Equipment - Is Herbie the best?

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Is Herbie the best?

Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=45537
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Topic: Is Herbie the best?

Posted By: Jeffs_little_ocean
Subject: Is Herbie the best?
Date Posted: December 19 2010 at 4:46pm

I keep reading about how people are using the herbie method for their overflow's because its aparently silent. Im just wondering if those using this method all use a gate valve on the drain line? Ive always kind of thought that a gate valve on the drain is a bad idea in case anything gets caught in it? Anyway, I am in the process of re-doing my plumbing and thought that I could get away with no valves on the retrurn, or the drain and just adjusting the drain height by experimenting with diferent lengths of pvc going into the threaded bulkhead. But no matter the length of pvc I try, I keep getting this wave effect where the water level slowly rises, and then al of a sudden, flows out in this mad toiletflush sounding surge! Any ideas on what is going on here? Sorry Im kind of plumbing challenged I guess...

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Replies:

Posted By: badfinger
Date Posted: December 19 2010 at 4:54pm

i use beans dead silent overflow... kind of along the same lines as herbie, but your main drain is suction. and then depending on how many gph your planning on putting down it, you have another one that is a back up just incase that one gets backedup a little then you have a 3rd drain for emergencies... i love it, dead silent

i am using 1 drain and then 2 backups just in case...but if i wanted to divert more water into the second drain to divert some say to a skimmer or something i could by just closing the valve a little more

Posted By: Jeffs_little_ocean
Date Posted: December 19 2010 at 4:58pm

So you have gate valves on your drainlines then badfinger?

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Life is good....right?

Posted By: badfinger
Date Posted: December 19 2010 at 5:05pm

yes... on mine main drain, i have one on my second drain cause the plans called for it but i never have any reason for using it.. and none on my 3rd drain...

see i dont mind having a valve on my drain cause i have 2 other backups... and with the water i am pushing thru 1 of the pipes can more then handle it.. suction gets broken in power faliure the 2nd drain will take all until suction gets restarted, and then if something gets stuck in that pipe i still have a 3rd that is waiting

Posted By: tcfab
Date Posted: December 19 2010 at 5:09pm

Jeff, what type of tank do you have? To do the Herbie method you need 2 drains, 1 runs at full syphon and the second is a backup in case it ever gets clogged. You cant really do the Herbie with a standard drilled tank that has a hole for a 1" bulkhead and a 3/4" bulkhead. I personally wouldn't trust a 3/4" pipe as my backup. However you can drill a hole in the back glass inside the overflow box to accomidate a 1" bulkhead for a backup drain. Don't use a stand ball valve for the herbie, it is WAY to hard to keep it consistant. I used a standard ball valve on my frag tank and hate it, I will be changing it to a gate valve shortly.

From your post it sounds like you might want to try a standard Durso standpipe. Do you just have a straight piece of pipe coming straight up with an open top at the moment?

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Posted By: Jeffs_little_ocean
Date Posted: December 19 2010 at 5:26pm

My tank isnt drilled (I guess I should have mentioned that sorry) I just bought a CPR external overflow and it is drilled in the bottom for a 1 inch bulkhead so aparently I cant do the herbie method (well unless I drill another hole in the bottom of the overflow) Yesterday I tried the durso (at least I think i did.. if I did it right) I just used a tee with one end threaded into the bulkhead with a 90 elbow coming out pointed down. The other end of the tee was capped off with a hole for air. But it is just too noisy and I need to try something else.

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Life is good....right?