Bean Animal On a 75
- Thread starter Tautog
- Start date
MikeInToronto
New member
Hi,
Here are two videos of mine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu5IMoXa3PY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LoDPNNRbG0
My overflows are 1' at the intake but open into 1.5" outside the tank.
I'm using a Reeflo Dart pump.
Things I did and wouldn't do again:
1) I didn't use a complete coast-to-coast overflow. If I were to do it again using the Dart I would have expanded it across the entire back of the tank. The siphon is VERY strong and if a fish gets pulled in, it basically breaks the fish. I lost two fish that I thought were too "large" but the siphon just yanks them in.
2) I wouldn't use a Dart. In fact, I would just use a 600 gph return and add additional flow somewhere else (e.g. closed-loop, powerheads, etc.). Since the general consensus seems to be "match return flow to skimmer flow" I wonder if Beananimal is a little overkill and if more traditional overflow systems are just as suitable.
3) I expanded the intake from 1" to 1.5" outside the tank. Next time I would just use 1" all the way through, and I would put a gate valve at the bottom of the siphon pipe.
4) I used PVC for the pipes outside the tank. Next time I would use flexible pipe like vinyl.
5) The drop from where water enters the pipe to where it hit the sump is only about 3-4 feet. This doesn't allow the siphon to kick in very well, especially since the pipe outside the tank is 1.5" (meaning it has more air to push out).
6) Once a snail gets into the OF, the 1" is so narrow, it causes the Emergency to kick in so protect things from getting in. What I ended up doing was cutting GutterGuard into small lengths and wrapping it around the intake to keep things out. I added a pic. The only problem was that algae likes to grow on this but this isn't a problem if your tank is well maintained.
The Beananimal OF system with a big return pump is a deathtrap to fishes and other non-squishy critters in the tank so you need to protect things from getting in; seriously. Mine is pushing, nominally, 3500 gph though a 1" hole and that's a lot of flow. Even if you scaled it back to a more realistic 2500 gph, that's still a lot of flow. On the plus side, I'm pushing 2500 gph through a 1" hole and it's absolutely silent!
HTH.
Here are two videos of mine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu5IMoXa3PY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LoDPNNRbG0
My overflows are 1' at the intake but open into 1.5" outside the tank.
I'm using a Reeflo Dart pump.
Things I did and wouldn't do again:
1) I didn't use a complete coast-to-coast overflow. If I were to do it again using the Dart I would have expanded it across the entire back of the tank. The siphon is VERY strong and if a fish gets pulled in, it basically breaks the fish. I lost two fish that I thought were too "large" but the siphon just yanks them in.
2) I wouldn't use a Dart. In fact, I would just use a 600 gph return and add additional flow somewhere else (e.g. closed-loop, powerheads, etc.). Since the general consensus seems to be "match return flow to skimmer flow" I wonder if Beananimal is a little overkill and if more traditional overflow systems are just as suitable.
3) I expanded the intake from 1" to 1.5" outside the tank. Next time I would just use 1" all the way through, and I would put a gate valve at the bottom of the siphon pipe.
4) I used PVC for the pipes outside the tank. Next time I would use flexible pipe like vinyl.
5) The drop from where water enters the pipe to where it hit the sump is only about 3-4 feet. This doesn't allow the siphon to kick in very well, especially since the pipe outside the tank is 1.5" (meaning it has more air to push out).
6) Once a snail gets into the OF, the 1" is so narrow, it causes the Emergency to kick in so protect things from getting in. What I ended up doing was cutting GutterGuard into small lengths and wrapping it around the intake to keep things out. I added a pic. The only problem was that algae likes to grow on this but this isn't a problem if your tank is well maintained.
The Beananimal OF system with a big return pump is a deathtrap to fishes and other non-squishy critters in the tank so you need to protect things from getting in; seriously. Mine is pushing, nominally, 3500 gph though a 1" hole and that's a lot of flow. Even if you scaled it back to a more realistic 2500 gph, that's still a lot of flow. On the plus side, I'm pushing 2500 gph through a 1" hole and it's absolutely silent!
HTH.
Attachments
This is on the short side of my 75 peninsula setup. Return pump is a Quiet one 4000. (ignore the air line, its on the wrong drain in this pic)
Also, I did add an air line to the full siphon drain, too. I keep it closed with a small air line valve, which is connected to an aqualifter. Only open it when starting the siphon, which is the only pain in the butt aspect of the bean system. Once the siphon is started, and the valves tuned, its dead silent and awesome.
Also, I did add an air line to the full siphon drain, too. I keep it closed with a small air line valve, which is connected to an aqualifter. Only open it when starting the siphon, which is the only pain in the butt aspect of the bean system. Once the siphon is started, and the valves tuned, its dead silent and awesome.
Robb in Austin
New member
Me too!
Like Mike, I'd redo my calfo to run the full length. Mine is about 24" long, does a great job, but it would look nicer I think with a full length. I'd also run the flex pvc just to make it a bit easier to plumb.
Mine is plumbed with 1.25" all around on the drain side. If I used it again I would go with 1" or maybe .75". The 1.25 is just huge.
I run a Eheim 1260 for my return, so my return is only .75".
Like Mike, I'd redo my calfo to run the full length. Mine is about 24" long, does a great job, but it would look nicer I think with a full length. I'd also run the flex pvc just to make it a bit easier to plumb.
Mine is plumbed with 1.25" all around on the drain side. If I used it again I would go with 1" or maybe .75". The 1.25 is just huge.
I run a Eheim 1260 for my return, so my return is only .75".
Tautog
New member
Thanks for the pics guys. Also what I am thinking about doing is this: (sorry for not having any fancy cad drawings) since the length of the tank is 48" I was thinking of making the box 40" and leaving 4" on each side. I will run a return on each side of the box with a mag 9.5 or something equivalent, I just dont like the looks of stuff hanging over the box. If this is a bad idea, please let me know. Also can you guys give me the dimensions of your boxes on the 75 as far as the glass sizes are concerned ie height and width. Thanks
poppafish29
New member
I'm getting ready to do this on my 75 build. I plan on leaving a few inches on each end for the returns as well. I'll be using an Eheim 1260 for the return. I'm doing 1' into 1.5" pipe.
shovelrider
New member
nstiesi, How is your overflow box connected to the tank? Gaskets or silicon? Is the overflow glass?
