BeanAnimal Tuning Help

[dmolavi]

Anyone in the South Jersey area use the BeanAnimal overflow?

Mine is made with 1.25" pipes, valved (ball) on all three, but only the main is adjusted, the other two are full open.

Both main and full siphon inlets in the overflow are at the same level (I've read this can be good or bad, and the original BA thread doesn't specify).

Return pump is a Sicce Silent 3.0.

No matter what I do, I can't get this thing to settle in. Either the return pump is pumping too much and starts blowing bubbles into the tank, or the siphon is pulling too hard and drawing all the water out of the overflow.

If anyone is in the SJ area and can lend an assist, either via this forum, Skype, phone, or in person, please let me know.

Thanks,
DM

 

[Mike S]

You be having a difficult time because you are using a ball valve instead of a gate valve. A gate allows for finer adjustments. You should really only have a siphon running on the main drain. Normally you have a trickle going through the second drain with the siphon only kicking in when the level gets to high. Is the outlet of the main siphon under water? It should be.

 

[jerseypete]

^^^^^+1

 

[dmolavi]

Actually, I was able to dial it in. I went to bed that night, had all sorts of dreams about the thing, and got it working within 15 minutes the next morning. It was a combination of things:
1. Not enough water in the sump.
2. Incorrect sump baffle height (thankfully, easily removed, cut down and replaced).

It's been running silently for > 24hrs. I did a power outage test and when I plugged in the return pump again, it started up and settled within a minute or two. I plan on having my return pump on a dedicated UPS, so hopefully the outages will be few and far between.

 

[GROSSR]

As an FYI... I have had the beananimal setup for 2 years. I have a ball valve and never had an issue. While a Gate valve is more precise it is not necessary.

Dmolavi : I don't have my return pumps on a UPS, but I do have my MP10 on a UPS. I was without power for 8 hours last week and tank was just fine. Depending on your pumps draw and the size of the UPS, you might be better off with a small powerhead to keep water circulating. My overflow balances in a few minutes as well.

rich

rich

rich

 

[dmolavi]

Grossr, I actually have 2 UPS's available for the tank, and I will balance the load on them, but with preference towards the heater and my circulation pumps in the DT (vs the skimmer, reactor and return pump). I'll just have to make sure the heater can be easily relocated from the sump to the DT in the event of a prolonged outage during the fall/winter. (Or use the existing heater I have in my current tank as a backup)

Anyway, as someone with the BA setup, I have a question re: sump and ATO. My sump is only a 2 chamber (no fuge). I currently have the baffles set as shown in the image below. There is about 1.5 inches between them, and the left baffle is about 1 inch off the bottom of the sump.

I'm noticing the water level in the return section (the right, obviously) dropping much faster than in the intake section on the left, which effects the return flow (the water level in my overflow box will drop by about an inch or so).

Two questions:
1. Should I reverse the baffle positions, so that the baffle on the left sits on the bottom of the sump, and the one on the right is lifted?

2. Where should I have the ATO sensor and line, on the intake side or the return side?

Thanks,
DM

 

[Knd107]

The baffle on the left is normally to the bottom. I have always done it that way so I can't say if there is really a issue with the way you showed it.

The ato should be in the return section. It should be the only section that varies in water height. The ato will keep it leveled for you.

 

[GROSSR]

I have a skimmer in my sump and I need to keep that level as stable as possible. So I have a the the two main pipes going into that chamber. I have second chamber that is the same height as the first baffle for the skimmer and that is my refugium. So my first two chamber are at the exact same height.

Now come the fun part. the next baffle is low So as KND107 shows, that left most baffle is not at the bottom in my set up, but is lower than the one to the right.

I have my ATO sensor in the chamber where the pump is located, the return section as Knd107 stated.