Cali Kid Corals

Noisy Gate Valve Mod

pixelpixi

pixelpixi

Guest
BARcard
This evening I put together a gate valve mod for my EuroReef RS-180. I think it's a pretty standard design and is what Jeremy explained to me today. The standpipe goes into the gate valve, then there's a T that's open at the top and has an elbow on the side which takes the water back down.

The problem is that the drain part is pulling down a lot of air which makes it obnoxiously gurgly. I appears that bubbles are not getting out of the skimmer body, but rather air is getting sucked down from the open end of the T.

Any suggestions on how to minimize that?
 
You can extend the top of the T with a section of pvc pipe, and run another section of pipe from the elbow back down below the sump water line.

The pipe out of the top of the T can have a cap with a small air vent hole if necessary.
 
I already have a section of pipe on the top of the T and and one going back down from the elbow below the water line. I'll try a cap with a hole, but I'd prefer to find a way to keep it from sucking down air rather than just muffling the noise. :-/
 
What size pump is it? I don't seem to have that problem, even when I take the cap off. Perhaps your down return portion is submerged a little too deep.
 
That's a heck of a pump for the 1 1/4" I reckon that your return is too deep causing the water to back up the pipe, you may want to trim it a little.

It's not too big a pump though, more is merrier :)
 
Hehe. Okay, I have a couple ideas I'm going to try.

#1 - drill a hole just above the gate valve and run a 1/2" or 3/4" tube out from there. That should take the bulk of the water and allow the water going over into the drain to be a slow trickle. Kind of a 'flooded drain' design.

#2 - adapt up to 2" just after the gate valve and use a 2" T, elbow, and drain pipe.

Thanks guys!
 
Wow. #1 worked beautifully. The tube I added runs at full siphon and leaves just the tiniest trickle of water going out the big pipe. No need for a cap on the top of the pipe, either, cause there's no sound to muffle!
 
Nice!

Didn't realize there was that much flow through the skimmer outlet.

The high velocity must have been creating a venturi action at the top of the T.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top