I have my 610Gal tank up and running with a Reeflo Gold Hammerhead Barracuda up to 6000GPH piped in using 1 1/2 inch PVC with a 1 inch 8 foot long spray bar what has a 1/2 opening every 2 inches for return I have Herbie style overflow with 3 2inch drains. I have had to turn the 2 main drains at least 3/4 the way off to get any overflow into the 3 drain. It seems as if I'm draining more or pumping less than my calculations. Is there anyway to test the amount of water im accualty pumping. My reads are great 0,0, 5-10
Flow Rates
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Interesting. I haven't done what you are doing, but maybe I can help a tiny bit at least to start the discussion. Keep in mind others might have lots of corrections. The following is based on my hazy recollections from reading about this 3 years ago.
Keep in mind as well that this may not be what you are setting up, so a lot of this might not apply, and of course I might be explaining the construction incorrectly as well.
The 3-standpipe construction is one that I first heard called a Bean Animal overflow. The Herbie style was the one I thought was a 2-standpipe construction.
In both cases, one pipe was supposed to be full siphon and the other(s) were meant to be very small volume as trickle and/or emergency overflow tubes. The goal was to be silent and safe in the overflow while handling large volumes of water. (That's my take and others can certainly disabuse me of my notions to their heart's content.)
Under the Bean Animal style (according to the website that I had read a couple years ago) you indeed should have almost all of the flow going through 1 tube. Having more than a trickle going through a second tube will create the gurgling draining noise that the construction is meant to eliminate. The second tube should be nearly silent, so that would imply a low flow from having a small stream draining along the side of the tube. The third tube iirc was meant as a backup full siphon tube that should never be needed unless the main siphon tube failed. I don't recall that all 3 tubes were meant to be operating simultaneously. Again, my recollection is that the 3rd tube was set higher than the other 2 so that it only drained when the first tube couldn't handle all the flow. Having all 3 draining at the same time isn't what I recalled as the normal operating conditions.
The amount of water that will drain through 1 open pipe under siphon can indeed be immense depending upon tube diameter, distance of drop, curvature or bends in the pipe from the water entering the tube to the point that the water exits, and the manner in which the water exits the tube.
Attached is a link to a calculator but I think it's more complex than this demonstrates.
http://www.beananimal.com/articles/hydraulics-for-the-aquarist.aspx
Keep in mind as well that this may not be what you are setting up, so a lot of this might not apply, and of course I might be explaining the construction incorrectly as well.
The 3-standpipe construction is one that I first heard called a Bean Animal overflow. The Herbie style was the one I thought was a 2-standpipe construction.
In both cases, one pipe was supposed to be full siphon and the other(s) were meant to be very small volume as trickle and/or emergency overflow tubes. The goal was to be silent and safe in the overflow while handling large volumes of water. (That's my take and others can certainly disabuse me of my notions to their heart's content.)
Under the Bean Animal style (according to the website that I had read a couple years ago) you indeed should have almost all of the flow going through 1 tube. Having more than a trickle going through a second tube will create the gurgling draining noise that the construction is meant to eliminate. The second tube should be nearly silent, so that would imply a low flow from having a small stream draining along the side of the tube. The third tube iirc was meant as a backup full siphon tube that should never be needed unless the main siphon tube failed. I don't recall that all 3 tubes were meant to be operating simultaneously. Again, my recollection is that the 3rd tube was set higher than the other 2 so that it only drained when the first tube couldn't handle all the flow. Having all 3 draining at the same time isn't what I recalled as the normal operating conditions.
The amount of water that will drain through 1 open pipe under siphon can indeed be immense depending upon tube diameter, distance of drop, curvature or bends in the pipe from the water entering the tube to the point that the water exits, and the manner in which the water exits the tube.
Attached is a link to a calculator but I think it's more complex than this demonstrates.
http://www.beananimal.com/articles/hydraulics-for-the-aquarist.aspx
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you are correct to the best of my understanding. I tryed the normal herbie style however after the tank was full we discovered the tank was slightly unlevel and due to the weight we where unable to level it. The stand was mesuring level before the tank was place but water line tells the compelte story so I have to 2 stand Pipes on the Left going a a siphon had to turn them 3/4 the way off to allow for a slight flow into the emergency to skim the other side of the tank. the other standpipe in the overflow is used for the return. Im not having an issue with noise exept form the pump its self but I think that is something that im going to have to live with. My fear is im not turning enough for and will have issues once the is fully stocked
You can buy a flow meter but one that will do over 1000 GPH Is very expensive. McMadter Carr sells them.
OP, so you have the "Herbie" style drain pipe, but with a third, completely dry emergency? Is the primary AND secondary running full siphon? I don't know the numbers, but one 2" drain full siphon can take on a lot of flow and volume, hence I'm not surprised that your return pump flow isn't keeping up.
I'm not entirely following why you need to drains to take on the flow given that the tank is not level. Perhaps some more information would help?
I'm not entirely following why you need to drains to take on the flow given that the tank is not level. Perhaps some more information would help?
When you close the slice gate on a siphon drain to tune its drain rate to the pump output, it is typical to close it 3/4 of the way or more. It doesn't seem right, but it is. Your gate is 3/4 closed? Mine is closed more than that. Mine's is very close to fully closed.
I don't think 3/4 closed is too little at all. And I'm not surprised you're not seeing heavy flow out of your spraybar, either. You have 1/2 inch opening every 2 inches on a 20 inch pipe. That's 10 1/2 outlets. I have 6 1/2 inch outlets and my tank flows about 4,000 GPH.
I assume you think you're not geting 6,000 GPH because flow out of your spray bar just doesn't "seem" like 6,000 GPH.
What is the head height?
I don't think 3/4 closed is too little at all. And I'm not surprised you're not seeing heavy flow out of your spraybar, either. You have 1/2 inch opening every 2 inches on a 20 inch pipe. That's 10 1/2 outlets. I have 6 1/2 inch outlets and my tank flows about 4,000 GPH.
I assume you think you're not geting 6,000 GPH because flow out of your spray bar just doesn't "seem" like 6,000 GPH.
What is the head height?
Ill measure head height when I get home. But my stand is 30inch and my tank is 30 1/2 tall so some where around there. the consurn came in where I had to turn the drains so close to off to get the water level high enough for my other overflow to skim. Where the tank is slightly unlevel there is about an 1/2 -3/4 inch diffance in the water line on the 2 sides. But if this is normal then I guess I have nothing to worry about I placed 4 powerhead that are on a time in the main tank to produce more water flow there/