the DT is set by the height of the WEIR (overflow)

You want 1-2 inches of FALL over the WEIR into the overflow to promote surface skimming.

You control the HEIGHT of the waterlevel IN the overflow by adjusting the DRAIN valve on the primary drain (and if your return pump is too powerful a valve throttling DOWN the return pump). I had to "tune the system" about 4 -5 times over 1 hour when I initially setup the system... have no had to re-adjust any valves (2 yrs now).

The "failsafe" component of the system is that the EMERGENCY drain (normally 100% dry) has GREATER capacity to DRAIN (no restricting valve) than PRIMARY drain (should it become obstructed).

Hope this helps. The system is VERY quiet !! and "simple".

hazmat319 · 05/29/2010, 09:38 AM

I just used some netting over my drain instead of a strainer. Couldn't find one that fit AND it made too much water drain into my sump when the pump was turned off. It does need to be submerged about 2 inches below your water line in your overflow. Otherwise you get a cyclone of water swirling above the drain which causes noise.

I hope that makes sense!

kendo · 05/30/2010, 07:14 AM

Thanks for all the help. hopefully I'll be setting it up in a couple of weeks.

jmking33 · 05/31/2010, 12:36 PM

+1 what Indymann said

solitude127 · 05/31/2010, 01:14 PM

Do you really need a strainer? What's the purpose of the strainer?

jmking33 · 05/31/2010, 07:07 PM

so the pipe with the syphon dosnt get clogged.

solitude127 · 06/01/2010, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmking33

so the pipe with the syphon dosnt get clogged.

But what happens if the strainer gets clogged?

jmking33 · 06/01/2010, 06:57 PM

then the emergency pipe takes over and the water drains through it. In the original herbie method I think he used 3 exit pipes. 1 constant and 2 emergency pipes. There is another one that was designed on a similar principle by a reefcentral guy named Beananimal I think. You can do a search and find his posts.

05/26/2010, 09:52 AM	#1
kendo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Enterprise,Alabama Posts: 335	herbi overflow question? Hi, I'm setting up the Herbie style overflow for my new 120 gallon. My question is should the strainer on the drain line be above the water line or below(fully submerge)the water line. Thanks, Ken

05/26/2010, 11:01 AM	#2
Rizup Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Northern IL Posts: 1,067	The full siphon drain needs to be submerged well below the water line. The second emergency drain will be used to set the water level as there will be a very small amount of water trickling down it. This drain will need a gate valve near it's exit that you will use to adjust the water height in the overflow box and tune the system. That's the short of it, there is much more info in the original thread. __________________ Grow Baby, Grow!!!

05/29/2010, 07:51 AM	#6
Indymann99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,447	I run a Herbie and I believe the proper operation is as follows: The PRIMARY drain is fully submerged (I run mine 2 in under the water level in the overflow). The EMERGENCY drain is 100% DRY in normal operation I have mine set for 1/2 in above the normal DT level. Waterlevel in the DT is set by the height of the WEIR (overflow) You want 1-2 inches of FALL over the WEIR into the overflow to promote surface skimming. You control the HEIGHT of the waterlevel IN the overflow by adjusting the DRAIN valve on the primary drain (and if your return pump is too powerful a valve throttling DOWN the return pump). I had to "tune the system" about 4 -5 times over 1 hour when I initially setup the system... have no had to re-adjust any valves (2 yrs now). The "failsafe" component of the system is that the EMERGENCY drain (normally 100% dry) has GREATER capacity to DRAIN (no restricting valve) than PRIMARY drain (should it become obstructed). Hope this helps. The system is VERY quiet !! and "simple". __________________ 120g DT 100lbs LR / 200 lbs LS, 45g fuge, VectraM1 Return, Herbie drain, 4x RW-8, 2x AI Hydra 26 w AWM, ASM G2, Apex controller, Apex BoB w floats ATO

05/29/2010, 09:38 AM	#7
hazmat319 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Central CT Posts: 745	I just used some netting over my drain instead of a strainer. Couldn't find one that fit AND it made too much water drain into my sump when the pump was turned off. It does need to be submerged about 2 inches below your water line in your overflow. Otherwise you get a cyclone of water swirling above the drain which causes noise. I hope that makes sense! __________________ Why yes....I really AM a reefer chick! Tank info: 75 gallon RR Deep Blue, Custom stand, 34 gal Trigger systems sump, 2 Sol Blue LED modules. Sweet! Born On date: 2/1/10

05/31/2010, 12:36 PM	#9
jmking33 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: orlando,FL Posts: 1,652	+1 what Indymann said __________________ It is what it is! Current Tank Info: 160 gallon rimless w/ a fishroom located behind it

05/28/2010, 10:42 AM	#3
D-Nak Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 5,797	Rather than searching through the original thread, does anyone have photos they can post in this thread? Just curious to see what it looks like.

05/28/2010, 01:09 PM	#4
jet fixer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Litchfield Park, AZ Posts: 718	Here is how I did it on a Aqueon 75 Gal RR tank. The pictures are not the greatest but they may help. Pipes in overflow drain into sump

05/30/2010, 07:14 AM	#8
kendo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Enterprise,Alabama Posts: 335	Thanks for all the help. hopefully I'll be setting it up in a couple of weeks.

05/31/2010, 01:14 PM	#10
solitude127 Proud user of IO Salt! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 9,136	Do you really need a strainer? What's the purpose of the strainer? __________________ Mike <)))>{ <)))>{ <)))>{ <)))>{ ReefKeeping.com TOTM Nov 2012 Socalireefs Featured Reef Oct 2011 Current Tank Info: 603020, 8x54 ATI Powermodule, ReefBrite XHO, ATB Elegance 200, Aquamaxx CTech CaRx, Ecotech Vortechs, Apex Controls, WM Ecobak powered. RedSea Reefer 170, MP10, Apex Jr, Ecotech Radion XR15, Aquamaxx WS-1

05/31/2010, 07:07 PM	#11
jmking33 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: orlando,FL Posts: 1,652	so the pipe with the syphon dosnt get clogged. __________________ It is what it is! Current Tank Info: 160 gallon rimless w/ a fishroom located behind it

06/01/2010, 06:57 PM	#13
jmking33 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: orlando,FL Posts: 1,652	then the emergency pipe takes over and the water drains through it. In the original herbie method I think he used 3 exit pipes. 1 constant and 2 emergency pipes. There is another one that was designed on a similar principle by a reefcentral guy named Beananimal I think. You can do a search and find his posts. __________________ It is what it is! Current Tank Info: 160 gallon rimless w/ a fishroom located behind it

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