Loud Synergy Reef Overflow

[h8edpurdie]

I need some help.

I installed at Synergy Reef Ghost Overflow on my 155 gallon bowfront. I followed all the manufacturer's instructions when installing the unit. I for the life of me can not get it quiet. All the videos I see of this in operation have it super quiet, but I'm unable to achieve this. In addition, there is a ton of salt creep that comes out of the lid.

There is a gate valve on the mainline as instructed. The sump is in a fish room I built in my garage so I never hear that at all from inside my house. I've tried putting the drains in the sump below water and above with no difference. I have a Jebao DCP-10000 as my return. I'm currently running it at 100% but tried every power level it has with no change.

Excuse the mess in the below photo. Everything is still under construction.

And here's a quick video with how it sounds. It sounds much louder in the house than what is on the video.

I've tried reaching out to Synergy Reef but have received ZERO replies back. I'm super frustrated and if this is the level of support and customer care they receive, they won't be receiving any more of my hard-earned money.

I appreciate any help/tips/suggestions.

Thank you.

 

[ca1ore]

Where is the noise coming from? I’m guessing the inside skim box.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Looks like the tank bulkheads are gurgling. Have you tried running the water level in the overflow box lower?

 

[h8edpurdie]

Where is the noise coming from? I’m guessing the inside skim box.

It seems to be a mix of both the skimmer box and the back box.

 

[h8edpurdie]

Looks like the tank bulkheads are gurgling. Have you tried running the water level in the overflow box lower?

Yes, I have. The lower it was the louder it was. This is the quietest I've managed to get it, though having the level this high makes me a little uneasy.

 

[WVNed]

I have an Eclipse overflow and I am having the same problem. There is too much difference between the water level in the tank and the front box. See the bubbles coming through the bulkheads. You don't want that. That is the water pouring into the front box and hitting the water in it. The rear box is to low to raise the level in the front box high enough.
I am pondering how to fix this right now.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Yes, I have. The lower it was the louder it was. This is the quietest I've managed to get it, though having the level this high makes me a little uneasy.

You are running a modified bean correct? That's a hole in the top of the backup drain?

I don't have the same overflow but same setup. What I found is if flow rate is too high that backup drain is trying to pull a siphon where it should be a trickle drain. Pulling air in through that hole causes a lot of turbulence and noise.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

I have an Eclipse overflow and I am having the same problem. There is too much difference between the water level in the tank and the front box. See the bubbles coming through the bulkheads. You don't want that. That is the water pouring into the front box and hitting the water in it. The rear box is to low to raise the level in the front box high enough.
I am pondering how to fix this right now.

I run the water level about half way up the bulkeads on my eclipse.

 

[ca1ore]

The problem is because the internal skim box is higher than the external box. As you drive higher flow through the unit, you cannot get the water level inside the skim box high enough to avoid waterfall sounds. You can reduce the noise some by pushing up the water level in the external box, but not enough and you run the risk of overflow.

IMO, it’s just a poor design. I was able to fix it with an eclipse overflow (which has the same issue) by redrilling and raising the external box.

 

[JoshH]

Unfortunately Synergy will be absolutely 0 help to you. It's a seriously heated topic that pops up here now and then. They continually refuse to admit there is a design flaw with the Shadow even though its pretty obvious there is. There are quite a few of people on here who have had the same exact issues as you are having now and running the external box water height within a 1/2" of the top seemed to be the only, albeit dangerous, solution aside from a total replacement.

The problem is so bad that other overflow makers even make a replacement external box for the Synergy Shadow. Lots of people swear by the Shadow but it seems if you want to run it at or even remotely close to what it's "Max Rated" flow rate you will run into these issues.

 

[rushbattle]

Not even heated anymore, he just wont respond because he knows he ripped off everyone that has or will buy one.

 

[WVNed]

I have an 8 foot tank running 3500 gallons an hour silently and this 75 running 900 is not making me happy.

The problem is because the internal skim box is higher than the external box. As you drive higher flow through the unit, you cannot get the water level inside the skim box high enough to avoid waterfall sounds. You can reduce the noise some by pushing up the water level in the external box, but not enough and you run the risk of overflow.

IMO, it’s just a poor design. I was able to fix it with an eclipse overflow (which has the same issue) by redrilling and raising the external box.

I really don't want to have to do that but

nuts
I thought going from a Sicce 5.0 to a 3.0 would help but it really doesnt change the levels the overflow works at.

 

[User]

Cut your losses and get a drop in replacement that’s is actually silent from Taylor at Exotic marine systems.

Trust me- I and a couple people almost got banned discussing this issue. It’s not worth your time.

And when the pro-synergy fan boys turn up, the ignore list is your best bet.

I have a 180 in wall pushing 800gph. I waited 6 months tweaking every 3-4 days becaause I trusted their marketing nonsense. I’ve tweaked the valve 2 times in 4 months since I got the replacement. And that was because I took my fuge offline abd cut back my pump setting.

Oh- hi @JoshH lol

 

[User]

I need some help.

I installed at Synergy Reef Ghost Overflow on my 155 gallon bowfront. I followed all the manufacturer's instructions when installing the unit. I for the life of me can not get it quiet. All the videos I see of this in operation have it super quiet, but I'm unable to achieve this. In addition, there is a ton of salt creep that comes out of the lid.

There is a gate valve on the mainline as instructed. The sump is in a fish room I built in my garage so I never hear that at all from inside my house. I've tried putting the drains in the sump below water and above with no difference. I have a Jebao DCP-10000 as my return. I'm currently running it at 100% but tried every power level it has with no change.

Excuse the mess in the below photo. Everything is still under construction.

And here's a quick video with how it sounds. It sounds much louder in the house than what is on the video.

I've tried reaching out to Synergy Reef but have received ZERO replies back. I'm super frustrated and if this is the level of support and customer care they receive, they won't be receiving any more of my hard-earned money.

I appreciate any help/tips/suggestions.

Thank you.

THat video was run at 400gph max. NO WAY it was run at max capacity.

Marketing lies.

 

[WillH]

I know this is probably not much help, but I have a ehops overflow similar to this with two drains, one primary and one backup. I would suggest you check out this type of drain- stockman. It literally change me from hating have our little tank in the living room to loving it! I tried tuning with a gate valve, etc to get better water level...found this to be MUCH easier. Only thing to keep in mind is to leave your emergency open. If you have any sort of algae or build up it can clog the muffler and you will want a backup for that.

Durso Or Stockman Standpipe? Wow! What A Difference!?

I decided to finally quiet down my CPR CS90 overflow after years of the gurgling and sucking sound in the background. Wow! What a difference!? It only took about 10 minutes to build. Since I had to wait 24 hours for the glue to dry right for safety for the system, after building the Durso. I...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[WVNed]

I made the Eshoppes M work for now flowing about 800 gph. I am sitting at my desk and cant hear it now.

2 issues
The rear box is not deep enough.
Once you get the flow you want is sucks a vortex and air goes into the main drain. Close the main drain valve and so much water goes down the emergency it goes noisy. I already made a new standpipe to raise the level in the rear box as high as I could. I dropped a 1.5 inch PVC tee on its side into the rear box over the main drain just loose. This disrupts the flow in the box and a strong vortex cant form.

You cant raise the water level in the front box high enough to make it quiet.
I cut a piece of plastic canvas slightly narrower than the front box and the same inside height. I stuck it in the front box. The water going through the weir is flowing down it quietly.

I also made a custom plate so I could adjust the flow through the weir. It works but I dont think it helped make it quieter. My tank level was too low. There is no way to adjust it since you cant change the level in the front box.

Disclaimer.
I am here almost all the time and the tank is on waterproof flooring. Experiment at your own risk

At some point I may drain the tank down and fix this but it is working for now.

 

[fcmatt]

I use the synergy overflow on a 60 g tank with the sump below it. Super quiet. They work just fine. I installed it according the to directions. Just wanted to get that out there.

Edited to add.. I think I have an older version as well.

I cannot imagine having the water that high on the external box. What makes this difficult is the plumbing that is not the typical setup in most tanks. Very little vertical drop. Long runs. ??

I would lower the pipes a bit, lower the flow, and have the water come out of those bulkheads at a half way point to start. Open drain all the way and slowly close it until happy. Is how I would attack it first.

 

[User]

I use the synergy overflow on a 60 g tank with the sump below it. Super quiet. They work just fine. I installed it according the to directions. Just wanted to get that out there.

Edited to add.. I think I have an older version as well.

I cannot imagine having the water that high on the external box. What makes this difficult is the plumbing that is not the typical setup in most tanks. Very little vertical drop. Long runs. ??

I would lower the pipes a bit, lower the flow, and have the water come out of those bulkheads at a half way point to start. Open drain all the way and slowly close it until happy. Is how I would attack it first.

60g tank, so running about 5-600gph?

Yeah, it’s going to be quiet. Cut off appears to be around 7-750gph. Everyone having problems ran it above 800.

 

[fcmatt]

60g tank, so running about 5-600gph?

Yeah, it’s going to be quiet. Cut off appears to be around 7-750gph. Everyone having problems ran it above 800.

I could probably dig up posts of people using it successfully at higher flow rates.
He states a DC-10000 pump that is an awful ?long? distance from the tank to the garage. Just how many gph could it possibly be pushing at 100%? It maxes out at 2600 gph with nothing connected to it at 100% right?

A 155 gallon tank would be just fine with 1000 gph flow from sump. This should work. The synergy overflow box was never ever meant to be plug and play. There is some figuring out to do. I just have no idea how to calculate the actual flow from the pump to the display. Why not set it to 700 and get it silent? Prove that it can work. With that lesson learned juice it up more.

 

[User]

I could probably dig up posts of people using it successfully at higher flow rates.
He states a DC-10000 pump that is an awful ?long? distance from the tank to the garage. Just how many gph could it possibly be pushing at 100%? It maxes out at 2600 gph with nothing connected to it at 100% right?

A 155 gallon tank would be just fine with 1000 gph flow from sump. This should work. The synergy overflow box was never ever meant to be plug and play. There is some figuring out to do. I just have no idea how to calculate the actual flow from the pump to the display. Why not set it to 700 and get it silent? Prove that it can work. With that lesson learned juice it up more.

It’s not going to work. There are multiple posts explaining why.

Go ems, install box in 3 weeks when It arrives then forget about it

I spent 6 months chasing the elusive silence and my problem was solved the day I ripped it out and put in the ems.

The 2” extra external box height makes ALL the difference