overflow is loud

[EricB]

I built an overflow for my tank but the drain part is really loud, Like a bathtub draining. Is it because I don't have a spounge around the outside of the intake of the drain, or because the drain tube is too narrow, or perhaps because it is not ribbed?

[BillyZ]

having a difuser like a sponge can deffiintly help. but a better solution, from what i hear it's the ultimate solution, is a durson standpipe. Do a google for Durson Standpipe and it should come up pretty close to the top. it's self starting and from what others have said is 99% silent. I will be using one in an overflow I am about to build.

[justDIY]

Durso - it's the Durso Stand pipe
hehe

I've noticed something else about the small durso's I built ... they're not at all silent if running at a low flow

like, if you have an overflow designed for 1000 [acronym:50d5e29808="Gallons per hour"]gph[/acronym:50d5e29808] and you're pushing a whole 300 [acronym:50d5e29808="Gallons per hour"]gph[/acronym:50d5e29808], your durso will be sucking and slurping to get enough water to quench it's thirst

I originally thought it was my 1/32nd vent hole, so I enlarged it to 1/8th and still plenty of sucking and slurping

back to the drawing board I guess

[Electrobes]

I plan on making an internal (pre drilled tank) plumbing system, and I was wondering if having two drains would actually limit the sound?

[fishfreek]

It really depends on the setup electrobes.

While the drains might acutally be quite if the overflow causes water to waterfall down 2' to the water level in the overflow then that would be loud. Rasing the water level in the corner overflows would quite that down but could cause gurgling in the drain ara of the overflow. A durso standpipe is a great way to go about quieting down an overflow if you have the room for one.

http://www.rl180reef.com/pages/stand...pipe_frame.htm

Above is a photo of a stand pipe.

ANothe thing you can do is this.

Get some airline tubing. SLowly lower the tubing down the overflow drain. Eventually you will get to a point that the gurgling stops or quiets down significantly. When you get to this point stop lowering the airline and fasen it somehow to the overflow so it does not fall down any more into the drain line.

What your doing is basicly putting a snorkle onto the drain line allowing it to breath with out gurgling the water/air.

[loganj]

Also, on the Durso page, you'll find plans for a modified standpipe that will fit into tight places...such as an external overflow box. I have built several using this plan and they are all fairly quiet.

[Electrobes]

how can the submerge pipe be taking in water I don't get it !?!?

[fishfreek]

Electrobes I dont get your question. Can you restate it some other way?