Silent and Failsafe Overflow System

Understood. Not yet having the tank and seeing exactly how to affix the air tube to make it's inlet height fixed I just thought using a couple of elbows would allow me to solve that issue.

I assume though it is okay to configure the air line this way? Also, how much higher than the inlet of the dry emergency makes sense?

Thanks.
 
Serviceable via the end caps

Serviceable via the end caps

uncleof6 said:
I would recommend that you seal the standpipes. I don't recommend threaded bulkheads, for the very reason you are describing. There really should not be a need to take the standpipes out once the system is put into operation. The stand pipes are serviciable from above, if assembled as designed. (Sani tees are not required however.)

Directly, if the elbows are slip, yes they need to be solvent welded in place, otherwise you will have air leaks in the system.
Click to expand...

I am thinking you are suggesting that the standpipes are serviceable via removing the end caps? I noticed that when assembling them, the caps are quite tight and I am concerned about how removable they might be especially over time. I literally had to use two wrenches to tighten them down to within 3 or 4 threads.
 
hbash said:
I am thinking you are suggesting that the standpipes are serviceable via removing the end caps? I noticed that when assembling them, the caps are quite tight and I am concerned about how removable they might be especially over time. I literally had to use two wrenches to tighten them down to within 3 or 4 threads.
Click to expand...

If you used a wrench, then they are way too tight. This is how pvc threaded fittings get damaged. The threads are tapered, intended to seal with appropriate sealant, before they bottom out most often before they even get close to bottoming out. When and using a non-hardening thread sealant, only need be just a little past finger tight, plus one or two turns, and no more (by hand.) Do not use tools on them. When properly installed, they come right off when you need to take them off.
 
Last question (of the night - I hope)

Last question (of the night - I hope)

I think I read somewhere on this thread that you don't believe in using filter socks as they are places to accumulate nitrates etc. and prefer to let the water flow through the sump and let any matter get consumed by the inhabitants of the sump (copepods etc).

What about during a "tank dusting" where you blow off your rocks of detritus? Do you catch that or does it all goes to the sump dwellers?

On your tight thread reply - what to use as a non hardening thread sealant? I will back off the elbows and use that instead. I assume no Teflon tape for them then...

I googled and found RectorSeal on Amazon : http://www.amazon.com/Rectorseal-23551-Pipe-Thread-Sealant/dp/B000HSAAMS

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
hbash said:
Understood. Not yet having the tank and seeing exactly how to affix the air tube to make it's inlet height fixed I just thought using a couple of elbows would allow me to solve that issue.

I assume though it is okay to configure the air line this way? Also, how much higher than the inlet of the dry emergency makes sense?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

How it is configured really does not matter, to me it is just a bit more than needed to use fittings for it other than the adapter in the standpipe cap. But you want to secure the end of the tube to the tank. An acrylic bracket, hung on the back of the tank, with a 1/4" hole (the tubing size) in it will suffice. Even a polypro bracket, see ATO float switch brackets...

1/4", 1/2" whatever you would be comfortable with. It is the last line of defense before a flood.
 
Question about solvent and Teflon tape. If u use street 90s going into sani Ts should u glue them together for fear of air getting in? Do u use Teflon tape when screwing the cap in?
 
hbash said:
I think I read somewhere on this thread that you don't believe in using filter socks as they are places to accumulate nitrates etc. and prefer to let the water flow through the sump and let any matter get consumed by the inhabitants of the sump (copepods etc).

What about during a "tank dusting" where you blow off your rocks of detritus? Do you catch that or does it all goes to the sump dwellers?

On your tight thread reply - what to use as a non hardening thread sealant? I will back off the elbows and use that instead. I assume no Teflon tape for them then...

I googled and found RectorSeal on Amazon : http://www.amazon.com/Rectorseal-23551-Pipe-Thread-Sealant/dp/B000HSAAMS

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Well, since a sump is an export facility, not a production facility, there should not really be any sump dwellers, other than bacteria, and perhaps some macro (export.) As far as fallout goes, flow rates should be high enough that particulates do not settle out. This applies both to sump flow through, and in-tank. If you get stuff collecting in an area, you know you got a "weak" spot in the circulation. Off topic...

According to pvc fitting manufacturers, you really shouldn't be using teflon tape on plastic threaded fittings. This practice is perpetuated by so called Master Plumbers, as well as plumbers in general, mainly becuase often it is faster, and the emphasis is on production/time savings rather than what is appropriate, or recommended.

I use Spears Blue 75 predominately, but have used T plus 2. I have not noticed any long term effects. There is not much of the product actually in contact with the water, and they do not contain heavy metals, which would be one of the main concerns.
 
Excellent. I just ordered it from Custom Aquatics. Hopefully it will arrive in a reasonable amount of time.

THANKS!!!
 
Just question, so please don't shoot me.

Do you have to use the elbow and sanitary T in the overflow (internal or external)? Or, can you get the same benefits of a BA with three drain lines but just different height straight pipes, like a herbie but with the additional safety drain of a BA? I would still use a ball valve on the main siphon, etc..

I'm asking because the company building my tank suggested this option in order to make the external overflow no as long; approx 14 inches instead of the 20-21 inches that would be needed for the typical BA.
 
clugo said:
Just question, so please don't shoot me.

Do you have to use the elbow and sanitary T in the overflow (internal or external)? Or, can you get the same benefits of a BA with three drain lines but just different height straight pipes, like a herbie but with the additional safety drain of a BA? I would still use a ball valve on the main siphon, etc..

I'm asking because the company building my tank suggested this option in order to make the external overflow no as long; approx 14 inches instead of the 20-21 inches that would be needed for the typical BA.
Click to expand...

Stop listening to tank builders that don't have a clue on drain systems. ;) They got another poster in this thread in a bit of trouble... BA's system is designed in a particular manner, for particular reasons. You can use two elbows, rather than a tee and elbow, but I would not stray from that.

I have to ask though, whose idea was it to do an internal/external type setup? Did you know the cost is higher for that? Did you know that the benefits are very minimal at best? E.G. the cost/value is not worth it. :)
 
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So far I've read most of the entire topic + BA's bar & grill, so I hope it's not a repeat Q, but I'm sure I've not seen this one asked.

I'm located in Australia, and I think it's been mentioned before that we have different pipe sizes, bulkheads are called something else and the whole metric vs 'imperial' measurement thing is somewhat ridiculous in this day and age (though most of our plumbing fittings come in both measurement types - go figure). Yet all this aside, my issues concern the tee fittings - the sanitary tee to be specific.
For a start we don't have them - well not the sort that BA used. Coming close is the use of either a plain tee or wye tee - which I see a lot of people have done, and it seems to work.
However from a fluid movement/air involvement perspective, it seems to me that there is a difference in the way the water flows through the sanitary tee compared to the others due to the internal angles... this diagram I found at http://www.homerepairforum.com/forum/plumbing/2022-avoid-code-violation-tees-combos.html roughly explains my thinking:
2004-11-30_Sanitary%20tee%20vs%20combo_w550.JPG


(Please ignore the detail re codes, I appreciate that it's referring to a true sanitary plumbing system)

So my first question is whether there is an advantage to the true sanitary tee over other forms, even if only slight to moderate?

Presuming that there is, while looking into shipping some 1-1/2" true sanitary tees over here to use in my BA system on a (hopefully) 5x2x2 with an external C2C overflow, I've found that they are generally only found in Drain, Waste & Vent (DWV) PVC or ABS - not in schedule 40.

So, my second question is, is there a supplier of schedule 40 sanitary tees or, has everyone just been utilising DWV?

And third, is ABS plastic an acceptable alt. to PVC in our (I think) low pressure, high volume BA set ups?

Cheers
Leanne

P.S. huge thank you to BA for developing this in the first place and to uncleof6 in particular for persevering through the repetitive nature of some Q's :headwalls: (of which I hope this is not one).
 
There is "less turbulence" caused by the sanitary tees than with standard sch40 tees. Which is really all the farther we delve into the topic. However, there is no rule that says you cannot use standard sch40 tees if not able to obtain sani-tees. If your pipe size is under 1.25" you can't get sani-tees anyway. The sani-tees used are DWV, the ones I use, are made by Charlotte Pipe and Foundry. You can use either pvc or abs. The DWV will work with regular pvc sch40, sch80, SDR-21, etc. Use a transitional cement when mixing pvc and abs.

FYI all of this has been covered multiple times in this thread ;)
 
Mr. Moo,

I think, if you have access to Amazon.com you can obtain many of the parts you might need. Also there is a site that has a great deal of parts usplastics.com. I'm not aware of the shipping costs, but these two urls will have much of what you need in parts (not all but most).
 
Hello everybody long time listener first time poster.

First off, Thank you BeanAnamal! Your detailed drawings and detailed notes are wonderful.

So my specific question is adapting the Bean Silent & Fail-Safe Aquarium Overflow System to a very small aquarium.

Specs:
Display Tank is 17-gal (ADA 60p)
Sump is 10-gal
Recirculation Pump 50-630 gph range (Tunze 1073.020)

I have 3/4-in and 1-in schedule-80 PVC bulkheads already that I can use. The 3/4-in looks to be about the right size for this aplication. I can't find a 3/4-Sanitary Tee but I can find a 3/4-in NPT-threaded schedule-80 Tee that I can connect to my 3/4 NPT-threaded bulkhead using NPT-threaded pipe. I wanted to use a Spears PVC gate valve also 3/4-in NPT-threaded that I can connect with 3/4-in NPT-threaded pipe. I included a picture to better illustrate this.

My questions are:
1. Will using NPT-threaded fittings instead of slip/glue fittings cause any issues?
2. Given the smaller size of the aquarium will using 3/4-in fittings work for this smaller system?
3. Any other advice or suggestions is gladly welcome.

Thank you!

xolmif66l
 
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