Drain styles and return pumps

[Whitewillsmiff]

Need some help regarding plumbing and return pumps. Picked up a used 75-gallon reef ready tank today, it has 2 pre-drilled holes in the overflow section, a 1.5” return hole & 1.75” drain hole. Have to pick up new bulkheads as the current seals are bad. Considering going with the Durso style drain but concerned about noise. Also worried about going with the Herbie style as I’d have to run the return line over the edge of the tank. Looking for any plumbing tips or ideas on how best to do this or some decent links. Finding so many different opinions online but curious about some current designs.

 

Also shopping for a return pump, have a 20-gallon long sump and assume I’d need roughly a 1k gph pump. Any recommendations on sizing or brands? Was considering the Sicce Syncra 5.0 but open to ideas. 
 

[sethsolomon]

I would go herbie overflow.  you can make them really quiet.  Just with plumbing add a check valve on the return side and have unions on each side of the check valve so you can easily replace it if it somehow fails.

 

As for pumps, a Jebao 6000 would probably do the trick and they are cheap.

[Whitewillsmiff]

Appreciate it, thanks! Can't wait to get this tank wet and everything transferred. 

[AUFishGuy]

Herbie is the best setup for what you have and you will have to run the return over the back.

 

I recommend Reef Octopus Various return pumps. They are really reliable and silent.

 

The Sicces are ok but I have gotten a couple in the past that were not quiet.

[Whitewillsmiff]

On 3/28/2020 at 12:44 PM, AUFishGuy said:

Herbie is the best setup for what you have and you will have to run the return over the back.

 

I recommend Reef Octopus Various return pumps. They are really reliable and silent.

 

The Sicces are ok but I have gotten a couple in the past that were not quiet.

Thanks for the info, ordered up the 1" gate valve for the main drain & cover for it. Have been watching a few videos on properly setting it up, hoping to have the tank wet by next weekend. Still waiting on my sump baffles to arrive then I can get going, ordered the Fijicube refugium sump kit.

[Whitewillsmiff]

On 3/28/2020 at 12:44 PM, AUFishGuy said:

Herbie is the best setup for what you have and you will have to run the return over the back.

 

I recommend Reef Octopus Various return pumps. They are really reliable and silent.

 

The Sicces are ok but I have gotten a couple in the past that were not quiet.

Glad I listened to the Herbie method recommendation, night and day difference sound wise! Still tuning but even the wife was happy with the difference. I went with an Eheim 1262 for the return pump, it honestly feels like overkill. Going to throw a gate valve on it to tune it down some. 

 

Attached a pic of the temporary completion, need to figure out the ATO situation and clean up all the cabling. 

 

As always thanks for the help everyone. 

[AUFishGuy]

19 hours ago, Whitewillsmiff said:

Glad I listened to the Herbie method recommendation, night and day difference sound wise! Still tuning but even the wife was happy with the difference. I went with an Eheim 1262 for the return pump, it honestly feels like overkill. Going to throw a gate valve on it to tune it down some. 

 

Attached a pic of the temporary completion, need to figure out the ATO situation and clean up all the cabling. 

 

As always thanks for the help everyone. 

 

 

Awesome, glad it worked out. You will be happy with the eheim, they are good pumps. 

[WheresTheReef]

Are you using the durso pipe as the main drain with the gate valve? You want a full siphon on it if so. You may find a small hole at the top of it. Try covering it with tape as it lets air in and will not be as quiet. If it helps then a more permanent solution might be better.

[Whitewillsmiff]

On 4/12/2020 at 7:29 PM, WheresTheReef said:

Are you using the durso pipe as the main drain with the gate valve? You want a full siphon on it if so. You may find a small hole at the top of it. Try covering it with tape as it lets air in and will not be as quiet. If it helps then a more permanent solution might be better.

Nope, actually converted the old main durso 1" drain to a Herbie with a gate valve. Turned the 3/4" return to the emergency drain and routed the return over the lip into the tank with a dual loc-line outlet. Still fine tuning the drain to get the trickle into the emergency drain.