Anyone using herbie overflow ?

[Abbyreefer]

So I set up my overflow last night and decided to change from the durso to the Herbie style overflow because I found the durso to be just a tad loud and wanted to see what the Herbie woudl be like since I've only ever had either a stockman or a durso. I'm having a hard time matching th ereturn to the drain... Either the drain pulls too quickly so that falls into the drain hole and when I turn the drain ball vale to slow the drain or increase the return its way to much even when I just barely open or close the ball valve.

Any recommendations ?

Main drain is 1" and about 5 inches from the overflow box top. Emergency is 3/4" and about 1 inch from the top.

[md14]

It's tough to get a herbie working perfectly with a ball valve, If you can try to get a gate valve and you should have no problems

[mseepman]

That's what I was going to say...needs a gate valve. I did one on my nano....didn't do it totally right, but will next time now that I know my mistakes.

[Abbyreefer]

Excuse my lack of knowledge but what is the difference between a ball valve and a gate valve and how would a gate valve be much easier to adjust properly ?

[Phanman]

gate valve allows for fine tuning to a more open or closed position where a ball valve is pretty hard to adjust as when you slightly open it, it kinda jerks open and sticks.

www.savko.com/Images/gate.gif

[LeeR]

mine works fine with a ball valve... it just takes a bit of fiddling to get it right

[Abbyreefer]

Geez !! Gate valves are pricey. Holy smokes batman . I might try again tonight fiddling with the ball valve to get it right before I go out and spend 40 bux with taxes on a gate valve. I do like how quiet it is with the Herbie though so if thats what it come down to the so be it.

[untamed]

Yes, unfortunately a gate valve is your answer. There are some pretty inexpensive ones to be found if you look. My system has 4 different Herbie overflows.

[Abbyreefer]

Untamed - Where did you get your gate valves ?

[fishytime]

I wouldnt plumb in a herbie without a gate valve....with a ball valve even if you get it set perfectly, the first time a piece of algae gets caught on it, it will need tweaking. With a gate you can minutely turn it to fine tune your water level. Save yourself the frustration and buy a gate.

[Ryan]

Speaking of stuff getting caught up in your gate vavle how often do you have to clean it.

[fishytime]

Stuff doesnt get caught in the gate valve....stuff will get caught in the strainer fitting on your primary drain...I just have my emergency drain open at the top. I usually clean my strainer fitting, if not every week, then every other week. Some people just screw a strainer directly into the primary drain bulkhead, I have mine in a fitting half way up the overflow so I can reach it better.

[e46er]

never had a herbie set up but being in a piping trade i can tell you gate valves were designed for fine adjustments ball valves were designed for wide open or closed and do not work well for adjustments

[Pazil]

X2

i wouldnt plumb in a herbie without a gate valve....with a ball valve even if you get it set perfectly, the first time a piece of algae gets caught on it, it will need tweaking. With a gate you can minutely turn it to fine tune your water level. Save yourself the frustration and buy a gate.

[Chin_Lee]

Geez !! Gate valves are pricey. Holy smokes batman . I might try again tonight fiddling with the ball valve to get it right before I go out and spend 40 bux with taxes on a gate valve. I do like how quiet it is with the Herbie though so if thats what it come down to the so be it.
do it right the first time and just get a gate valve. the inconvenience of having to cut out your ball valve and buying couplings to install the gate valve later is just not worth it IMO

[karazy]

if your looking for something accurate but the price of gate valves make you sh*t a brick, take a look at knife valves.

they are not as expensive, and people have used them on herbies before (like GreenSpottedPuffer)

[Chin_Lee]

I've used knife valves before too - their shaft rusted and wasn't able to adjust anymore. worse off than the ball valves. IME

[LeeR]

a picture of my hurbie set up with ball valve .. i made sure to use true union for everything for easy cleaning, moving if needed, and it also makes changing your plubing easy.

ive never had a problem with it... so it can be done and does work fine

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc152/leerozankoski/clam%20tank/DSC_0006-2.jpg

[fishytime]

a picture of my hurbie set up with ball valve .. i made sure to use true union for everything for easy cleaning, moving if needed, and it also makes changing your plubing easy.ive never had a problem with it... so it can be done and does work fine

Ya but, thats the ferrari of ball valves....only slightly cheaper than a gate valve....but if you were gonna do a herbie with a ball valve, that would be the one to buy.

[LeeR]

:mrgreen: haha ya i used to work for canplas... it was free along with my sch 80 bulk heads now that i look at my parts book its priced at $30 so never mind get a check valve.

[Myka]

www.bulkreefsupply.com has really good prices on gate valves (and lots of other stuff too).

[iansfishy]

anyone know where to find plans on building a herbie? Ive looked, cant find anything. OK I didnt look that hard, but help would be nice. Sorry to jack your thread!

[fishytime]

anyone know where to find plans on building a herbie? Ive looked, cant find anything. OK I didnt look that hard, but help would be nice. Sorry to jack your thread!

Its really a simple set-up. Basically two straight pipes. I have fairly detailed pics in my build thread. http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=40669 Shoot me a pm if you need/want more pics or to pick my brain....just dont pick too hard....I need what is left up there:mrgreen:

[Canadian]

In the same vein I prefer the Beananimal overflow design over the standard Herbie for redundancy. Since setting up the Beananimal overflow it has saved me twice when I had 2 snails make their way into 2 different overflow pipes.