over flow help

[steel3470]

I want to build a bean animal over flow on my 120.

1-what size holes do i drill in my tank?
2-i would want to drill 3 holes right?
3-do i want to drill any more holes for the return?

I'm assumeing I would want to drill for a 1" pipe and have a 3/4" return line drilled on the other side of the tank. So one one end I would drill 3 holes for the overflow and put a 4"x4"x18" overflow box on one end and drill one 3/4" hole for the return?

 

[Conesus_Kid]

Most 1" bulkheads require a 1.75" hole, but double-check on the bulkheads you're using before purchasing a drill bit. I have had success with Richon tools for an inexpensive glass drilling bit.

I've always run my returns over the back of the aquarium so they don't require drilling. This also allows you drill a higher siphon break in the return line so that less water drains to the sump when the return pump is shut off.

Good luck!

 

[Capt_Cully]

I followed Bean's directions and fitting sizes to a "T" :

http://beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system.aspx

I did not do a coast to coast skimmer box.
I did not drill holes for returns, I used PVC and Loc-line to go up-n-over the side of the tank. (This can create a back siphon, as can drilled holes in the glass for returns) Be sure to have a back siphon fail-safe, like vent holes/siphon breaks.

I could NOT find the street el's in Bean's diagram ANYWHERE. Had to make my own with some trimmed 90's and 1" PVC stock. No biggie, but wasted a lot of time looking for those fittings to no avail.

 

[steel3470]

What size bulkheads should inuse forna 120 gallon and how far down and from side should I go

 

[Capt_Cully]

I'd think you would just stick with the 1" slip x slips Bean describes. His plumbing is 1.5" for the most part which he says he can get 2000 gph through silently. I'm not pushing that much, but it's nice to know I could get a big pump and run it WFO if I wanted to.

If you did the 1" Bulkheads you could also run 1" plumbing instead of 1.5". That way you wouldn't have to dial back the 1.5" ball valves as much if you weren't running a ton of flow through your overflow.

What return pump are you planning on using? The amount of flow you were planning would be what I'd base my decision on. I went a little bigger just in case my planned return pump wasn't enough. This way I have options.

 

[cardiffgiant]

I love the beananimal overflow. Very quiet and fail safe. I've had mine run with up to 1500GPH before it gets noisy. The teeth on my overflow aren't cut for that much flow, so i usually keep it around 800GPH.

I would stick with the 1.5" plumbing. The intention is for the water to be able to run down the sides of the pipe with room for air. That prevents there from being a gurgling of flushing sound in the pipe.

I did my return like Cully. I ran PVC to the top and used loc line . Mine doesn't submerse very far into the tank, so the display doesn't drain much when the return pump is off.

Here's a shot of mine:

 

[steel3470]

I have no idea what pump to get was thinking a magdrive 9 I think that should be good for gph pushing about 800 gph will this be enough for a 120 gallon.
That's perfect thanks for the help and pictures.

So basically if I drill for a 1 1/2 bUlkhead I'll be fine.

How many returns should I have I was thinking two 3/4 returns

So I would have my overflow in the middle and one return on each side using lockline

 

[cardiffgiant]

Are you doing a basement sump or a sump under the tank? Any plans to tee off for a refugium or a carbon chamber?

I'd calculate the head loss to be safe, but you might consider a mag 12. For the return, I did 1.5" plumbing all the way to the top of the tank, then tee'd it off 4 ways to 3/4" loc line. They also make 1" loc line now.

 

[steel3470]

The sump will be right under the tank only going to have half refum and other side skimmer then return in the middle

 

[cardiffgiant]

A mag should be good there, but a 12 might be the way to go with the fuge tied in.

Here's a link to the headloss calculator. You can put in your pipe diameter, and plumbing plans with a number of pumps to see what your flow will look like.

http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php

 

[steel3470]

Im going to go with a mag 12 seems to be the way to gogo