Drain/Return Flow match - HOW!?

[Deleted User 6]

So I have ball valves on both the drain into the sump and the return. I can't for the life of me get them to match. I've gotten them close, but they're never dialed in perfect. Either the sump eventually fills up and causes the overflow to start gurgling loudly or the sump drains and the pump starts to spew bubbles everywhere in the display.

 

How do you fix it?!?! Any tips or am I doomed to just adjusting the ball valves until I go crazy?

[reefone]

dont use the ball valve on the drain line. leave it wide open and adjust the flow comming from the pump with the valve.

[neanderthalman]

Just read your tank thread. The problem you're having is that nobody with experience commented on your plumbing. It looks like the advice combined a herbie drain with a durso standpipe. Not going to work.

 

You currently have a single drain with no standpipe. You need a proper standpipe to cut the noise, in your case, the appropriate choice is an external durso. There's no need for a valve on the drain - the only type of drain that uses a throttling valve is a herbie drain - which you're not set up for. You'd need a full-height overflow box and two holes.

 

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=69372

[Deleted User 6]

Just read your tank thread. The problem you're having is that nobody with experience commented on your plumbing. It looks like the advice combined a herbie drain with a durso standpipe. Not going to work.

 

You currently have a single drain with no standpipe. You need a proper standpipe to cut the noise, in your case, the appropriate choice is an external durso. There's no need for a valve on the drain - the only type of drain that uses a throttling valve is a herbie drain - which you're not set up for. You'd need a full-height overflow box and two holes.

 

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=69372

 

Ok, so if that's what I need, then how do I get there? The overflow stays (durso, I guess you're saying). So how do I fix the plumbing? I'm not so far into cycling that I can't stop.

 

Also, the glass-holes kit I bought came with an elbow, not a t-connector like in the diagram. The elbow has a hole in it and a small piece of black tubing that goes down in the hole (looks like the endcap with a hole in it in the diagram, except not an endcap, just a hole). What's a standpipe?

[jerzsky]

i think what he's sayin is that all you need to do, is remove the elbow you have pointing down to your sump, and replace it with a tee. on top of the tee goes a plug, and a small hole drilled in top of the plug. the size of the hole will determine flow. easy fi...and remove the flow vlave on the drain also.

 

 

 

good luck!

[neanderthalman]

Ok, so if that's what I need, then how do I get there? The overflow stays (durso, I guess you're saying). So how do I fix the plumbing? I'm not so far into cycling that I can't stop.

 

Also, the glass-holes kit I bought came with an elbow, not a t-connector like in the diagram. The elbow has a hole in it and a small piece of black tubing that goes down in the hole (looks like the endcap with a hole in it in the diagram, except not an endcap, just a hole). What's a standpipe?

 

Excellent Development!

 

The tubing indicates that you already have a durso standpipe, so there's no reason to redo your plumbing. Just leave the valve on the drain wide open. It can be made with an elbow or a T - the key is the allowance of air into the system.

 

You need to "tune" the drain by controlling how much air is drawn into the black tubing. Is there a little valve on the end of it? An airline valve is the best way to control the air flow. The more the air flow is constricted, the lower level will be in the overflow box.

 

To tune the drain, close the air valve all the way, then open the ball valve on your return as much as possible, full open if you can. Then, open the air valve a little bit at a time until the water level in the overflow box rises enough to quiet the "sucking" noise.