I can't get the downflow right on this system. I'm about fed up and ready to throw the whole tank out. The entire reason I wanted to sump this tank was because I can't lift the canisters to clean them so I have to ask my family for help all the time, and then I can't lift the Emperor 400's off the tank because the angle hurts my back and shoulder too much, again, I'm stuck asking for help. I don't enjoy the tank anymore, it sits here reminding me I can't work on it now, and being able to work on something by myself gave me a little happiness.
So here's the current setup, I messed around with my downflow system for awhile, I rebuilt it and even got it to run full flow but I could never get it quiet. I finally decided to quit trying to build it and bought an Eshopps PF-1800 this week. I was thinking of setting it up as a Herbie design, but nothing is set in stone. So I start working on it today, mine came with a single overflow pipe of 1.5", even though I see pictures of this product with one and two overflow pipes. I'm not sure if this is reason I'm still having issues, but I can't get enough flow again. It has two 1.5" bulkheads and I plumbed both with 1.5" PVC, with a 45* angle to go under the tank to the sump, and a final 45* angle turning down in the sock and exiting under the water level.
I got everything started and it was flowing good, so I blocked off one of the two bulkheads to simulate the emergency tube design. Even with that one blocked off, the other tube flowed fast and sucked air like crazy. I could never get a full siphon flow going in it and couldn't get it quiet at all. With both running it's just as bad. I tried using the little pipe ends that came with the overflow, I tried using my own pvc, I tried nothing at all, and the only thing that quieted it down a bit - but would be completely useless was when I just shoved the sponge over the entire hole when I got pissed off. It ran almost quiet enough I would put up with it - of course, the sponge defeats the entire purpose of a free flow to the sock, not to mention it would obviously clog up.
I do not currently have a ball valve or gate valve running on this, I had planned on it, but couldn't find one in stock locally so I figured I'd try it without as I really need the most flow possible. I'm also running 1.5" pvc all the way down.
The other issue I'm having besides the noise is my flow is reduced again with the Eshopps. I'm down to setting 2 on my pump, at setting 3 the tank begins filling faster then the overflow box and pipe can keep up. I estimate I'm pushing 600 gph at this point, at the most - so how does one get this supposed 1800 gph using this overbox?
One person suggested restricting the line to 1" and see if I can get a siphon started but I don't think that is going to work.
I have stressed my fish out to the point I just spent $50 in medications now because they got sick too. I'm tired of wasting time and money now, I've broken down to the point of considering drilling my tank if that's what it going to take to get this done, but I really don't want to and I can't afford to have it done for me.