Ditched my Durso....

[anutha newby]

The "Herbie" thread was recently resurrected on RC.

this prompted me to check in with a 6-month update.

after 6 months or so, I've had no problems using the above method.

no problem with clogs and only minor fiddling with the gate valve now and then.

I realize this method has it's limitations, but doesn't every method?

I'm still enjoying a quiet, bubble free drain and sump

 

[~Flighty~]

I just did this mod and it is simple and completely silent upstairs. I am very impressed with it. There is a lot more play in the setting of the gate valve than I expected, so I don't anticipate it going out of trim quickly.

For what its worth I just stuck the valve on the end of my drain pipe in the basement to test it. I plan on cutting the pipe later and installing it permanently and away from the salt spray. The drain pipe is not submerged at this time to keep the valve dry, so I don't think the sump needs to be constant level for a basement application where the sump noise is irrelevant.

Two thumbs up

Now I have to figure out how to get a little more splash from the overflow strainer. It is too strange to have a silent tank. Nothing to cancel out the noise of the yelling kids

 

[~Flighty~]

It is such a dramatic difference in noise that all of the fish are freaked out and hiding.

I noticed with a little more tuning that even if the flow changes a bit and water startes to go down the backup drain it takes quite a bit before that makes any noise.

My drain is now one 1" pipe with the gate probably half closed and that handles about 1200gph of flow down to the basement. The backup is a 1.5" pipe.

 

[anutha newby]

crazy quiet, huh?!?!

my gate valve sits just above my sump, with another short piece of drain line attached below that, submerged an inch or two in sump.

I think if you submerged your drain line an inch or two, it could cut down on the salt spray you spoke of for 2 reasons:
1. there would be no water splashing into the sump from the drain which is above the waterline.
2. there will never be any air in the drain usually associated with a Durso flushing into your sump, no fizzy water to create salt creep/spray.

but, you have a basement sump, so your dynamics are a little different from my 26g display, 20g high sump. I think with my smaller system, it is necessary to have a consistent sump level to maintain equilibrium

once you get it dialed in, you really only have to make the occasional mini-micro-adjustment to the gate valve to keep it all in check.

again, some people have great results using a Durso. this gate valve system isn't fool proof, requires 2 drain lines, but for me, freed me from my touchy Durso.

 

[~Flighty~]

I did put a strainer on the main drain. Here are two pics of the setup with and without the strainer so you can see whats going on. I find the suction is so high that sometimes I get a little tornado of bubbles to the surface. I might put a U on that pipe to pervent that.

 

[RichConley]

I ran my 20L like this for a couple years. I couldnt get the 58g to work properly, my overflow boxes were too shallow, so I'm running a durso now.

you will never get a durso to be even close to as quiet as that method. The nice thing is that it is essentially self leveling. As the water level gets higher in the overflow, the head pressure gets higher, so it moves more water. The one issue I saw was that it would move around a bit when barometric pressure changed.. (IE during storms, etc.) As long as you're not running close to the top of the overflow, it shouldnt be an issue.

 

[Reef55]

Our 40 gallon bedroom tank has been running like this for 2 years. The only time it starts making noise is when the top-off container runs out, which causes the water level in the overflow to drop... which is good, because I then know I need to refill the top-off container!

In about 2 weeks I'll be making this change on our main tank as well (120 gallon).

 

[anutha newby]

cool! let us know how it works out with the 120.

 

[TomD]

My durso is almost completely silent...really.

When I got my tank I freaked because it was my first RR tank and it is where I sleep. I was up all night for two straight. The person before me hacked the top up bad and it had a huge hole.

I put an airline and siliconed it in with one of those ball things for a dripper. I just closed it and opened it until it was silent and the water level stayed.

It has been over a month and a half of complete silence with no adjusting. Knock on wood.

 

[anutha newby]

anutha 6 month update:
no trouble at all with this setup.
some very occasional micro adjustments to the gate valve, but other than that, it's solid.
again, some folks love their durso’s, me, I couldn't get it dialed in, the gurgling drove me batty..

Anyhoo, just read a SMCNally's thread that incorporates a reverse Durso with gate valve attachment here http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=50167

the more I think about his set up, the more I think it could be The Silent Wave of the Future.
The Durso in the overflow is essentially gone, leaving a straight drain pipe. The gate valve will allow you to tune your Drain pipe and reverse Durso for bubble free/sound free operation.
Should the gate valve clog, a common fear, the reverse Durso would pick up the slack......

This eliminates the need for a second emergency overflow that I now use...

 

[anutha newby]

Three year - 4 month update.

my Herbie method drains are still rock solid

 

[TomD]

Hmm...I am not the best DIY guy but my new tank will be in my living room so noise is important to me.

 

[anutha newby]

herbie! herbie! herbie! herbie! herbie! herbie!

 

[andrsn]

I have mine plumbed this way as well and it is very quiet once you get it running right. only problem I have is not having an auto top off so if I forget to add water the level changes and starts to make noise.

 

[Joel A]

hmm temping.. i've seen this before and thought of it before.. i might have to try it on the next tank i set-up..