DIY Calfo/Bean Overflow

[JRUnyon21]

I have done my research on these and if possible I plan to use them on my 220g. I have but only one question. In my SUMP design I have my bioballs/biomedia above the water line as most do. This means the output of the overflow will not be below the waterline. Will I still be able to use the BeanAnimal PVC system?

Here is the link to his description of his system.
http://beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system.aspxhttp://beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system.aspx

 

[Clay]

A Calfo overflow is also called a coast to coast overflow. It is attributed to Reefcentral member Anthony Calfo. Anyway, it's best used on saltwater tanks because it allows for the most surface area to travel over the weir. This is where the dissolved organic proteins are (oily film), and this helps to deliver those to the skimmer where they can be removed.

A Beananimal drain system is based on a design that Reefcentral member Beananimal developed based on the Herbie method. It involves 3 drains to the sump to include a full open drain (siphon), open, and a safety. The majority of water is delivered via the full siphon and spillover via the open.

With that out of the way, the answer is sure, but you won't get the silent function of the beananimal drain. The water will splash and make noise as it is distributed into the bioballs. However, with some modifications, yes, you can. You would have to make a chamber before the bioballs to allow water to drain without air. The air is what makes the gurgle.

As far as a Calfo - you can use that with or without a beananimal.

 

[JRUnyon21]

A Calfo overflow is also called a coast to coast overflow. It is attributed to Reefcentral member Anthony Calfo. Anyway, it's best used on saltwater tanks because it allows for the most surface area to travel over the weir. This is where the dissolved organic proteins are (oily film), and this helps to deliver those to the skimmer where they can be removed.

A Beananimal drain system is based on a design that Reefcentral member Beananimal developed based on the Herbie method. It involves 3 drains to the sump to include a full open drain (siphon), open, and a safety. The majority of water is delivered via the full siphon and spillover via the open.

With that out of the way, the answer is sure, but you won't get the silent function of the beananimal drain. The water will splash and make noise as it is distributed into the bioballs. However, with some modifications, yes, you can. You would have to make a chamber before the bioballs to allow water to drain without air. The air is what makes the gurgle.

As far as a Calfo - you can use that with or without a beananimal.

Thanks for the reply. I understand I will have noise from the water exiting the PVC and splashing off the bioballs but won't the Beananimal still prevent the tube from gurgling?

Either way I plan to accept the noise I get from the water running out of the PVC and onto the bio media. But since the middle tube is constantly in a siphon mode, it should not be able to get any air in it thus no gurgle. Correct? Or am I way off? I just can't see how air would get inside the full siphon tube.

 

[Clay]

The way it works is that there is no air in the siphon. In your application, that won't be the case. Air will be in the pipe - defeating the purpose of the siphon

 

[jcardona1]

A Beananimal drain system is based on a design that Reefcentral member Beananimal developed based on the Herbie method. It involves 3 drains to the sump to include a full open drain (siphon), open, and a safety. The majority of water is delivered via the full siphon and spillover via the open.

I've seen the Beananimal but I didn't understand what makes it different/better than a Herbie pipe. I have a Herbie setup on my tank. I have the main drain closed off so that it is completely quiet. In the emergency standpipe, I get a tiny trickle (spillover) down into the sump, which makes no noise at all.

If something were to clog the main line, the backup standpipe would still handle the flow down to the sump. Also, when I put my hands in the tank or add extra water (to top off my sump), the backup pipe quickly drains the excess water down to the sump.

What does the Beananimal do differently? I don't see the need for emergency drain AND a spillover drain to handle the excess trickle of water. Can't the emergency line handle both of those functions?

 

[JRUnyon21]

The way it works is that there is no air in the siphon. In your application, that won't be the case. Air will be in the pipe - defeating the purpose of the siphon

But once the middle tube has a full siphon how will air get in it. I just think of using a gravel vac(python). Once I create the siphon it doesn't matter whether the hose is in a bucket filling up with water or on my floor(OUCH!). No air gets back into the hose and water continues to flow full cycle.

I just emailed BeanAnimal hopefully he can help me out.

 

[jcardona1]

I've seen the Beananimal but I didn't understand what makes it different/better than a Herbie pipe. I have a Herbie setup on my tank. I have the main drain closed off so that it is completely quiet. In the emergency standpipe, I get a tiny trickle (spillover) down into the sump, which makes no noise at all.

If something were to clog the main line, the backup standpipe would still handle the flow down to the sump. Also, when I put my hands in the tank or add extra water (to top off my sump), the backup pipe quickly drains the excess water down to the sump.

What does the Beananimal do differently? I don't see the need for emergency drain AND a spillover drain to handle the excess trickle of water. Can't the emergency line handle both of those functions?

And my reason for saying that it will work with only 2 lines...in my example I have two 1" lines and a 1017gph pump. If I were to fully open the main line, it would handle all of the pumps flow no problems. It would most likely handle more than the 1017gph. In the event of a complete blockage of the main drain, I have the emergency pipe which would then handle the complete flow of the pump.

Why then would I need a 3rd drain? Just in case the 2nd drain clogs? Might as well add a 4th, just in case pipes 1-3 clog, and so forth

 

[Clay]

I don't believe it works quite the same way, but perhaps the RC folks can answer better. Without a closed siphon, I believe you'll eventually break the siphon and go back to the gurgles. One pipe is 100% water, the next is partial water/air, and the safety is all air.

Jcardona, the difference between a Herbie and a Bean is minimal in my opinion. Accroding to Bean, it's a difference of a safety in the event of a clogged drain. I think a herbie is more suited to tanks with standard overflows, while impossible with a bean. It just requires more holes than the standard overflow provides. The bean is probably the safer alternative, but it requires a lot more customization to complete. Herbie stumbled across his (iirc), and Bean worked from that to develop his own several years later.

 

[JRUnyon21]

Clay,

What kind of modifications would be possible if the open ended tube doesn't work? This will more than likely be the case so I'm gna need some alternate plans.

 

[JRUnyon21]

BeanAnimal emailed me back.

"It does not need to terminate below the water, but if it doesn't then the valve needs to be near the end of the standpipe. In a nutshell if the standpipe does not runn full, then air can travel back up the pipe and cause problems. Valving the end (or necking it down) will allow it to run full bore and prevent air from traveling back up."

I can see how having the valve up top could easily create problems like you said Clay. It appears you were right(to a degree! lolol). It appears that as long as the termination of the standpipe is the bottleneck then I will be in the clear. This gives me a lot of ideas to avoid splahing noises. I am gonna keep asking him questions. I'll keep updating for those of you interested(prob no one).