Silent and Failsafe Overflow System

[uncleof6]

Originally Posted by Indusrty

Anyone have an online source for the 1" to 1.25" street elbows that are supposed to be used on the tank side of the bulkheads? I've searched and come up with nothing.

They are convenient indeed, but you don't HAVE to use them. You can use 1" ells and not lose much. Spears makes them, just it is uncommon part in use. Irrigation supply houses can come up with one for you. When it comes to the good stuff, the big box stores fall on their face....

[Indusrty]

Thanks uncle. Found then on a sprinkler supply site.

[Poseidon20000]

I'm setting a new 220 and I have an external overflow box with a full run C2C on the inside of the tank. The tank has 3, 2" bulkheads to drain into a 36" long external overflow. The overflow has 3, 1.5" holes ready for a beananimal style drain system.

I've been combing through thread after thread for hours/days and cannot find a clear answer as to the right plumbing parts needed for an external overflow. The drain holes are located at the bottom of the external overflow.

Will someone PLEASE point in the right direction!?! Is there an updated guide somewhere? I've seen people use p-traps, p-traps with cleanouts, street ells with 90's, parts using the airline tubing.... Etc.

Any help would be much appreciated. I've used the search tool on so many different keywords only to be more confused.

THANKS IN ADVANCED.

[Spar]

i have mine in an external overflow box as well with bulkheads at the bottom. it is the same concept you just build it upward rather than outward.

use varying lengths of PVC for each of the drain lines for the height of each inside the overflow box. I think I used something like 3.5" for the full siphon, 4" for the open channel, and 6" for the fail safe. That way the full siphon is lower than the other two. for the full siphon and open channel, just use a street-L on each, or 2 90's to create the L. The fail safe can simply be the PVC pipe with nothing on the end. at the top of the open-channel, drill a small hole (smaller than the one I drilled, but not sure it matters).

depending on how much space you have on yours, you may need to put the fail safe in the middle instead of side like a lot of the pictures in this thread show. that is what I had to do.

Here are views of my setup:

[Jani]

Hi Guys,

Sorry I just pop into the middle of this chatting but I would have a few questions about the Bean Animal overflow and pluming.

I’m just setting up a new reef system and I’m testing the Bean Animal “dead silent” overflow how it works in my tank. I read lot of pages from this awesome thread and I have already got lot of answers for many questions but there are still more according to it.

As I read previously, it should have been about 15-30 sec to be absolutely silent the system after the water starts circulating. Is this correct, isn’t it?
In my situation it takes about 3-4 min.

Dead silent means when I can’t hear anything neither from the overflow box nor the sump (drains)?

The tank is a 680 Litre (5’ x 2’ x 800 mm LxWxH) with a 48 cm long overflow box only, instead of the c2c. (Is this problem according to the level of the noise?)

I’m using a 6000 L/hr Hopar BP-6000 return pump, which has max 4 m head hight. The distance between the pump and the surface of the display tank is 165 cm. I used 20 mm pipe for the return line and I have measured the return flow which is about 2400 L/hr only.

The three bulkheads, from the overflow box, are 25 mm in diameter which connect to 40 mm drain pipes. These standpipes are just 1.8 cm below the water level in the sump.

Most of the fitting and pipes are glued with PVC cement and I used tape as well. Between the T fitting and the bulkhead I used only sealant tape.

How much flow should return to the tank? More flow -with a stronger pump- would help me out?

Should I change the return pipe for a larger one? Would it help to fix the problem? (it helped to pdiehm if I’m correct)

Is that normal that the valve is almost totally closed? It can easily clogged in this stage.

Let me know if I forgot to mention any other details which would help to ID the issue why the noise could take too long until it will be quieter?

I have attached a website to where I uploaded pictures and videos about the system. Hope you guys can see and watch it...

https://www.dropshots.com/corydoras/date/2015-11-16

Thanks,
Jani

[cooleeo]

Hi everyone, New to the forum and what can I say about this thread? WOW!!!
I've read a large amount of this over the last few weeks/days and am quite honestly overwhelmed by the amount of info on this subject. I am planning to incorporate it on my next/current project...a 220 gallon freshwater frontosa tank with a 5'x2'x18" sump.
I will be installing a c2c 6"high x 5"wide external overflow box and plan to use a Jebao/jecod DCS9000 pump which will return approx. 1600 gph at a head height of 1.5metres. I intend to use 1.25" plumbing for all drains. I've got a solid grasp of how the system works and have seen how many have made their own little "modifications & tweeks", just looking for some first hand knowledge and experience of some of the more basic stuff as I've never run a sump before.

What size bulkheads and how many should I drill in the back panel of the tank? Or should I get a weir cut along almost the entire length of the back panel? Also does anyone see any flaws in the equipment or suggested plans I propose to use?
Sorry if these Q's have been asked before but trying to find the answers amongst almost 9000 posts is almost impossible if I am to get this project up and running before next summer. Any info or suggestions would be really appreciated.

[danrobberg]

You could use a reef synergy overflow. They make a 20 inch version that I believe is rated for over 2000 gallons per hour. You would only have to drill 2 holes in the tank and they give you a template to use and all the bulkheads needed are also included.

[danrobberg]

Question about the height of my drains in external overflow box. The water going down the drain is silent and tuned properly but the water going through the weir and into the overflow box is kind of noisy. I'm wondering if I make my drains taller this would increase the water level and quiet down the water entering the box. Any thoughts?

[Spar]

Originally Posted by danrobberg

Question about the height of my drains in external overflow box. The water going down the drain is silent and tuned properly but the water going through the weir and into the overflow box is kind of noisy. I'm wondering if I make my drains taller this would increase the water level and quiet down the water entering the box. Any thoughts?

That is what i had to do. Try in 1/2" increments until you hit the sweet spot. I have the synergy reef overflows.

[danrobberg]

Awesome. Thanks

[EvMiBo]

I'm redoing my bean animal plumbing on my 135 in part because I just got a new sump. I also want to move the true union ball valve on the siphon drain lower, just above the sump (as I've read this purges air better when it restarts after a poweroutage, etc - makes sense). I currently have a waterblaster 7000lph, 1" drain bulkheads, and 1.5" drain pipe, and the ball valve is roughly halfway open/closed. I just bought a Jecod DCS12000 that I plan on running at 60-70%. The drop is about 5' and will only have 2 45degree elbows on each drain line after the sanitary tees.

- My new sump has three drain input fittings, but they're 1". I assumed I could just switch to 1" drain pipe but I don't know if it could handle the flow or not, thoughts?

- Would 1.5" drain piping reduced to 1" piping at the drain input fittings allow for higher flow? Or is that equivalent to just having all 1" drain pipe?

[hobbzz]

Getting ready to set thus up. I've read the article on the website. My question is about the incoming the website and the original info in the first few pages of this thread. Are those instructions still relevant or have there been some note worthy adjustments that would require reading through the whole thread? With my work schedule it would probably take me about a month or two to read the entire thing. I'd hate to do that (and more so, my wife) if no changes have been made to the original design. Thanks.

[Rybren]

Originally Posted by cooleeo

I will be installing a c2c 6"high x 5"wide external overflow box and plan to use a Jebao/jecod DCS9000 pump which will return approx. 1600 gph at a head height of 1.5metres.

I just installed a DCS9000 on my new 120G build. The pump pushes a lot of water, but has a very noticeable hum to it. Definitely not a silent pump. The pump is running at power level 3.

I have an internal BA with a 40" long, 5"x4" internal C2C overflow using 1" bulkheads and 1 1/2" drain pipes. It handles the flow fine and even with the siphon closed, the open channel handles all of the flow with the emergency remaining dry. (The open channel doesn't even kick over to siphon).

If you do go with a BA, do yourself a favour and use a gate valve on the siphon. I couldn't source one locally and went with a gate instead - it is a real pain to adjust.

[thefuz]

Would like to clarify something regarding valve position on the siphon line for a basement sump setup. Is it better to place the siphon control valve above the sump in the basement or should it be located beneath the overflow?

I've upsized the pipe from 1.5" to 2" but this is probably overkill. I'm not sure the overflow can even handle more than 2500GPH [tried this weir equation: Q (i.e. flow) = 2/3 C L H sqrt(2 g H) using my overflow dimensions and it comes out around 2,600]. Hopefully this is underestimating but we'll see how it goes once I can start tuning.

[jason2459]

Valve as close to the sump as you can.

[EvMiBo]

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

I'm redoing my bean animal plumbing on my 135 in part because I just got a new sump. I also want to move the true union ball valve on the siphon drain lower, just above the sump (as I've read this purges air better when it restarts after a poweroutage, etc - makes sense). I currently have a waterblaster 7000lph, 1" drain bulkheads, and 1.5" drain pipe, and the ball valve is roughly halfway open/closed. I just bought a Jecod DCS12000 that I plan on running at 60-70%. The drop is about 5' and will only have 2 45degree elbows on each drain line after the sanitary tees.

- My new sump has three drain input fittings, but they're 1". I assumed I could just switch to 1" drain pipe but I don't know if it could handle the flow or not, thoughts?

- Would 1.5" drain piping reduced to 1" piping at the drain input fittings allow for higher flow? Or is that equivalent to just having all 1" drain pipe?

bump

[Hybridhibrid]

I got a tank with three 3/4" bulkhead. The three 3/4" bulkhead with 1" pipes can work as Bean-Animal system ? I want handle 600-700 gph (freshwater). Pipe drop: 35". Thanks!

[MiddletoM]

Quick question,

i have 3x1.5" bulkheads on my external box. I take it i can just use 1.5" fittings and pipe, no need to reduce to 1". Am i right in thinking this?

[MiddletoM]

found the answer to my question above on page 218.

[huseMN]

Looking for a sanity check before I purchase Parts.....

I have a 75 Gallon peninsula tank I am looking to plumb to a basement sump 10-15 feet lower than DT.

Looking to go with Internal overflow. I will use 3- 1" bulkheads. Plumbed as Beananimal suggests.

I will use a panworld 150 return pump.

I am planning on using 1'' piping all the way to sump. Max flow of around (1200gph?) I will put a gate valve on the siphon drain just above where the pipe enters the basement sump.

I will use spa flex 1" (flexible PVC pipe) for all three drains. I will use 1.5" return back to the DT. Any issues using this type of piping?

If I plan on upgrading tank size in the future what would be the maximum tank size one would be comfortable with while using 1" piping? Assuming 3-6x turnover rate?

Anything else I am missing?

Thanks

[adamwheel]

Avoiding filter socks/fish death trap on full siphon:

I've posted a few times on this thread asking how to avoid filter socks on the full siphon. Bean and others replied with what they do to avoid the death trap but still keep clear water.

I've done a couple things that have given my DIY 178 gal SPS reef the clearest water I've had in a couple years and thought I'd quickly share here.

1. I purchased an Emperor Aquatics UV 40 Watt (sized for my aquarium). Found it used and paid about 50% that of retail. This helped a great deal with water clarity but the particles in the water were still annoying.

2. I've now installed a Cascade 1500 external canister filter (rated for 200 gal system) and it's made all the difference.

The water clarity is spectacular and fish can escape to the sump without harm when they get swept into the C2C overflow. I did create overflow covers that allow about 5/8" gap between water and covers but chromis and wrasses still find their way in at times.

I hope this helps someone.

Cheers,

Adam

[EvMiBo]

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

I'm redoing my bean animal plumbing on my 135 in part because I just got a new sump. I also want to move the true union ball valve on the siphon drain lower, just above the sump (as I've read this purges air better when it restarts after a poweroutage, etc - makes sense). I currently have a waterblaster 7000lph, 1" drain bulkheads, and 1.5" drain pipe, and the ball valve is roughly halfway open/closed. I just bought a Jecod DCS12000 that I plan on running at 60-70%. The drop is about 5' and will only have 2 45degree elbows on each drain line after the sanitary tees.

- My new sump has three drain input fittings, but they're 1". I assumed I could just switch to 1" drain pipe but I don't know if it could handle the flow or not, thoughts?

- Would 1.5" drain piping reduced to 1" piping at the drain input fittings allow for higher flow? Or is that equivalent to just having all 1" drain pipe?

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

bump

Can anyone help me out?

[yoki32]

Is the Open Channel Standpipe suppose to spit out air bubbles once landing in the sump?

It says on Bean's website that "Because the flow is very low, very little air makes its way to the sump."

I am getting some large bubbles coming out and some of them enter my skimmer pump. Anyway to remedy this?

[woodnaquanut]

Originally Posted by yoki32

Is the Open Channel Standpipe suppose to spit out air bubbles once landing in the sump?

It says on Bean's website that "Because the flow is very low, very little air makes its way to the sump."

I am getting some large bubbles coming out and some of them enter my skimmer pump. Anyway to remedy this?

Perhaps you have too much flow in the OC? Try opening up the siphon valve a small amount.

[yoki32]

@woodnaquanut - Yeah that was the issue...it resolved my problem! Thanks I appreciate it!