Help choose my overflow design

no I didnt I ran the one inch only to keep the pump from overworking on the 3/4 line, it sounds silly but my overflow lines were also 1 inch to to keep from buying 3/4 pvc and 1 inch pvc I just threaded it all to 1 inch ;D

it worked well for me, also I would do 1 inch drain lines just from personal experience it seems ot have more flow and is alot harder to get cloged.

 

after a few more hours of reading beans mega thread, 1" may be the way to go...

 

I'm not sure what that means, but I would go 1" too.

 

It's been a long time... why do you think it's necessary to do a full Bean? I'm seriously asking. From reading it before, it was alway my thought that Bean is indeed 100% fail safe, but overkill. Meaning we could throw on another drain too "just in case", but it would not really give you any more protection.

After using the Herbie... well that was just made to use what was there and make it silent. So you have the original 1" drain line of a reef ready tank, and the 3/4 return line becomes the emergency drain. I just always figured that two equal sized drains properly sized for the tank would be plenty... and then regulate it like a Bean... meaning regulate the main, and allow the emergency to catch a little overflow to take care of regulation and stay silent.

Sooooo... after all this time, is there something I am missing about the third emergency drain of the Bean design? Am I missing some inherent purpose of it that there is a specific reason for it other than..."just in case"? I understand the main and the open channel.

 

Bean is the ONLY way to go! It's silent!! Dead silent. Make sure you do not use ball valves and you use gate valves. You'll thank me for that!!

I have an acrylic tank, external cost to cost overflow, three 1.5" drains. When I start my main pump back up the EMERGENCY DRAIN gets used until all the air is out of the main siphon. So. It's important to have all three.

If you have any questions send a PM.

 

It's pretty much 100% fail safe with regular inspection and maintenance.

My tank is on the 3rd floor, it's not even worth having a tank if I have to balance the risk of a potential flood. (other than from an earthquake or what have you)

I've ruled out all other overflow options at this point.

Now, I just need to swing by the local hardware store and figure out what I can't get there and then order the rest online.

I'm not going to tout the merits of the system. There are hundreds and hundreds of replies on the topic. Check them out if you're interested.

external cost to cost overflow you say, nice.
Any pics?

 

I guess all I'm saying is that the Bean is no more fail safe than a Herbie. 99.99% is about all you are going to get. And no, I'm not trying to convince you of doing a Herbie. All I'm saying is some hold up a Bean as the end all be all... a Herbie accomplishes the same silent overflow with a fail safe design. And that is with a predrilled tank... but building a custom tank gives the same freedom to build a custom overflow and having two large drains is all you will ever need.

The only difference is the down turned elbow in a shallow overflow. And that alone is a good reason if you have a shallow overflow. If going custom, then you can still do an external overflow box and set it up like a Herbie. The difference is that the Herbie just starts draining because it fills up. The bean has to start a siphon and purge all the air out before the valve.

I didn't want all the merits, I know most of them. But I wanted to know why you need a 3rd... but thanks anyway. Seems to me the 3rd has to be used because the open will not siphon and flow enough... except when the tank gets so full it covers the air line for the siphon break which then allows it to siphon and purge. Seems to me you could just put the line lower and allow it to siphon earlier. I just think it is somewhat silly to have three oversized drains to do the job of one. You can acomplish the same safe silent system just configuring different to run two. But, nothing wrong with following directions.

Good luck with your project. You certainly love your silent/safe overflow. One of the best mods I ever did. I have no idea why everyone does not do them. Bean or Herbie.