Bean Animal question

lynardskynard12 · 07/31/2014, 08:24 AM

Hey I have some questions might be silly ones.

I have a 90gallon that I recently had drilled. I had 2 returns drilled on each side of the back wall 3/4inch. Then I had two 1inch bulk heads installed around the over flow box that was siliconed into the tank. I have this set up as modified bean animal drain. Modified being I only have 1 drain and a safety.

I have one elbow turned down and one turned up in the over flow box. Then on the back of the tank off the bulk heads I have another 90 degree elbow pointing down with flex tubing running into my sump. The drain line with the elbow facing down has a ball valve on it just before it hits the sump.

I'm not sure what I did wrong or what I'm doing wrong but it's so loud and pulling air, making gurgling noises that will wake up you up at night.

So needless to say my wife is not happy and I could really use some advice.

jschultzbass · 07/31/2014, 08:48 AM

That set up is actually called the Herbie. Bean Animal is an evolution of the Herbie that incorporates the extra safety drain.

On to your question. You should close back the ball valve on the main siphon drain until just barely a trickle is going down your emergency drain. If you don't have it set up so a little water is going down your emergency drain the siphon will pull the water level down until it gurgles air, then the water level rise and it will be a back and forth.

jschultzbass · 08/01/2014, 02:45 PM

Did this work for you?

mcgyvr · 08/01/2014, 03:25 PM

And if it doesn't (its not gonna be perfect but you can dial it in some) IMO drill another hole and actually do the Bean Animal this time

They are virtually dead silent.
There is enough room in the overflow.. Assuming you can get a drill back behind the tank. Looks like you might with the right drill.

lynardskynard12 · 08/01/2014, 04:02 PM

I'm going to mess with it tomorrow

lynardskynard12 · 08/01/2014, 04:03 PM

Drilling it would require me to drain it completely out won't it and I don't have the tools or trust myself enough lol

dillct · 08/01/2014, 05:06 PM

Is there water flowing into your emergency drain in this picture?

lynardskynard12 · 08/01/2014, 05:16 PM

Yes but then the main drain will get a full siphon and drain all the water and start the slurping again

dillct · 08/02/2014, 06:21 AM

Is it quiet for a period of time while the main drain has full siphon? If that's the case I'd replace the ball valve with a quality gate valve. You shouldn't have any water in your emergency drain at all. Might also want to think about raising the height of the emergency drain slightly so your main drain is submerged.

taylor t · 08/02/2014, 06:43 AM

I know it's all about the appearance, but if you wanted to use the bean animal type system, you could always add a 3/4" U-tube with a ball valve over the rim inside one of the overflows, and dial that in to take a bulk of the water. Heck, you may be able to add just a 1/2" U-tube with no valve or adjustment to help pull the volume a bit more, depending on the pump output... Then you can dial in with 2 bulkheads easier (point both of your bulkheads up to split the difference). Down side of this is, you have to manually start the siphon, you'll see one tube over the rim, and if you lose power, it will be noisy until you re-start the siphon manually again. I like my overflows to have some leeway, in case one ever gets reduced flow for some reason. Over years of operation, tube worms will build up inside your pipes. You can make any tank quiet, but at what expense... visually...

azjohnny · 08/02/2014, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Yes but then the main drain will get a full siphon and drain all the water and start the slurping again

That is what you want. Once the main drain has all of the water going through it start to close the valve ( easier with a gate valve) until the slurping sound goes away. The slurping sound is air .

Try removing the elbow at the top of the drain so the top of the drain is a couple of inches below the surface

lynardskynard12 · 10/28/2014, 06:25 PM

Hey guys back again, I thought I had my issue fixed but when I lost power and when it came on the noise started again!

lynardskynard12 · 10/28/2014, 06:26 PM

Is anyone good with plumbing that's free on Sunday to possibly pop over and help me figure this out?

07/31/2014, 08:24 AM	#1
lynardskynard12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 62	Bean Animal question Hey I have some questions might be silly ones. I have a 90gallon that I recently had drilled. I had 2 returns drilled on each side of the back wall 3/4inch. Then I had two 1inch bulk heads installed around the over flow box that was siliconed into the tank. I have this set up as modified bean animal drain. Modified being I only have 1 drain and a safety. I have one elbow turned down and one turned up in the over flow box. Then on the back of the tank off the bulk heads I have another 90 degree elbow pointing down with flex tubing running into my sump. The drain line with the elbow facing down has a ball valve on it just before it hits the sump. I'm not sure what I did wrong or what I'm doing wrong but it's so loud and pulling air, making gurgling noises that will wake up you up at night. So needless to say my wife is not happy and I could really use some advice. Last edited by lynardskynard12; 07/31/2014 at 08:32 AM.

07/31/2014, 08:48 AM	#2
jschultzbass Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Duluth MN Posts: 330	That set up is actually called the Herbie. Bean Animal is an evolution of the Herbie that incorporates the extra safety drain. On to your question. You should close back the ball valve on the main siphon drain until just barely a trickle is going down your emergency drain. If you don't have it set up so a little water is going down your emergency drain the siphon will pull the water level down until it gurgles air, then the water level rise and it will be a back and forth. __________________ 300 gallon mixed reef...lots of other equipment!!

08/01/2014, 02:45 PM	#3
jschultzbass Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Duluth MN Posts: 330	Did this work for you? __________________ 300 gallon mixed reef...lots of other equipment!!

08/01/2014, 03:25 PM	#4
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	And if it doesn't (its not gonna be perfect but you can dial it in some) IMO drill another hole and actually do the Bean Animal this time They are virtually dead silent. There is enough room in the overflow.. Assuming you can get a drill back behind the tank. Looks like you might with the right drill. __________________ Who me?

08/01/2014, 04:02 PM	#5
lynardskynard12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 62	I'm going to mess with it tomorrow

08/01/2014, 04:03 PM	#6
lynardskynard12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 62	Drilling it would require me to drain it completely out won't it and I don't have the tools or trust myself enough lol

08/01/2014, 05:06 PM	#7
dillct Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 112	Is there water flowing into your emergency drain in this picture?

08/01/2014, 05:16 PM	#8
lynardskynard12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 62	Yes but then the main drain will get a full siphon and drain all the water and start the slurping again

08/02/2014, 06:21 AM	#9
dillct Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 112	Is it quiet for a period of time while the main drain has full siphon? If that's the case I'd replace the ball valve with a quality gate valve. You shouldn't have any water in your emergency drain at all. Might also want to think about raising the height of the emergency drain slightly so your main drain is submerged.

08/02/2014, 06:43 AM	#10
taylor t Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Naperville, Il Posts: 2,396	I know it's all about the appearance, but if you wanted to use the bean animal type system, you could always add a 3/4" U-tube with a ball valve over the rim inside one of the overflows, and dial that in to take a bulk of the water. Heck, you may be able to add just a 1/2" U-tube with no valve or adjustment to help pull the volume a bit more, depending on the pump output... Then you can dial in with 2 bulkheads easier (point both of your bulkheads up to split the difference). Down side of this is, you have to manually start the siphon, you'll see one tube over the rim, and if you lose power, it will be noisy until you re-start the siphon manually again. I like my overflows to have some leeway, in case one ever gets reduced flow for some reason. Over years of operation, tube worms will build up inside your pipes. You can make any tank quiet, but at what expense... visually...

10/28/2014, 06:25 PM	#12
lynardskynard12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 62	Hey guys back again, I thought I had my issue fixed but when I lost power and when it came on the noise started again!

10/28/2014, 06:26 PM	#13
lynardskynard12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 62	Is anyone good with plumbing that's free on Sunday to possibly pop over and help me figure this out?