New Setup - advice on lids and filtration noise

[Jon M]

Got my 260 sump all plumbed and running other day. Was a bit loud underneath at first where the overflow drain comes into the sump. It's a 2" drain in the overflow and it's split into 2 1" into the top of the sump. I knew it was loud because I didn't have any filter pads in the top yet because I was waiting on the mail. Well added them and it silenced it a lot but not completely. Still imo a bit noisier than it needs to be underneath. If I listen carefully it seems like the noise is right where it enters top of the sump. Also the overflow drain at the top is a bit noisy. Not like crazy but not as quiet as I think it can be.

Lower overflow drain pipe? Decrease pump power? If I decrease the pump power without messing with the overflow drain pipe it gets a bit noisier when it enters the overflow drain pipe because it loses that whirlwind sorta effect when it's entering the drain. I have a few extra pvc cuts we made when we plumbed it so I am fully capable of lowering the overflow drain 1" 2" etc. My thought was overlow drain pipe decrease pump but I wanted to some advice before I did so. It's not so loud it's driving me crazy or anything...

Also some thoughts on lids? Pretty standard openings like any other custom acrylic tank. I was thinking sheets of glass w/ velcro? But someone mentioned to me some sort of light covers that will help with shielding the tank from some of the super bright light.

 

[dr exum]

you got more pics of the set up?

you’ve passed the stage of setting it up as a herbie or bean animal

 

[jim barry]

Need more pics to help out
pocs of pipes entering sump and pics of over flow box etc

 

[fishguy1978]

Lowering the drain pipe in the overflow will only increase the noise. Pictures would help.

 

[Jon M]

Hey guys. Just got home from work. Ya guys let me upload these pics for you guys right quick. So while putting the heater controller in there last night and looking at it all closely I realized where some of the sound was coming from. The pipes entering the top of the sump. The distance from the pipe exit and the media pads I put in there was a few inches and it was pooling up and splashing. I literally put another layer of the media pad on there to lessen the distance from the pipe exit and pad and that helped a butt load. Still feel like it could run more silent. Maybe I'm just used to canisters.

Ya FG, I figured lowering it would have that effect. Also if anyone's curious, the sump is a tsunami custom build. Don't really know any specs about it. Pretty sure it's 36" x 14" x 16". The person I bought the tank from had it custom built for the tank for me at his wholesale price.

So surely someone has a suggestion for lids? I honestly have googled a bit and can't seem to find any clever ideas and keep coming up with generic DIY hinge lids. P.S. excuse the dirty acrylic I really need to get an acrylic cleaner. Just brought a microfiber cloth home tonight.

 

[TexasMFK31]

Make your overflow pipe a durso standpipe and that should help out a lot.

 

[714car11]

If you have 2 holes in the overflow I would recomend doing a Herbie set up.

 

[714car11]

If you have 2 holes in the overflow I would recomend doing a Herbie set up.

 

[Jon M]

View attachment 1444366

Make your overflow pipe a durso standpipe and that should help out a lot.

I see. Wasn't aware of this design when we plumbed it. I'm not breaking the entire thing down to change it now so I guess I'll tweak what I have. good to know for next time though since I plan on getting more into the plumbing aspect of the hobby.

If you have 2 holes in the overflow I would recomend doing a Herbie set up.

The second hole in the overflow is a return. Think I've got it tweaked as efficient as it can be for the noise. It's really not "loud" I can just very faintly hear the water running and I think I'm just super used to the canisters I've been running on the other tank the last two years.

As far as lids go after tons of google searching I found that some people are using corrugated plastic panels that are used for green house roofing. So I went ahead and bought some today, cut them to size, and used 3mm double sided sticky velcro that I already had at my house. Here's the finished result. Oh, and I cut a small funnel at the end and fitted it into one of the access holes so that the end doesn't stick in the water but it's easy access to drop food in, or prime when doing water changes without having to pull the velcro lids up. =] Also picked up some Colorado river rocks from a rock company other day and added those. Now when the large piece of driftwood gets here from Cali that'll be the center piece and that's a wrap for scaping. I considered a few fake plants anchored with the rocks but imo those things just grow algae and looks nasty making you have to constantly unanchor and remove them to rinse them off. Just moved Iago today. He looks so small in this tank.

 

[ragin_cajun]

• 2 inch drain seems way big for the tank/sump. Reducing bushings and smaller drain and return lines. Are you positive that your sump can hold all the water in your lines if a power outage happens and they all drain back down to your sump?
• Look closely at the diagram TexasMFK31 posted above for you -- Durso would not be a big re-plumb job. Also notice the outlet of the drain is 1 inch below the water line in the sump.

You could get that tank to run dead silent with not too much work.