Replumbing a full and stocked 90, suggestions please

[Hemmdog]

hello,
My 90gal is 7 months running. I plumbed it with a durso style drain which the noise level has always been fairly loud. Now that the tank is more established the plumbing seems to be getting even louder, my wife can’t take it anymore, she says I need to do something ASAP. So I’d like to start planning this and get it done sometime late feb early March.
I plumbed it durso style because the tank was predrilled and didn’t have enough holes for a bean animal. Looking back on it I should of researched plumbing more, and less about corals lol.
My goal is to switch the plumbing to a herbie style in my overflow, and route the return up the back of the tank. How will I do this? If I drain the overflow box and the tank below the weirs will I have ample time to work on the plumbing? Can I just leave my gyres going and toss a heater in the display? My tank is doing really good, inhabitants seem happy, so I would prefer to not have to drain it if possible.
Also pvc curing time, the product I used last time, Kristies, said to let cure for 24 hours, I believe. I have seen some people let it cure for as little as 3 hours and be successful, but how risky is that? Is it a risk to my tank with the residual chemicals or is it a risk to the pipes of coming undone.
If I’m going to redo my plumbing I might as well get the fancy colored pipes like I see so much on here, where do you guys get the reef safe pvc that’s colored?

Preferably I would like to keep it hard plumbed, soft plumbing looks like amateur hour imo.

Thank you so much to anyone who takes the time to help me out

 

[Hemmdog]

@dantimdad you seem to be pretty pro on the plumbing front, any suggestions to make this happen? It’s a little daunting to be honest,haha.

 

[dantimdad]

Thanks for the compliment.

OK. First thing is first: Do you have a photo of the overflow and current plumbing?

I am guessing this is a corner style overflow with a single 1" drain and a single 3/4" return pipe.

So here is what we are going to do if it is indeed an overflow like above. You will be limited to about 400-500 GPH flow. You will remove the durso and set the height of the drain pipe about 1/8"above the water level of the tank. This will dump into the tank with no obstructions. Run the return line up and over the rim into the tank and put in a piece of 3/4" pvc in the return bulkhead that goes to 3/4" below the water line you normally run. On the bottom of this you will need a gate valve or a true union ball valve. A gate valve makes this much easier to dial in.

This is a Herbie style drain. The reason the 1" has no valve is it's the safety and will make a bunch of noise if the first one gets clogged letting you know there is a problem. You do not want the smaller pipe to be the emergency!

Let me know if you have more questions.

 

[dantimdad]

I got my blue pvc from Home Depot. Much cheaper than fish supply places and it's full 5 foot pieces not 46".

 

[Lowell Lemon]

@Hemmdog
If your tank is tempered glass or plate glass I would not attempt to drill to change the design you are running. You might just have to reduce the pump rate from the sump and increase the wave maker pumps in the display. The reduction of water flow through the drain should quiet it down.

You should see some of the tank failures due to attempts to drill after set up. It will make your skin crawl, jaw clench and cause a pucker moment just before the bottom blows out.

If the tank is acrylic that is a different matter all together. I would have no problem drilling acrylic using the right tools and tool speed.

 

[dantimdad]

Yes, don't drill anymore holes. Just do the herbie drain and it will quiet down.

I have run them for years and years and you can barely hear them. Only time one has failed it was my fault for doing something stupid. LOL.

 

[theMeat]

If you’re using your drilled return as a drain, easy. If you bottom pane is already drilled it’s not tempered.
Brs has colored pvc, and pvc cement dries within minutes, 30 minutes tops.

Use a gate valve for primary drain pipe.

I would take out 10 gallons or so, do your plumbing, put 10 gallons back. Don’t see a problem with leaving heater in tank and circ pumps running

Good luck.

Btw, before you do this you might want to try a diy stockman standpipe. Much quieter than durso

 

[crusso1993]

hello,
My 90gal is 7 months running. I plumbed it with a durso style drain which the noise level has always been fairly loud. Now that the tank is more established the plumbing seems to be getting even louder, my wife can’t take it anymore, she says I need to do something ASAP. So I’d like to start planning this and get it done sometime late feb early March.
I plumbed it durso style because the tank was predrilled and didn’t have enough holes for a bean animal. Looking back on it I should of researched plumbing more, and less about corals lol.
My goal is to switch the plumbing to a herbie style in my overflow, and route the return up the back of the tank. How will I do this? If I drain the overflow box and the tank below the weirs will I have ample time to work on the plumbing? Can I just leave my gyres going and toss a heater in the display? My tank is doing really good, inhabitants seem happy, so I would prefer to not have to drain it if possible.
Also pvc curing time, the product I used last time, Kristies, said to let cure for 24 hours, I believe. I have seen some people let it cure for as little as 3 hours and be successful, but how risky is that? Is it a risk to my tank with the residual chemicals or is it a risk to the pipes of coming undone.
If I’m going to redo my plumbing I might as well get the fancy colored pipes like I see so much on here, where do you guys get the reef safe pvc that’s colored?

Preferably I would like to keep it hard plumbed, soft plumbing looks like amateur hour imo.

Thank you so much to anyone who takes the time to help me out

Sounds like you're happy with everything presently except the noise. If this is the case, I would definitely do a Stockman Standpipe. Costs about $10 to make your own and takes about 20 minutes. Here's a video that explains it much easier and quicker than I could type it out. Good luck!

 

[dantimdad]

They are quiet but there is no backup drain. IMO, that's just a recipe for disaster.

 

[crusso1993]

They are quiet but there is no backup drain. IMO, that's just a recipe for disaster.

Hey, PAL, look here. I prefaced my comment with confirming the idea that he is presently happy with everything except the noise. Other than that, we are in agreement about using a Durso instead of a Herbie. So, put that in your Durso and smoke it!

 

[ReefGeezer]

You might try just running some rigid airline tubing down the hole in your Durso cap and halfway down the tube.

 

[dantimdad]

Hey, PAL, look here. I prefaced my comment with confirming the idea that he is presently happy with everything except the noise. Other than that, we are in agreement about using a Durso instead of a Herbie. So, put that in your Durso and smoke it!

Please excuse @crusso1993 he is under some delusion that we are having marital issues. He just needs a time out. ;Hilarious;Hilarious;Hilarious

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Please excuse @crusso1993 he is under some delusion that we are having marital issues. He just needs a time out. ;Hilarious;Hilarious;Hilarious

I just took it as a little friendly kidding;Blackeye.

 

[Hemmdog]

You might try just running some rigid airline tubing down the hole in your Durso cap and halfway down the tube.

That’s what I’m currently doing. It is quieter than nothing but still pretty loud.
The emergency drain was something I wanted anyways, I’m not sure why I insisted on running the return through the bottom of the tank.. @dantimdad so yes there’s two holes on the bottom of the overflow, one allows a 1inch, the other is 3/4inch. I currently have 900gph running through it, maybe that is to quickly. It’s been keeping me up at night in fear of waking up to a flood. The water level in the overflow is higher than it used to be as well. Foreshadowing to a floor it seems. My return has 4 loc-line outlets. I like this, but if it will be to tricky to route that outside the tank I am willing to reduce it to 2, preferably not just 1 return.

Thank you so much for the sugestions everyone! You guys are awesome!

 

[Hemmdog]

Pics of what I have now

 

[dantimdad]

One of those bulkheads is 3/4" and the other 1" from the photos. Either way. Plumb it like I mentioned and rest well at night.

 

[Hemmdog]

One of those bulkheads is 3/4" and the other 1" from the photos. Either way. Plumb it like I mentioned and rest well at night.

Awesome, thank you so much. I’m sure I’ll hit you up again once I get closer to install if that’s ok lol.

 

[Katrina71]

Sounds like you're happy with everything presently except the noise. If this is the case, I would definitely do a Stockman Standpipe. Costs about $10 to make your own and takes about 20 minutes. Here's a video that explains it much easier and quicker than I could type it out. Good luck!

Can you link this to my 8 gallon Biocube thread please? I might need this

 

[Katrina71]

@Hemmdog I might need to use some of your suggestions to make mine quiet too.

 

[Katrina71]

Don't scream...mine. It will be hard plumbed.