Silent and Failsafe Overflow System

[uncleof6]

I am having a terrible time trying to pinpoint my micro bubble madness, hoping someone can point me in the right direction so I can begin diagnosing the problem.

On start up there are no micro bubbles but once the overflow begins to fill and start filling the sump its a ton of micro bubbles every where. I have been reading and trying different things for the past 2 days with no luck.

Help is greatly appreciated

Video: Click the picture




Video: Direct link
http://s118.photobucket.com/user/BluMonstrRX8/media/IMG_0675_zps8a71eda2.mp4.html

Yeah, like some others stated, you are not sealed up, and that system is sucking in air.

 

[browning_boy20]

Although this thread is about the drain system itself, rather than overflow issues, I will briefly address your overflow.

Cut the teeth out, the channeling caused by the teeth, is causing a portion if not the lions share of the noise. Teeth not only cause noise, they also reduce the effective length of the overflow by 1/2 - 2/3," which in turn affects the surface skimming ability. You may have a 31" long overflow, but you don' t have 31" of overflow. The only length that counts is the space between the teeth.

If you are having problems getting the water level in the overflow within an acceptable range, then the bulkheads are too low in the overflow, or there is some other configuration error. You only want around a 1" drop to the water level in the overflow, and that water level should be around the top of the down turned elbows.

What about small fish? Won't they get sucked in?

 

[Zobp]

Do you have all your joints glued? It doesn't look let the joints in the picture are glued? If not, they can pull air. Does your water have to fall very far in your overflow? That can cause bubbles if so. But the way its micro bubbles, it seems like its pulling air from a small source with the way they are micro vs large bubbles.

All the joints are glued but I will go back through and silicone all joints on the stand pipes.

The overflow is very short only 4 inches deep but it is very long, so wouldn't think it would be that.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[adamwheel]

When you do your silicone work for the internal overflow, are you guys just making a platform out of wood to set it on while it cures in the aquarium?

I'm placing the horizontal pane first to avoid showing the seam.

Finally at that stage and 65" of overflow better be right.

Cheers,

Adam

 

[jerpa]

What about small fish? Won't they get sucked in?

Fish will get into overflows with or without teeth and with the same frequency.

When you do your silicone work for the internal overflow, are you guys just making a platform out of wood to set it on while it cures in the aquarium?

I'm placing the horizontal pane first to avoid showing the seam.

Finally at that stage and 65" of overflow better be right.

Cheers,

Adam

I clamped a few 2x4's to the tank to hold it in place while it cured.

 

[browning_boy20]

Fish will get into overflows with or without teeth and with the same frequency..

My overflow has a lid but I guess they could still get in. I guess I am going to drain the tank then use dremel to cut the teeth out unless there is an easier way. I have been running my bean and it flows a lot of water once I get my teeth cut I think we will be in business. Thanks for the help.

 

[jerpa]

The cover does help keep them out. I've seen some creative covers in use with flat weirs. You may be able to rig something up with the cover you already have.

 

[Da Maui life]

2 3/4" down from the top edge of the glass, to the center of the hole. The top edge of the glass is the same point in all tanks. It is universal. The top edge of the trim on a rimmed tank, is ~ a half inch above that...

2 3/4" is the minimum distance, and applies only to 1" bulkheads (1.75" hole). Larger bulkheads need to be further down. You are looking for around a 1" or so drop from the resting water level in the tank to the water level in the overflow.

If 2-3/4" is the minimum for 1" bulkheads, what's the maximum?

 

[uncleof6]

If 2-3/4" is the minimum for 1" bulkheads, what's the maximum?

How high of a waterfall can you tolerate? Generally, you want to keep the waterfall around 1", but another 1/2" may be ok, if your weir length is generous. 2 3/4" gives you ~ a 1" waterfall, depending on the head height behind the weir (related to the length.)

 

[Da Maui life]

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Firochromis]

Hi people, sorry if this is asker before. l wonder if Beananimal method is compatible with a surge method, namely Carlson Surge Device. My system is on the planning phase so l want to design it as flexible as possible. lf the water volume of the surge tank is smaller than the extra volume in the sump, design seems to be safe to me. l will not run SCD on 7/24, and while running it l'll turn the ATO off.

Regards

 

[bmooney31]

Hi everyone, I installed a 300 gallon system with the bean animal overflow system and it works great except I hear a gurgling sound that is coming from the 1/4" tubing on my second drain. Can anyone give me a suggestion how to eliminate that? I would really appreciate it.

Best
Bob

 

[eledile]

Can anyone direct me to a thread or portion of this thread that is a walk through of how to set up a Bean Animal based on tank size you have? Im going to be having a tank custom made and want to put a Bean Animal on it, but when it comes to all this stuff I feel like a biker at a truck show..lol

My tank is going to be 72"x30"x12" and I plan on doing my Bean Animal on one of the 30" sides..I just want to make sure I do this right the first time. So if anyone has any info, please let me know.

 

[Da Maui life]

Can anyone direct me to a thread or portion of this thread that is a walk through of how to set up a Bean Animal

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

Then read http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1310585 and all subsequent threads.

 

[eledile]

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

Then read http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1310585 and all subsequent threads.

I got that part. What I'm looking for now is a tutorial. Or if someone could tell me where, and how big the holes are gonna need to be for my tank? Do I go with the size used in the original design or since my tank is a different size do I use bigger or smaller PVC and bulkheads?

The only reason I asked for a specific place is because I really don't have time to go searching a 300+ page thread. Although I would much rather be looking through this thread all day instead of working :bigeyes:

I guess I could just start picking random pages and go that route..

Does anyone know how deep and wide the overflow box should be? I plan on using one of the 30" sides of my tank for the coast to coast overflow, so there's a lot of surface skimming going on.. I was thinking like 30x4x4 does that sound right?

 

[Da Maui life]

Does anyone know how deep and wide the overflow box should be? I plan on using one of the 30" sides of my tank for the coast to coast overflow, so there's a lot of surface skimming going on.. I was thinking like 30x4x4 does that sound right?

For the above in bold.This was just a few pages back. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=21653830&postcount=6061

 

[eledile]

Thanks Maui.
So now, what about the size of PVC. Should I be using 1" of 1 1/2"?
The tank is going to be a coral only tank. More of a frag tank actually, with all types of corals. Softies LPS, SPS..so if BeanAnimal was getting 2000gph with his 1.5" PVC, should I be moving more or less GPH for my size tank?

 

[YoungREEFA]

Hey guys i am pickin up my project again, so you can have a herbie overflow that can be paired with a 400-600 gph pump?

 

[XStroX]

I am working on a custom build and trying to go buy the necessary plumbing tomorrow. Can someone take a look at the pictures I have attached and answer a few of my questions? It would be greatly appreciated as this is my first time getting into the aquarium hobby. There are not near as many posts about using BeanAnimal setup with an internal overflow and risers coming up from bottom of tank.

1. For the return. Should I stick with standard PVC or would it make more sense to go with flexible PVC?

2. For top of vertical risers, I only have 2 elbows at top of main and open channel. For open channel I will drill a small hole and glue in air tube. Is this sufficient? Trying to avoid plumbing not needed.

3. Are my distances from top of tank and overflow top and distances below sump water level okay?

4. Am I okay gluing everything possible? Right now I only will have threads at Return pump. I only am going to buy a single ball valve for main line. I figure if I need to do anything else with the others, I can lower water level and turn off pump so the area behind internal overflow is dry.

5. I have left top of emergency drain as just the vertical riser, no elbow. Is this okay?

Thanks!

<a href="http://s1273.photobucket.com/user/XStroX/media/Plumbing1_zpsf0297b31.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y406/XStroX/Plumbing1_zpsf0297b31.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Plumbing1_zpsf0297b31.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1273.photobucket.com/user/XStroX/media/Plumbing2_zps2e025961.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y406/XStroX/Plumbing2_zps2e025961.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Plumbing2_zps2e025961.jpg"/></a>

 

[eledile]

Okay, question about holes for the bulkheads...where should I be putting the center of the holes? I was thinking around 3" from the top of the glass? This way the upturned elbow will not be higher than the weir. And I was thinking that I should start the weir about 1.5" from the top of the tank?
Or with the weir that low should I make the holes further down?

And where should my return be? Should I put it on the opposite side of the tank or on the same side as the overflow? I was thinking that with the return on the same side as the overflow, it would mess with the amount of skimming being done?