Help with sump plumbing noise

[blkdrgn]

We are having problem with gurgling water noise. This is a new tank setup and this is the first time we are doing a wet/dry sump. The tank, sump, and pumps were recommended by Tenecor. They gave us two BlueLine 40x pumps which I believe is 1270 GPH each. We ordered it through someone else so I didn't know which pumps they were giving, only that Tenecor will design the system. We are NOOBs so we didn't know any better. Anyways we only hooked up one because the turnover rate would be too high for freshwater fish. I'm looking for 3-5x turnover rate.

First of all I do have durso pipes with very small holes in the cap. The two drain holes have one inch slip bulkheads which I used a 1" PVC pipe and pushed on a clear hose. I tried two different hose configurations from the durso to the sump. If I go a straight downward angle it's loud splashing noise. It's much quieter after I put the 90 degree angle and the hose horizontal. That way it collects water in the hose before the bulkhead.

One thing I noticed was that I couldn't turn the pump on all the way. I had to restrict the return at least half way so it would not dry the sump. Could it be my durso, hose configuration, not large enough drain holes, etc? I find it hard to believe that Tenecor would send me two 1270 GPH pumps and the tank/sump could not handle even one pump at full speed.

Putting the blue filter pad directly under the bulkhead made it way quieter. It didn't affect flow either.

Don't worry about the right side pump. I'm just using the extra pump for water changes. Don't worry about the clamps too. I just didn't have a long enough hose.

 

[jcardona1]

Dursos won't do anything to address the gurgling sound. For that you need a Herbie (or Beananimal setup). Do some searching, you'll see several threads on that topic. As for the pumps running your sump dry, perhaps there's not enough water in the sump. Add extra water so that it doesn't run dry. If the water level in the tank starts to rise, then your overflows are not capable of handling all that flow.

 

[blkdrgn]

Dursos won't do anything to address the gurgling sound. For that you need a Herbie (or Beananimal setup). Do some searching, you'll see several threads on that topic. As for the pumps running your sump dry, perhaps there's not enough water in the sump. Add extra water so that it doesn't run dry. If the water level in the tank starts to rise, then your overflows are not capable of handling all that flow.

Oh I thought that was what durso was for. I'll research Herbie. I was told to leave the water at that low level. I'll raise it when I get home. About how high should I go?

 

[jcardona1]

Yeah you need to have enough water in there the first time as the system fills up with water. Your water level is actually a little bit above the overflows. By having the water level so low, the sump runs dry before you can even get the system going. How high is personal preference, depending on the media you're using. But it should not be so high that it overflows when the pumps are turned off, because you'll get a little bit of water flowing down when the power stops.

 

[blkdrgn]

Yeah you need to have enough water in there the first time as the system fills up with water. Your water level is actually a little bit above the overflows. By having the water level so low, the sump runs dry before you can even get the system going. How high is personal preference, depending on the media you're using. But it should not be so high that it overflows when the pumps are turned off, because you'll get a little bit of water flowing down when the power stops.

If I don't do the Herbie setup, do you think increasing the water sump level will solve the reducing return flow/sump drying out problem?

As for the Herbie I read up a little. Will it still work with two small overflows, two drains in each one but one is smaller than the other. I believe one hole is for a 1" bulkhead and the other a 3/4" bulkhead. If I put the short drain and durso in one overflow and the other has the emergency, there will only have one hole left for the return lines. How will I make it so it uses both side returns?

 

[blkdrgn]

How about this. Each overflow would have one short pipe and one durso. Then the return hoses will go from the pump to the back of the tank and over the top of the tank into the two returns on each side. This way the flow would be even in the tank.

Or tee off inside the the overflow and then run a hose from one overflow to the next. Use some type of valve to even the flow out between the two outputs.

 

[jcardona1]

I'm sure the sump running dry is due to the low water levels. As for the Herbie, there's lots of ways to do this. I'd say it's easier to use one line for the drain instead of having two lines to tune and mess with. The best thing would have been to plan this from the beginning, and build the overflow boxes around that plan, but too late for that now Two overflow boxes is overkill anyway, you only need one. You can use the holes in one box strictly for the Herbie, and use the holes in the other box for your return lines, just a thought.

 

[spwd]

I've read on the durso website that at 1" bulkhead you need to got to 1 1/4" durso pipe and also try a bigger hole in the top .

Steve

 

[swk]

But with the herbie or bean setup, the intake must be submerged below the water line of the sump to produce a full syphon, correct? If this is the case the OPs sump would have to be completely redesigned since the existing drain lines connect to a drip plate setup. If I'm following everything correctly there would have to be a settling chamber of sort for the intakes, through filter socks that would then overflow on to a drip plate. Or I guess the simpler route would be to just run a submerged media sump...

Sorry to highjack your thread OP, but I guess the point I'm making is that if you don't want to make semi-drastic revisions in your setup, then you may need to live with some noise

Congrats on the new setup btw. It looks nice!

 

[anarekist]

where is the noise coming from? my overflow doesnt make any noise, but then again it's full of bio balls and foam topped off with polyester fiberfil. only noise is the return to the drip plate in my sump, but i stuffed a body scrubber in front of it and that eliminated the noise much like the piece of foam you're using on top of your drip plate.