Converting a durso to Bean Animal

[asylumdown]

hmmm, the tank would not be empty while doing this, just the overflow boxes. I emptied them to convert from a herbie to a durso and the inhabitants didn't seem to mind with just the flow from the Vortech's.

Unfortunately it will not be possible to drill the glass, the tank is built in to a wall (two sided), so the tank is exactly as wide as it can be, there's no leeway or access on either end.

Here's the pics from when the plumbing was being built, they're not complete, but you get the idea:

South end - before the union and gate valve was installed


North end - before the union and gate valve was installed


Whole cabinet, before the union and gate valve was installed


the union and gate valve. It's designed so that when that lever is to the right, water flows in to the skimmer chamber and does a big U through the whole sump, when the lever is turned to the left, water exits directly in to the bubble trap right before the return chamber, bypassing 3 of 4 of the sump chambers. This wreaked HAVOC with the herbies, having them plumbed together like that just isn't possible if you want a stable system. If I had the trickle drain be on the right, and the full siphon drain on the left, the water in the trickle drain wouldn't need to make a 90 degree turn, but the full siphon would (though I doubt that would affect anything)

[nerdz]

Thanks for posting info/pics. Sorry, I've been short on time.

Is one of your overflows drilled holes a straight shot to the desireed sump chamber? If, so maybe that could be your trickle line? Just worried it might get loud with a multi-directional path.

Could you run a full siphon,(throttled with gates), in each overflow? Then you would have 50/50 surface skimming. The 3rd remaining hole closed to sump chamber could be trickle line that converts to full siphon in an emergency. 4th and final hole would be slightly higher emergency standpipe.

Im no tank wizard and have never delt with tank and flow rates as big as yours...


Have tried posting on bean animal thread on RC? a lot of experience there especially with larger set ups

[FishyFishy!]

Hey Adam,

So in each overflow, do you have two holes drilled? Or three?

If you only have two holes per overflow, a bean animal no matter how modified, will not work with your current setup.

[Skimmerking]

in the first pic where the TEE is couldnt you, bring that pipe lower from the cabinet then have that TEE turned around like a actual Durso. and then have it carry on to the sump area. or have both pipes connect into a larger TEE. i hope this make sense.

[Seriak]

I would have the full siphon with an emergency on one end and a trickle with an emergency on the other. Not sure why this wouldn't work. For my trickle I essentially made it a durso for quiet operation.

You would not be able to tie the full siphon into the trickle, but when you needed to divert the water you could open the full siphon all the way so the trickle was no longer in use and then divert the full siphon where you need it to go. However, I am not sure if it would be a full siphon at that point unless your diverted pipe was also under water at the destination point. Can't quite picture this one in my head yet.

[FishyFishy!]

Originally Posted by Seriak

I would have the full siphon with an emergency on one end and a trickle with an emergency on the other. Not sure why this wouldn't work. For my trickle I essentially made it a durso for quiet operation.

You would not be able to tie the full siphon into the trickle, but when you needed to divert the water you could open the full siphon all the way so the trickle was no longer in use and then divert the full siphon where you need it to go. However, I am not sure if it would be a full siphon at that point unless your diverted pipe was also under water at the destination point. Can't quite picture this one in my head yet.

I think that the flow in the 'trickle' overflow would be so minimal that it would create a dead zone. It would be nothing but a nirate factory over time. Mind you, there are ways around that I guess (keeping the water moving/circulating), but they are more of a PITA than anything else.

The most probable scenario here would be to make two durso's with seperate drain plumbing. Same could go for Herbies, it would just be a little harder to fine tune. Get rid of the 2-into-1 valve there, and just make two different drain pipes into the sump.

[Seriak]

Originally Posted by FishyFishy!

I think that the flow in the 'trickle' overflow would be so minimal that it would create a dead zone. It would be nothing but a nirate factory over time. Mind you, there are ways around that I guess (keeping the water moving/circulating), but they are more of a PITA than anything else.

The most probable scenario here would be to make two durso's with seperate drain plumbing. Same could go for Herbies, it would just be a little harder to fine tune. Get rid of the 2-into-1 valve there, and just make two different drain pipes into the sump.

That's an interesting thought. I thought all Bean Animals had a trickle overflow (Mine does) Has there been any reports on RC on nitrate buildup based on this? How would nitrates build up in the pipe? Mine has a constant, but very minimal flow going down the trickle pipe.

I still think you could do it my way.

[mseepman]

My Bean Animal has a trickle and you would be surprised how much flow comes down the trickle. The key is that it all comes down the sides...that can be a lot (in my case it is) and yet everything is safe and dead silent. It even falls an entire floor for me. I think the above idea would be the best way to go. Full and emerg on one end, trickle and emerg on the other.
Obviously the trickle isn't going to do a lot to surface skim, but it can be greater than you think. What size are the holes?

[FishyFishy!]

Am I totally out to lunch thinking that normal internal overflows (top to bottom) with two holes shouldn't be used as a beananimal?

I just think that with 24"-ish height of the overflow, and very minimal flow going into the overflow itself, there would be detritus buildup at the bottom of the overflow.

Realistically all three pipes should be in the same overflow.

[FishyFishy!]

Originally Posted by Seriak

That's an interesting thought. I thought all Bean Animals had a trickle overflow (Mine does)

Of course all of the bean animal setups have trickles... but in the same overflow! (I'm sure you only have one overflow with 3 pipes in it)