Bean Animal Elbow help please

[Miami Reef]

The other key here is that the bottom of the standpipes are not submerged deep into the sump, or have air escape holes drilled just above the normal operating level of the sump. This allows the standpipe to operate without having to purge trapped air. Clearly an open top does not trap air

I’m having a little difficulty visualizing this part.

I have an internal overflow and the pipes lead to the sump from the bulkhead. This seems deep to me.

I don’t understand what “escape holes just above the sump level” means. Any hole drilled under the overflow will result in a leak. I’m a newb with this, and I’m likely just sounding like an idiot right now lol.

 

[BeanAnimal]

The issue there is that that the head (depth of pipe in sump) creates back pressure, as well as no path except upward for air to escape.

The pipe should terminate right below the water surface (normal operating level). It helps to drill a hole or two right at that level -- the hole will allow trapped or entrained air to escape instead of it having to be pushed into the sump.

This creates both a more stable system, and allows it to start and purge air faster.

In your case, simply drilling a hole or two at the water surface may be all that is needed.

 

[KStatefan]

I’m having a little difficulty visualizing this part.

I have an internal overflow and the pipes lead to the sump from the bulkhead. This seems deep to me.

I don’t understand what “escape holes just above the sump level” means. Any hole drilled under the overflow will result in a leak. I’m a newb with this, and I’m likely just sounding like an idiot right now lol.

A hole here to let the air out if the tube can not be shortened.

 

[Miami Reef]

Ah. I see now! Thank you very much guys! No wonder it didn’t work well when I attempted it a few years ago.

A hole here to let the air out if the tube can not be shortened.

The visual was super helpful. Thank you very much.


Which is most preferable?

A) Shortening the pipe and not adding the hole

B) Shortening the pipe and adding the hole at the surface

C) Keeping the pipe long and adding the hole at the surface

 

[BeanAnimal]

I would try C first.

 

[twentyleagues]

Had it like this but never work correctly ended up change to a herbie

Thats how I was told to set mine up too. Did not work right. I think I found one of Beans posts and took the 90s off the "main" and it worked fine after.

 

[klvnnunez]

Ok, so no elbow on the main with valve and 90 "U' shape elbows on secondary a full open on emergency drain. I need to know in the next day or so as I'm embarking on on the project on Saturday.

 

[twentyleagues]

Maybe somebody could ask the guy who designed the system



That is not how the system works.

I guess what I am saying is that you want the water level to be high enough that a small amount is going down the secondary. Which would kind of be in line with about the middle of the "u" on the secondary or a little higher. Which should put your siphon pipe well below the waters surface. I know you designed it and I may not be properly describing it. I was told many wrong things before I looked up what you designed. When set up correctly it works great! Thank you.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I guess what I am saying is that you want the water level to be high enough that a small amount is going down the secondary. Which would kind of be in line with about the middle of the "u" on the secondary or a little higher. Which should put your siphon pipe well below the waters surface. I know you designed it and I may not be properly describing it. I was told many wrong things before I looked up what you designed. When set up correctly it works great! Thank you.

All good - I was trying to kind of make a broader point in my response but I a not sure it came across well. I was typing on iPad, so was brief.

There have been arguments in this thread about how the system works and/or what parts if it are required for it to work.

The point I was trying to get across is that the system works, most would say flawlessly, if implemented as designed. It will also work very well in some cases when the design principles are deviated from. The success depends on what parts are changed, as well as the flow dynamics of small overflow boxes.

In any case, the water level height is set by the siphon standpipe and the system will work as long as the open channel's (the secondary's) weir height is at, or lower than that of the siphon. Think of it as a spillway.

I think that most people's problems occur as a result of not following the guidance about the sump discharge and back pressure.

 

[Freenow54]

i had that that problem but i got tested and ok

 

[Colt13]

this is how ive got mine, its perfect because the water coming in from the bulkheads doesnt drop at all.

 

[UncommonSense]

I’m having a little difficulty visualizing this part.

Here’s how my siphon, open channel, and emergency drain enter my FW sump…

roughly an inch of fitting submerged on each… — though it could be smart to actually leave the emergency drain discharging above the sump water line purely so its as noisy as possible if utilized!

 

[Clarkjw2002]

Ok, so no elbow on the main with valve and 90 "U' shape elbows on secondary a full open on emergency drain. I need to know in the next day or so as I'm embarking on on the project on Saturday.

Based on your photo I would go with the 90 U shape elbows on the main and drill a 1/4" hole on top (or at your sump water level on the main pipe). The 1/4" hole on top works great for me. Only need about a centimeter of water on top to keep the siphon. This obviously wouldn't work when the main and secondary stand pipes are the same height.

Ultimately you will need to try a set up and see if it works for you. What works flawlessly for my system several folks here have said has been nothing but problems for them. If my overflow box were like yours I'd probably follow Be an animals' specs to a T. There is a pdf online somewhere. My box is 26 inches tall, 3 ft long and holds 5 gals of water so I had plenty of room to modify his original design.

Do not glue the stand pipes and pieces in place. That way you can change if needed.

 

[klvnnunez]

Based on your photo I would go with the 90 U shape elbows on the main and drill a 1/4" hole on top (or at your sump water level on the main pipe). The 1/4" hole on top works great for me. Only need about a centimeter of water on top to keep the siphon. This obviously wouldn't work when the main and secondary stand pipes are the same height.

Ultimately you will need to try a set up and see if it works for you. What works flawlessly for my system several folks here have said has been nothing but problems for them. If my overflow box were like yours I'd probably follow Be an animals' specs to a T. There is a pdf online somewhere. My box is 26 inches tall, 3 ft long and holds 5 gals of water so I had plenty of room to modify his original design.

Do not glue the stand pipes and pieces in place. That way you can change if needed.

Thanks. Yes, no glue. As for the PDF, if you can find it and post it here, that would be gold. I will do the entire setup Saturday and want to give a day (tomorrow) in case I need more parts

 

[klvnnunez]

This is my current setup. I will drill a 1/4 inch hole on top of each 'U' elbow

 

[Clarkjw2002]

Here is the link: https://beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system/

I remembered wrong. He just had pipes going through the tank side with no external overflow box so this won't work for you.

Looks like about the best you can do though it looks like you may have a tight fit because of the 90s inside the box. I know I had to angle my main 90s a little to fit in well (I have a 4th drain that is a closed loop in the way) but my box is about 6 inches wide so had plenty of play.

You could probably lower everything 1cm or so too from the looks of it but put together fist and see where you are at. you want enough room above the emergency to handle any head height before that drain kicks in should the other to become blocked for some reason. Otherwise some water will overflow the tank while also going down the emergency line.

 

[klvnnunez]

I have finished the new plumbing build, and oh boy, it took me longer than anticipated. It took me a full 2 of cutting, gluing and running to the hardware store to get replacements parts for the ones I messed up, but the tank is full on without leaks, yay!

The bean animal setup and the overflow box from Modular Marine works perfectly. I have a huge water turover and can hear a blip from my tank. I also have both drains sitting at 1" in the sump and can't hear any noise at all.

I still haven't tested clogging the main drain to see if the emergency drain handles the load correctly. I will test it out tomorrow as today I am beat and need a beer.

I will post pictures as well.

 

[Freenow54]

I have finished the new plumbing build, and oh boy, it took me longer than anticipated. It took me a full 2 of cutting, gluing and running to the hardware store to get replacements parts for the ones I messed up, but the tank is full on without leaks, yay!

The bean animal setup and the overflow box from Modular Marine works perfectly. I have a huge water turover and can hear a blip from my tank. I also have both drains sitting at 1" in the sump and can't hear any noise at all.

I still haven't tested clogging the main drain to see if the emergency drain handles the load correctly. I will test it out tomorrow as today I am beat and need a beer.

I will post pictures as well.

I am not familiar with this Bean Animal set up. Is it anti Siphon ?

 

[klvnnunez]

I am not familiar with this Bean Animal set up. Is it anti Siphon ?

It syphons. It just that it makes the system quieter and have redundancy for clogged main pipe with an emergency one to prevent flooding.

 

[KStatefan]

I am not familiar with this Bean Animal set up. Is it anti Siphon ?

Silent & Fail-Safe Aquarium Overflow System | BeanAnimal's Reef

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