More questions than answers

[Marsha]

I went to my LFS and went through about 4 tanks to see the different ways that closed loop and overflow tanks are set up. My new 125 gallon tank has 3 holes in the center overflow and 3 in the display. I am thinking Herbie set up in the overflow with the return in one of the 3/4 inch holes, the other for the drain and the third hole (1 inch) the emergency drain. It was recommended that the closed loop be two drains and the third hole for the return (all 3/4 inch). I know that most people are moving away from the closed loop but since I have never done it before I would like to try it to have fewer things hanging in the display. The sump holds approximately 65 gallons.

 

[tennesseebob]

If 3 holes in overflow, why not a bean animal, it's a pretty awesome drain. Closed loop is cool, but I bet you eventually want some control in your flow patterns.

 

[Marsha]

okay difference? I could not find anything on bean animal that showed a diagram.

 

[stingeragent]

The bean setup uses 1 full siphon, 1 trickle, and 1 dry emergency

 

[Marsha]

And the return is over the back of the tank? and the largest is used as the emergency?

 

[toothybugs]

My phone won't let me do a search, but look up "quiet failsafe overflow" and find the first page. Bean put up some great CAD illustrations.

 

[toothybugs]

Ha, Google found it too: http://www.beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system.aspx

 

[Marsha]

okay but by the looks of that the tank needs to be drilled on the back and mine is drilled on the bottom.

 

[stingeragent]

No it works the same either way. If your bottom drilled, your drain pipes will just be taller in the overflow. You'll have your main drain come up from the bottom say 6 inches. Then you'll put the trickle pipe in higher than that, wherever that pipe is, will be the waterlevel inside the overflow. Then your emergency will be higher than the the trickle.

 

[nuxx]

Have hacked up versions of Herbies/BA running on our frag and display tanks.

Started up with a basic BA, then just played around with it until I found what worked best for both systems.

Working great

 

[Marsha]

Well I got some parts to set up the closed loop and the bean animal. I am still debating the bean animal because of having to have the return over the back of the tank.