FINALLY quieted down drain line down into sump

[torero500]

Thought I'd post this because I must have read about 100 posts on various sw boards online looking for a way to quiet this drain line. It only took about 18 different methods, but finally acheived a quiet drain line. Can't really believe it. I have an internal overflow 56 gallon, with 1.5" durso...that part has always been silent. It's the drain hose coming from the bulkhead down into the 1st sump skimmer chamber with 9" tall baffles that makes gurgling noise, bubbling noise, back bubbles bursting every so often etc.

Originally had a 1.5" ball valve, and 1.5" drain line. That was very loud in my opinion, lots of whoosing and gurgling down into the sump. Tried a reverse durso, no help. Tried drain line output right below the water line, and at the bottom, with various fittings at the end. No real help.

Next got a 1.5" to 3/4" bushing to run a 3/4" drain line., got rid of all drain line valves..helped some, but still lots of noise, relatively spaking. I wanted very very quiet, almost silent. Tried a 3/4" reverse durso, a 2" reverse durso, t fittings at the end of the hose, mufflers, building a U trap out of 90 degree elbows and small sections of tubing. Tried running 45 degree. Still no real help or solution.

Finally achieved my goal by adding another bushing at the bulkhead, 3/4" to 1/2", running a 1/2" drain line down into the sump. That did make a small difference right away, so started thinking this could work. Tried another reverse durso, no help. Kept playing around with different fittings at the end of the drain line, and finally concocted the hose bend held in place by heater clamps with a slight upward rise at the end, connecting into a 3/4" elbow which fits into and points down into a cut section of 2" pvc. Extremely quiet, even with the cabinet door open...Frankenstein collection of parts I know, but whatever works. Since I replaced the light fans with silenx, have the durso overflow, anf eheim compact 2000+ pump, this aquarium is now officially quiet for living room use.

I'm currently running 160 gallon/hr through the drain line for about 4-5x/hr sump turnover. Obviously if you're trying to do major drainage, I don't think the 1/2" drain line would suffice, but looking inside the tubing there is still plenty of room for lots more water to go through. It still only coats the inside of the drain line as it falls through. Took out the skimmer and everything else to give you a good picture of it.

[LaOtIn]

i just ran my drain line to the sump, pipe down to the waterline and put a felt filter sock over the end.

ive never heard the draining aspect of my system, not a peep /shrug

now if i could figure out how to quiet my pump and return line vibration id be in the money $$

[torero500]

how did you connect the filter sock to the drain line?

[nemosworld]

Originally Posted by LaOtIn

i just ran my drain line to the sump, pipe down to the waterline and put a felt filter sock over the end.

ive never heard the draining aspect of my system, not a peep /shrug

now if i could figure out how to quiet my pump and return line vibration id be in the money $$

easy fix, better pump or go external.

[nemosworld]

Originally Posted by torero500

how did you connect the filter sock to the drain line?

with your setup, i would cut the drain shorter and stick it into the filter sock, you don't need anything fancy to hold it up.

[LaOtIn]

I ran my drain line down to about 4" above the sump water level put a 90 elbow then another 90 then down to the water level. my wife busted out the sewing machine and made me 20 filter socks out of $.25 pieces of felt basically making a bag then sewed in a piece of elastic. so, i put the sock over the end of the pipe then stretch the elastic over the last 90 elbow to hold it in place.

[uncleof6]

Ultimatly, the flow rate in the OP's tank was cut down to NOTHING, which is why it quieted down....... can't restrict a drain line like that and expect any flow out of it.

Jim

[LaOtIn]

pictures explain it better........





btw i have a new pump on order, should be here in a few days. the return i have now is a hyperflow rio 8h, its old and is tempermental! i have a brand new quiet one pump on the way $$

[torero500]

I might try the filter sock trick. In a cruel twist of fate that seems always a second away in this hobby, after about 3 days of running silent, my setup described above now sounds like a drunk with a chainsaw....disheartening. Will try the sock method, seems like it would work, but don't really want to have to maintenance that item, but I will for quiet.

[NanoReefWanabe]

if you want it to be quieter...you should up the sizing of the plumbing not reduce it...i had about 300gph going through a 1.5" Spaflex pipe...never even heard a tinkle...and it was in my bedroom..plus there was no bubbles...the larger the surface area in the pipe the quieter it will be as the water wont have to mix with the air on its way down..you either have a lot more flow then you think, or your plumbing has some funky bends or something.....

you reduced down to 1/2" pipe...that is a flood waiting to happen...and it will sooner then you think...

[torero500]

Originally Posted by NanoReefWanabe

you reduced down to 1/2" pipe...that is a flood waiting to happen...and it will sooner then you think...

What will happen to the 1/2" line to make it flood?

[torero500]

Originally Posted by NanoReefWanabe

if you want it to be quieter...you should up the sizing of the plumbing not reduce it....

I just can't really believe that, I've tried various 1.5 drain lines and can always hear the water whooshing through. I have super sensitve hearing...can hear the slightest water noise, can hear electricity passing through fire damaged wiring (don't ask), so I think I'm just going to have to put up with a small amount of water noise and live with it.

It seems if I go bigger drain line, I get more whooshing noise of the water through the pipe. If I go smaller drain line, I get less whoosing, but more gurgling back up in the durso overflow pipe in the overflow box.

[uncleof6]

Originally Posted by torero500

What will happen to the 1/2" line to make it flood?

It will plug up so easily, it will amaze you more than the PHYSICS that say that with an air/water mix drain the larger the pipe diameter, at a given flow rate the quieter and more reliably it will operate. There is nothing to believe: it is FACT. Subject to the laws of physics, and you can't disbelieve or beat the physics.


Incidentally, the problem you described first, was due to trying to use too high of a flow rate for a 1.5" durso standpipe. Flow capacity for these things is down around 350 gph, on a really good day, and it will be different tomorrow. The capacity of the "Frankenstein" you created might be around 25 probably less for a quiet laminar flow.

Jim

[torero500]

uncle, do you think I should ditch the durso and go with a standpipe with a muffler on the top of it? They have those bell cap I think they're called Maggie mufflers. I do only plan to run about 160 gph through my sump.

[uncleof6]

You are severely under powering your tank, a 160gph. You don't need a "ton of flow" but 560 gph is not a ton of flow.

Any drain pipe/standpipe that allows air into the standpipe will behave exactly the same, despite the anecdote, gimmicks, band aids, and fancy names. It is all an attempt to beat the physics, and sorry, but you can't beat the physics. Interesting that you were having problems with a 1.5" open channel drain @ 160 gph.

Jim

[nicknguyen]

I have a durso pipe in my overflow box and a reverse durso in my sump. super quiet.

[NanoReefWanabe]

Originally Posted by uncleof6

You are severely under powering your tank, a 160gph. You don't need a "ton of flow" but 560 gph is not a ton of flow.

Any drain pipe/standpipe that allows air into the standpipe will behave exactly the same, despite the anecdote, gimmicks, band aids, and fancy names. It is all an attempt to beat the physics, and sorry, but you can't beat the physics. Interesting that you were having problems with a 1.5" open channel drain @ 160 gph.

Jim

that is why i suspect he wa pushing far more then 160 thtough the original setup..i dont know...but i know i had a mag 5 and 1.5" drain and there was absolutely no noise...

[torero500]

I am going to ditch the durso alltogether. Got a slip 7" strainer that will screw into the bulkhead, and will run straight 1.5" drain line to below the sump, and control flow with a gate valve so that no air gets into the line at all.

[uncleof6]

Good luck with that, but most likely, it is going to suck air unless it is well below the water surface.

Jim

[NanoReefWanabe]

you will be very sorry if you decide to restrict the flow of the drain if you dont have an emergency drain line plumbed in...i dont recall if you do or not...if you chose to restrict the output of the pump then the water level in the overflow box will drop drastically and you will have waterfall sounds on top of air sucking sounds...

[torero500]

There will be a good 10" of water in the overflow above the drain point. Both the return valve plumbing and drain valve plumbing will have a gate valve to match up the flow to keep the overflow box full of water except for about an inch or two below the surface. Checked out some local fish stores, they have their drains plumbed in the same way to keep noise in check....I'll give it a shot see how I like it.

If I don't, I tested some 1.5" spa flex under the durso as the drain line, the sound is tolerable, definitely some noise but not the worst in the world if I don't like the other setup.

[uncleof6]

Ok, so you are part way there now. You have a siphon drain system, but no dry emergency. Flood waiting to happen. How many holes you got in the bottom of the tank?

Jim

[torero500]

A 1.5" drain hole, and a 3/4" hole that I'm using as the return hooked up to an eyeball bulkhead near the top of the overflow box.

[NanoReefWanabe]

if your gonna run the drain the way you have it, you need to utilize that other hole for an emergency drain, and simply run your returns up over the top of the tank...hopefully the 3/4" bulkhead will provide enough of a siphon should a problem occur in your main drain..

[uncleof6]

Reef ready tanks AREN"T.

J