overflow questions

[Whacked]

going into brain overload in researching a overflow system to use.

it will be for a 40B, and since this will be my first tank/sump system, I want to do it right the first time.

 

The herbie method looks interesting but will need a pre-drilled tank or one without a tempered bottom. might be able to modify it by going in thru the sides... Altho this system has been around a few year, it doesnt seem very popular, problems with it??????

 

but then I keep reading how its not a good idea to put a valve into the drain, that a unrestricted flow is the way to go.

 

Durso seems to be the tried and true method (along with the standpipe) and more what i'm leaning to since i'll be drilling in from the side. but is known for being noisy.

 

Beananimal over at rc has a 3 drain system. one main, secondary for flow control, and a emergency. but again uses valves to restrict flow. supposingly since like the herbie method, there is no air in the pipe so a completely silent system.

 

so this got me thinking. what about 2 durso's? one like normal but the 2nd have the 90 elbow turned up as a emergency drain.

or a single durso, but add a second tee above the normal one, and set it up for the emergency drain.

 

I guess basically, if you were to set up a new tank and wanted something quiet, reliable, and no worries of overflow, what system would you use?

[reefone]

the aga 40b does not have a tempered bottom. so drill away. i did one myself.

 

with beans or the herbie method need an emergency drain. the only one that usually doesnt have one is a durso. but u can add one if u like. ive been thinking of setting up the herbie on my new tank,

[neanderthalman]

After a lot of research, and having dealt with a PITA twin durso on my 10g, I decided to go for the herbie method for it's simplicity and forgiveness on my 40B. It's much less sensitive for tuning than other methods. Took about three minutes to tune it for my freshwater test, and the drain is dead silent once it evacuates the air (takes a minute or two)

 

Also, a herbie drain does not need to go through the bottom of the tank. Both holes can be in the the back of the tank. See 40B thread link in my sig for pics.

 

Easy peasy.

[Whacked]

I saw your thread neanderthalman. I like what you did, especially with the side compartment in your stand which I imagine all the electrical stuff will be housed.

I'll send you a PM later to pick your brain, once I sort out what questions to ask

[Whacked]

so, with a herbie style overflow,..

would it be OK to split the drain and send part to a 'fuge?

or would I be better off splitting the pump return into the 'fuge?

 

I'm leaning to a 20L as a sump with a skimmer-return-'fuge configuration. I dont want the full flow going thru the 'fuge if I was to use a skimmer-'fuge-return config. thinking that a 20x flow thru there would be too much for the 'fuge.

[neanderthalman]

It would be ok to do it either way.

 

However, IME, the best way to set up the sump is with a return pump that is slightly oversized, and throttle it back. The best way to throttle a pump is to divert the flow back to the sump.

 

Instead, you can divert the return back to the refugium to provide it with flow, without adding any additional complications by splitting your drain.

[chickendude10]

so, with a herbie style overflow,..

would it be OK to split the drain and send part to a 'fuge?

or would I be better off splitting the pump return into the 'fuge?

 

I'm leaning to a 20L as a sump with a skimmer-return-'fuge configuration. I dont want the full flow going thru the 'fuge if I was to use a skimmer-'fuge-return config. thinking that a 20x flow thru there would be too much for the 'fuge.

 

I am running the herbie method and split the return to sepearate parts of my sump. I was using the same thinking as you. It has been running for the past six months perfectly and is dead silent. But I do agree with Neanderthalman that diverting flow from the pump is another easy way to do the same thing.

 

Also, I'd recommend drilling through the side of the tank rather than the bottom because there is less of a chance for the whole tank to drain in case of an overflow leak. Also, it uses up less display area.

[Whacked]

I talked with my LFS guy. the only 40B he has are reptiles but can put in a call to his guy on Monday.

I'm thinking a 1" bulkhead 4" from top & bottom for the herbie. That should give me enough headroom for flow adjustment plus not be too close to the edge for failures. LFS said they can drill it for me, for about $10/hole (I'm too much a chicken to do it myself, no matter how easy everyone says it is), should cost me about $100 for the tank with the 2 overflows pre-drilled.

 

I'm still debating a closed loop and if the return should be drilled. The return over the top would mean 1 less union/valve/bulkhead. also seems the siphon break hole could be placed closer to the surface than a drilled return. Altho i'm in a apartment and have renters ins. the less water that will drain to sump in power outage, the happier i'll be.

 

I really love the dispersed flow that the korelia's have vs. the stream flow of conventional PH and the CL will provide.

 

I think I talked myself out of a closed loop. the fish I have in my 20H (which everything will go into the 40B) are messy and every week I have to clean the crap they stir up out of the K-nano's, AC50 and skimmer pumps. cleaning the CL intake strainer and pump sounds like more hassle.

[Whacked]

oh,..

and with the return split to the 'fuge, would the baffles take care of any microbubble issues with about a 450gph flow?

melevsreef says about 3-5x flow, the 450gph will be like 11x