Reefers Experienced with Beananimal Overflow

Reefahholic · 05/10/2012, 09:33 PM

I am wondering how you guys feed your fish. I don't want to break the siphon. If I were to cut my return pump off (breaking the siphon), and start it back up again, it's a pain in the rear to get it dialed back in properly. The return pump section will suck dry before the drains catch up, But once the drains get going the return pump can't come close to matching their speed. I have 1.5 drains and 1" return line that T's into two flares.

I have tweaked the return line ball valves, tweaked my cpex drain valves, and nothing seems to work everytime. Could my return pump section be too small?

I'm tired of playing...I need a solution because I'm fixing to buy some fish. I don't want my fish food going over the overflow and into my sump, and breaking the siphon and restarting it everytime will completely suck. Somebody has got to know what I'm talking about or have delt with it before.

Here's a pic of my system running. It does great....it's just getting it "dialed back in" is where the problem begins.

Return section??

Reefahholic · 05/12/2012, 08:06 PM

Bump...anybody?

autodave · 05/12/2012, 08:20 PM

Can you put 45's instead of those 90's? Horizontal runs will slow the siphon from starting. Also it looks like your return section in your sump is very small,which is why your pump is sucking dry. Once you have your intial valve adjustment,you should not have readjust every time you shut it down

jverna1 · 05/12/2012, 09:23 PM

Put a filter sock on your return line to catch the food.

jason2459 · 05/12/2012, 09:56 PM

There is something wrong with your setup. There is no adjusting needed after initial setup. I turn my return pump off twice a day to feed and never have ti readjust. I would suggest posting in the silent and failsafe overflow thread as there is a lot of experience there including beananimal himself.

jason2459 · 05/12/2012, 09:58 PM

Here's the thread.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1541946

Silent and Failsafe Overflow System

eagle9252 · 05/12/2012, 10:52 PM

you need to take the lower 90’s out and add 45’s. I have the bean animal setup but changed a couple of things and the only problem I have is on the filter sock that’s 100m after about 4 days if I turn the pump off it sometimes take longer to get it started. You have to make sure the pipes are only 1” under the water level as it will make it harder to start.After about 4 days the water level starts to rise in the filter sock.

I don’t turn the pump off unless I feed rod’s food or Cyclopes. I have it on the end of left side so I feed on the right side and no problem most of the time.

I have some 90’s but they are long sweep

Reefahholic · 05/14/2012, 01:17 PM

I've had 45's and 90's both. I didn't notice much difference. Speed was about the same.

Both drains are only 1" below water line.

I've also tried a drilled hole just above the water line in main drain to help purge air (as Beananimal recommends) but still no luck. It does work a little bit, but adds noise on start up.

I think ive come to the conclusion-that my return section is too small. Maybe it's 40breeder time.

autodave · 05/14/2012, 02:06 PM

Yes your return section is too small. Lose the single baffle,and move your other (3)baffles over,and replace the third one with one the same height as the first

Reefahholic · 05/20/2012, 01:51 AM

Well, you guys twisted my arm....I went back to the 45's instead of the 90's you see above- on my drains! How do they look?

05/10/2012, 09:33 PM	#1
Reefahholic Moved On Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: League City, Texas Posts: 3,974	Reefers Experienced with Beananimal Overflow I am wondering how you guys feed your fish. I don't want to break the siphon. If I were to cut my return pump off (breaking the siphon), and start it back up again, it's a pain in the rear to get it dialed back in properly. The return pump section will suck dry before the drains catch up, But once the drains get going the return pump can't come close to matching their speed. I have 1.5 drains and 1" return line that T's into two flares. I have tweaked the return line ball valves, tweaked my cpex drain valves, and nothing seems to work everytime. Could my return pump section be too small? I'm tired of playing...I need a solution because I'm fixing to buy some fish. I don't want my fish food going over the overflow and into my sump, and breaking the siphon and restarting it everytime will completely suck. Somebody has got to know what I'm talking about or have delt with it before. Here's a pic of my system running. It does great....it's just getting it "dialed back in" is where the problem begins. Return section??

05/12/2012, 09:23 PM	#4
jverna1 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Philly Posts: 233	Put a filter sock on your return line to catch the food. __________________ Hi my name is Jay and im a coral crackhead! Current Tank Info: 180 gallon Aquarium Obsessed custom 4'x3'x2' SPS dominated reef tank, 100 gallon rubbermaid sump, 4 AI Vega's, Super Reef Octopus XP 3000 ext. (3) MP 40's. Apex controller, ESV B ionic via Bubble Magus Doser, Avast Marine Kalk reactor

05/12/2012, 09:56 PM	#5
jason2459 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Iowa Posts: 9,671	There is something wrong with your setup. There is no adjusting needed after initial setup. I turn my return pump off twice a day to feed and never have ti readjust. I would suggest posting in the silent and failsafe overflow thread as there is a lot of experience there including beananimal himself. __________________ rebuild and recovery log: No more red house, you'll have to click on my name and visit my homepage! You can check out my parameters at reeftronics dot net website and look for my username. Current Tank Info: 180g mixed reef w/ a beananimal overflow to a dolomite RRUGF. \| 20g long G. Smithii Mantis Tank

05/12/2012, 09:58 PM	#6
jason2459 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Iowa Posts: 9,671	Here's the thread. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1541946 Silent and Failsafe Overflow System __________________ rebuild and recovery log: No more red house, you'll have to click on my name and visit my homepage! You can check out my parameters at reeftronics dot net website and look for my username. Current Tank Info: 180g mixed reef w/ a beananimal overflow to a dolomite RRUGF. \| 20g long G. Smithii Mantis Tank

05/12/2012, 08:06 PM	#2
Reefahholic Moved On Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: League City, Texas Posts: 3,974	Bump...anybody?

05/12/2012, 08:20 PM	#3
autodave Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Menifee,Ca. Posts: 484	Can you put 45's instead of those 90's? Horizontal runs will slow the siphon from starting. Also it looks like your return section in your sump is very small,which is why your pump is sucking dry. Once you have your intial valve adjustment,you should not have readjust every time you shut it down

05/12/2012, 10:52 PM	#7
eagle9252 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 245	you need to take the lower 90’s out and add 45’s. I have the bean animal setup but changed a couple of things and the only problem I have is on the filter sock that’s 100m after about 4 days if I turn the pump off it sometimes take longer to get it started. You have to make sure the pipes are only 1” under the water level as it will make it harder to start.After about 4 days the water level starts to rise in the filter sock. I don’t turn the pump off unless I feed rod’s food or Cyclopes. I have it on the end of left side so I feed on the right side and no problem most of the time. I have some 90’s but they are long sweep

05/14/2012, 01:17 PM	#8
Reefahholic Moved On Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: League City, Texas Posts: 3,974	I've had 45's and 90's both. I didn't notice much difference. Speed was about the same. Both drains are only 1" below water line. I've also tried a drilled hole just above the water line in main drain to help purge air (as Beananimal recommends) but still no luck. It does work a little bit, but adds noise on start up. I think ive come to the conclusion-that my return section is too small. Maybe it's 40breeder time.

05/14/2012, 02:06 PM	#9
autodave Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Menifee,Ca. Posts: 484	Yes your return section is too small. Lose the single baffle,and move your other (3)baffles over,and replace the third one with one the same height as the first

05/20/2012, 01:51 AM	#10
Reefahholic Moved On Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: League City, Texas Posts: 3,974	Well, you guys twisted my arm....I went back to the 45's instead of the 90's you see above- on my drains! How do they look?