Sump System Too Loud! 3 HOBs ok?

[pjsmetana]

As the title says, I got my 150 up and running today. Everything works perfectly, the pump is quiet, the sump is nearly silent, BUT the water inlet/overflow pipe area is producing a TON of noise... and I hate it. I pull the power to test how long it takes to overflow, and even with as low of water level as I can set the sump to and it still cycle well, it takes about 3 seconds to spill over a gallon. Bad idea living in Florida... we lose power for a few seconds with just about every storm.

I even tried Cutting the overflow pipe down lower, as to not pull in so much air... but its still really loud. I then raised the water level even more... The sound did not decrease, and the sump overflowed.

20gal sump. Little Giant 700gph pump. 1.5" overflow pipe. 2 3/4 inch outlet pipes.

So, I'm gonna scrap the sump and get 3 55gal rated HOB filters. I have 1 of them already, so it would be really low cost to just get 2 more. No worries when I lose power this way.

What do you guys think of this idea? I know everyone and their brother (even my brother) loves the Eheim brand filters... so I know they are good, and might do that anyways, but this thread is not about those.

Will 3 55gal rated HOBs be efficient enough to filter a 150gal tank properly?

 

[FSM]

Do you have any pictures? It sounds like you need a bigger sump.

My overflow was making a lot of noise, just from air being sucked into the drain, so I set it up similar to this: http://beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system.aspx

Does the tank just have one overflow chamber?

It sounds like you don't have it set up right. The drain inside the overflow chamber should be as close to the surface as possible, so the water cascading in doesn't splash a lot.

Is it possible that the output from the pump is siphoning back into the sump?

 

[zennzzo]

back siphon on the pump, too small of sump and/or overflows not set up properly...as stated above, pix are worth a thousand thousand words and explanations...

 

[KAWAMIKIE]

Which HOB's are you considering and what stock?

I don't know the first thing about a sump system. But....
Shouldn't it (the sump) be able to accept the water from the tank without over flowing in the event of a power faliure? If it can't isn't the sump to small?

 

[Hasi]

Don't throw away the sump! Why not utilise both?

Here is a link to a thread not long ago with the same issues and a few solutions that were suggested

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=327107

 

[pjsmetana]

1) Do you have any pictures? It sounds like you need a bigger sump.

2) My overflow was making a lot of noise, just from air being sucked into the drain, so I set it up similar to this: http://beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system.aspx

3) Does the tank just have one overflow chamber?

4) It sounds like you don't have it set up right. The drain inside the overflow chamber should be as close to the surface as possible, so the water cascading in doesn't splash a lot.

5) Is it possible that the output from the pump is siphoning back into the sump?

1) Yes I have pix. My sump is 20gal.
2) Its the sound from the air being sucked into the top of the overflow pipe.
3) The tank has just 1 overflow.
4) Its set up right. The sump and pump are both really quiet. No problems at all there.
5) No. There are 2 outputs and they aren't even located close enough to the overflow drain pipe for that to be a possibility.

1) Which HOB's are you considering and what stock?

2) I don't know the first thing about a sump system. But....
Shouldn't it (the sump) be able to accept the water from the tank without over flowing in the event of a power faliure? If it can't isn't the sump to small?

1) Aquaeon 55's. I have one on my 26gal and its probably over cleaning.

2) Its possible the sump is too small, sure. But really, I'd just set up a back up battery to make sure it never went down. So thats not really the big issue. Its the noise of the air being sucked into the overflow. I've cut it, reshaped it, shorted it, reshaped it again, added holes around it... and nothing makes it quiet enough. Its really loud. Admittedly, the hole drilled in it did make is a little quieter... but not nearly enough to be bearable.

I went to my mother house last night and checked out her 110g turtle tank... and oddly enough, she uses 4 really small HOB filters. Even with how dirty turtles are, and the fact that she has so many feeders in there that they have been breeding successfully, the water is still really clear and tests perfect. She also only does water changes about 1x every 2-3 weeks, and gravel vacs 1x every 2-3 months. So I guess unless I hear otherwise, I'm removing the sump and sump ancillaries, and rocking a few more HOBs.
Not sure what I'll do with the sump, pump, and so on... but I bet I can find someone who needs it if I decide to get rid of it.

EDIT Oh yeah, Pix...

 

[12 Volt Man]

3 Aqueon 55's won't cut it.

the only way you could run a 150g with three HOB's would be really big HOB filters, like 3 Aquaclear 110's.

that might work.

I run my 150g with two Rena XP3 canisters and 1 Aquaclear 110. works very well.

 

[pjsmetana]

3 Aqueon 55's won't cut it.

Why not? They are rated 45gal to 60gal each. Sounds to me like 3 of them would be ok... but then again, if I already knew for sure, then I wouldn't be asking. Tis a viscous cycle!

If I go with the Aquaclear 110's, then the price of 3 of them would be more than just getting a canister filter and being done with it. Which I still may do.

 

[12 Volt Man]

Why not? They are rated 45gal to 60gal each. Sounds to me like 3 of them would be ok... but then again, if I already knew for sure, then I wouldn't be asking. Tis a viscous cycle!

If I go with the Aquaclear 110's, then the price of 3 of them would be more than just getting a canister filter and being done with it. Which I still may do.

the reason is that the volume of media held in an AquaClear 110 is significantly more than an Aqueon 55 which uses cartridges.

cartridge filters by design do not hold the media that comparable sized Aquaclear and canister filters do, which use large foam blocks and have space for carbon bags, bio media bags etc.

because of this, even though Aqueon rates their filter for a tank up to 55g, in reality it is probably only good for up to a 30g tank or so by itself.

keep in mind that a 150g tank when fully stocked will have a heavy bioload of fish.

cartridge filters will clog in no time. you need something with some media space to handle the fish load of a big tank.

the reason that people often go with sumps for tanks over 125g is for this very fact: lots of media capacity in a sump filtration system.

hope this helps!

 

[Toby_H]

Why not? They are rated 45gal to 60gal each. Sounds to me like 3 of them would be ok... but then again, if I already knew for sure, then I wouldn't be asking. Tis a viscous cycle!

The simple answer... manufacturers overrate their products...

An Aqueon 55 is fine for a 55 gal that is lightly stocked with Tetras... but it's no where's near enough for a 55 gal stocked with Cichlids...

If I go with the Aquaclear 110's, then the price of 3 of them would be more than just getting a canister filter and being done with it. Which I still may do.

One AC 110 will offer more filtration than any canister that you can buy for up to double the cost of an AC 110...

AC 110s move more water than any canister at up to double it's price, and they hold close to as much media as any canister that costs up to double it's price...

But, AC 110's still have the negatives of an HOB. They 'clutter up' the rim of the tank and make a splashing noise when the water level in the tank drops...


I'm not trying to talk you into an AC 110... nor am I trying to talk you out of a canister... I am trying to mkae you aware that each style of filter comes with both pros and cons... and they cannot be compared directly based on cost & flow (gph)...


PS - I agree with all that 12 Volt has been telling you thus far... Keep asking questions and keep learning!