Silent and Failsafe Overflow System
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
everything you need is in this
http://www.beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system.aspx
I think I read somewhere that the distance between the bottom edge of the siphon and the bottom of the overflow should be 1/4" to 1/2". Does that sound about right? I had my holes drilled today on my 150 for 1.5" bulkheads, and I was thinking I may have requested them a little low. When installed, with a 1.5" street elbow put in, I have 5 inches from the lower trim to the lower edge of the turned down street elbow. I'm trying not to have a 6" internal overflow. 5 1/4 sounds better to me, but that would mean only 1/4" between the turned down elbow and the bottom of the overflow box.
depends on the length of your arm. mine are in the center but i'm 6'2" and have long arms. might be wise to move to a 1 foot off set to the easier side to reach.
No room
No room
I have a 300 gal acrylic tank with two overflow boxes toward the sides in the back, not corner overflow boxes. both boxes have two 2" holes drilled. There is no space to drill a third hole in either one. When I put the two 2" in pipes in there, I have no room to put an elbow facing down on both of them ,just on one. But it blocks the other pipe from going higher that the bottom of the elbow on the other pipe. Any input would be appreciated.
No room
I have a 300 gal acrylic tank with two overflow boxes toward the sides in the back, not corner overflow boxes. both boxes have two 2" holes drilled. There is no space to drill a third hole in either one. When I put the two 2" in pipes in there, I have no room to put an elbow facing down on both of them ,just on one. But it blocks the other pipe from going higher that the bottom of the elbow on the other pipe. Any input would be appreciated.
no because the level of the water in the internal box will only be 1/2 full so it will pull from all areas just the same as if it were in the middle
budster.stig1
Broncoholic
Does not matter, where ever they best line up with your sump, straighter to the sump the better for starting the syphon, and minimizing noise.............................Budster:lol2:
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budster.stig1
Broncoholic
What is your GPM flow rate going to be? Needs to be BIG to use 1 1/2" for syphon! 2" will work for your secondary drain and emergency drain, remember the syphon and secondary drain need to be in the same OF, emergency drain in the other with DSB............Budster
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any chance you can post up a pic. id like to check this out.
budster.stig1
Broncoholic
The problem as I see it will be flow rate. You can use one 2" hole reduced to 1 1/2" as syphon line as I mentioned before, however to make a BA work both the syphon and secondary drains need to be in the same OF. With 2000 GPH required for a 1 1/2" syphon to work you will need 30" min. of wier in that OF, I don't think you have that in one OF. If you do great, if not I don't see how you can build a Bean Animal out of what you have!:
Just my Take!...........................................Budster :wavehand:
the 140 i have is drilled like that sort of. working inside that box is going to be a pain. is there room to use bushings and go from 2 inch to 1 inch and see if it will work that way. it will reduce flow some but with 4 of them i would expect you could still flow near 1500 to 2000 gph thru at least.
this wont work as an actual ba system but some kind of modified version.
this wont work as an actual ba system but some kind of modified version.
Sounds from the response that I'll have to just experiment. That's why I love this hobby, there's always something to tinker with. By the way the pump will be a Barracuda pumping up to a height of 6'4" if that makes any difference. I'll get some bushings and start with 1 1/2 siphon and move to 1" if that doesn't work. and I'll keep a 2" secondary/emergency in each overflow. Thanks for all the great input.
budster.stig1
Broncoholic
The 2" secondary in the 2nd OF with the emergency is not necessary. I would use that hole to plumb my return line, don't forget you need enough weir to move all the water that will drain into the main OF (containing the syphon and secondary), the other OF will only be used when the emergency drain is needed and for the return line. Your Barracuda will deliver approx. 3300 GPH at 6.1' of head, requiring 51" of OF weir to deliver that amount to your drain. Considering the size of your OF's, the numbers don't work. Looks like you have two options, 1) Modify your OF's to a CtoC Calflo, or 2) Use both OF's with two stand pipes, effectively a Durso (not silent or safe). I don't mean to be negative, just don't want to see you waste your time....Budster:wavehand:
don't understand on the pump part. as everyone says 3/4" and I had posted a while back about going to 1". I really don't want the water flowing ultra fast through the sump.
it takes about 15 to 20 seconds for the system to level out on start up and is SOOOO quite!!
here is a pic of the finished piping
it takes about 15 to 20 seconds for the system to level out on start up and is SOOOO quite!!
here is a pic of the finished piping
Wish I could make the "buzzer" sound about now. So how about GONG!!
The Danner Mag 9.5 and larger require the use of 1.5" pipe minimum on the pump outlet if you want to get any flow out of it. This is per the Danner instructions. The difference is in the 300 gph range. Just covered this again, in another thread concerning the herbie (should still be on the front page)
May be just me, but I suspect this system setup will show some problems, not for certain, but the configurations are designed around the obstruction, rather than based on function. I understand the issue you have however. If the system starts, and stabilizes, you are most of the way there, however, I would thoroughly test all failure modes (save complete blockage of all three pipes) before trusting it.
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uncleof6
Active member
don't understand on the pump part. as everyone says 3/4" and I had posted a while back about going to 1". I really don't want the water flowing ultra fast through the sump.
it takes about 15 to 20 seconds for the system to level out on start up and is SOOOO quite!!
here is a pic of the finished piping
Everyone argues about the pump thing. Danner's instruction tell those that purchase them, that the minimum size pipe on the pump outlet needs to be 1.5" if you want to get any flow out of it. The difference is significant--in the area of 300 gph. The flow rate through the sump, has nothing to do with any of the processes that take place in the sump. Not running the proper size out put pipe, is just wasting the pump, and electricity.
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