Open Channel Drain

[Icecold Dan]

I know there is a lot of info out there on the "Bean Animal" drain set-up, but one question I have and can't seem to find an answer to is about the open channel drain. What is the purpose of it? Why not just have it as a secondary full siphon?

I've recently plumbed my ghost overflow box, and I can't seem to get the open channel drain to be completely silent. It seems that no matter how I tune the full siphon there is the sound of trickling water coming from the open channel. I was thinking that if I turned the open channel into a second full siphon, I would eliminate the noise.

Any advice?

 

[local hero]

The open channel drain is intended to become a full siphon in the event of an emergency should your normal full siphon fail.

 

[JK47]

The main purpose of the open channel is to balance out the flow in the full siphon. A system will never be perfectly balanced flow vs drain rate so the open channel is there to fix that percentage that would otherwise be a tank overflow situation.

In short open channel it a critical part of the Bean Animal concept. Two full siphon lines is not possible to sustain for any period of time (usually hours) and is a failure waiting to happen.

 

[fishguy306]

JK47 is correct. The open channel is what differentiates between a bean style and a herbie. Fluctuations in the tank will make it so a siphon is never consistent, sometimes it'll end up sucking air, sometimes it'll end up backing up a bit more than usual. The open channel is there to accept those variations. Tune the siphon so there is just a slight trickle down the open channel, just enough to coat the walls. It shouldn't be noisy at that level, I'm guessing you've got more water going through it than that.

 

[Icecold Dan]

Thanks for the replies. I think I understand it's purpose better now.

I have a variable speed Jebao pump and haven't tried throttling it down yet, all I've done is adjust the gate valve on the full siphon. Perhaps I need to tinker with a bit more.

 

[narayanang76]

Picture of the drain setup please ?

Agree with others. Drain the maximum through full siphon line and leave the remaining to open channel line. Good luck.

 

[Icecold Dan]

narayanang76 Pictures as requested.

 

[Icecold Dan]

Hmm...let me try this again.

 

[narayanang76]

Thanks for the pics. What is the height inside the overflow box? From the pics unable to get that clearly.

Also, you are referring to the open channel drain, as the one with the top airhole drilled right?

 

[Icecold Dan]

narayanang76 The height inside the box is 7 inches. It is 16 inches long and 3.5 wide.

Yes, the open channel is the one with the hole.