Do I add another Overflow? Switch to Flexible Hose? Both?

J

jordancemery65

Member
I have a 220 gallon tank, I have two hang-on-back overflows each rated at 1200 GPH. I have everything hard plumbed with PVC, from the overflow to a union, straight down to the two inch pipe, and into the bubble diffuser in the sump. Anyways the problem is that it is wicked wicked loud. The woman at the LFS said that i need to cut back the return, and that is what is creating the noise, or i need to purchase another overflow box, and that will cut down on the noise. It sounds like the noise is coming from the PVC, and not the overflow boxes. Should i switch to flexible hose or buy another overflow, What should i do?????? I am Getting very frustrated, it seems like the person at my LFS just wants my money!
 
blue_eyes53813

blue_eyes53813

Well-Known Member
Seems like you have enough flow and shouldnt need another over flow. For my 265 I have 1 double overflow that has about the same rate as yours.

Where is the noise coming from? The top where the water meets the overflow? If so ,some light sponges will break up the gurgling noise. But needs to be cleaned a lot.

If it is Where the water goes into the sump. A filter sock may help. My pvc piping is about 2 inches above the water level in the sump to prevent a lot of splashing..
 
J

jordancemery65

Member
It sounds like it is in the pipes, you can hear the water going down through the pvc pipes, and there is some gurgling where the water goes into the overflow... I have heard bad things about putting sponges in there...
 
Stacef

Stacef

Well-Known Member
If you clean the sponges regularly it will not be an issue. But if you do not plan on keeping them clean, you're just asking for trouble.

Personally I have a sponge in my overflow to reduce the sound, I clean it weekly, sometime 2x a week if I have to.
 
blue_eyes53813

blue_eyes53813

Well-Known Member
I have a couple of sponges like this... Im not sure if this is the exact size of mine. I forgot where I got mine from but these look Very similar. These sponges have bigger opening and allow more flow through but kill the gurgle sound. To clean them I have an old pillow case I put them in and throw them in the washer and wash with just water. I dont use bleach on these but I think some people do.. Im a fraid to much bleach will get trapped in them. Water alone does good..

JBJ 28 Gallon Nano Cube HQI - Replacement Sponge

The regular thicker brown sponges can cause alot of problem if not cleaned but work well too.


I love the black sponges in the link..
 
Smiley1

Smiley1

Member
easy trick - go to mcdonalds.... get a straw....go to local restaraunt..get a toothpick... stick toothpick through the side of the straw to make a T..... place the straw into your drain tube where water enters from overflow....may have to adjust length of straw to get noise right.
 
Tru2nr

Tru2nr

Well-Known Member
thats a new one ive just used the airline tubing trick where you stick the tubing down so it goes almost all of the way to the sump and slowly pull up until you quiet the noise and clip it on somewhere
 
I

ianizaguirre

New Member
all you have to do is get a a piece of Pvc pipe drill one holoe on tope to fit a piece of air line tubeing put it over your overflow pvc and add a piece of airlin tubeing to the Pvc part you addded through the hole its a silence they sell it at lifereef.com it works i have it with a life reef overflow
 
R

Reef97

Member
These are all very ingenious ideas!! Fortunately I have flexible tubing for my overflow and I can bend it in different directions till the sound subsides.
 
R

Reef97

Member
I'm assuming that the sound you are hearing is a gargling type sound created by the air trapped in you PVC overflow tubing. The ideas listed above were methods for removing the air, and creating a more laminar flow down your overflow resulting in less sound.

If you already have the system hard piped I would just leave it and try some of the methods listed above. When I originally set my tank up I had flexible tubing for my overflow and have never changed it. Instead of needing to use air lines to remove the air in the tube I just bend it till the bubble comes out of the tube and everything is better.

My recommendation is to fix the problem with the least amount of work! Let me know how it goes.
 
C

CA Reefer

Member
Jordan it would really be helpful if you can provide more info on your plumbing set up - a picture or diagram would say 1000 words!

It could be that you're having turbulent flow or trapped air that is causing the noise...each may have a different solution without necessarily switching out your plumbing to flex.

Here's also some pics of my my set up. Nothing fancy, but does include some of the solutions mentioned above.

Overflow Box:

This includes a similar set up to the McDonalds straw only I used 3/8 rigid airline tubing and a small rubber O ring.

DSCN1178.jpg


Plumbing:

Here's the tail where I cut my pvc and switched to vinyl - now just has a nice smooth radius down to the sump.

DSCN1179.jpg


Sump Entry:

Here's where the vinyl joins back to PVC and drops into the filter sock.

DSCN1180.jpg
 
C

CA Reefer

Member
No kinking issues at all. 1" and above vinyl tubing is some pretty tough stuff. It will also harden up and become less pliable over time. It can be undone though by soaking the tubing in hot water in the sink.
 
J

jordancemery65

Member
I saw the Vinyl there at Lowes, but i didnt knwo if it was "reef safe" and i was worried about it kinking off! I thought i had to use the flexible corrugated pvc, but this seems much cheeper, and i think it would work better!
 
C

CA Reefer

Member
Reef the pictures above are of my sump...my overflow is quiet as a baby....it's Jordan thats having the problem with noise :)
 
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