Bean animal plumbing question

WvAquatics · Mar 28, 2020

I am ordering my plumbing for my build. I was wondering if it is better to use one curved for main drain and one durso style for secondary. Or if 2 curved would be just as good? Lastly woul I need a hole in the top of secondary line if using two curved pieces

User1 · Mar 28, 2020

Short answer is yes, use curved if you have the space and stay true to his original design. You will get varying opinions on this, mine no different, but here is why I also recommend staying true to the original design. From a purist perspective if you say you are using a Bean Animal then you need to follow it completely. Any changes to the plumbing (in your case Tee's to straight pipes similar to Durso or Herbie) then there is no longer a guarantee of it being silent & fail-safe. It is as simple as that.

I'm not here to say which is better just if you are using a Bean Animal then follow it. Provided you have space. Space is key. My overflow box is huge but I had my overflow drains set to 1 1/2". So when I went to set up the the 1 1/2" street elbows took up too much space so was stuck. Went back to his page and saw that he had a similar issue but it is ok to reduce down to 1". Once I did that everything is fine.

Yes, you will need the hole in the on the Open Channel standpipe that is curled back over and attached just below the trim inside the overflow box. Use a 1/4" x 3/8" John Guest fitting and 1/4" tubing and it will never clog due to salt creep.

Edit: For reference - https://beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system/

WvAquatics · Mar 28, 2020

BrewPug said:
+1 Modular Marine.

Just installed a BA in a 1600 with 1” bulkheads. Solid as a rock and dead quiet.

saf1 said:
Short answer is yes, use curved if you have the space and stay true to his original design. You will get varying opinions on this, mine no different, but here is why I also recommend staying true to the original design. From a purist perspective if you say you are using a Bean Animal then you need to follow it completely. Any changes to the plumbing (in your case Tee's to straight pipes similar to Durso or Herbie) then there is no longer a guarantee of it being silent & fail-safe. It is as simple as that.

I'm not here to say which is better just if you are using a Bean Animal then follow it. Provided you have space. Space is key. My overflow box is huge but I had my overflow drains set to 1 1/2". So when I went to set up the the 1 1/2" street elbows took up too much space so was stuck. Went back to his page and saw that he had a similar issue but it is ok to reduce down to 1". Once I did that everything is fine.

Yes, you will need the hole in the on the Open Channel standpipe that is curled back over and attached just below the trim inside the overflow box. Use a 1/4" x 3/8" John Guest fitting and 1/4" tubing and it will never clog due to salt creep.

Edit: For reference - https://beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system/

Ok so I'm putting it inside an exotic marine overflow. It has 1" drain lines. So not 100% bean animal. I cannot find any u pipes with clean out that's 1" so that is going to be some searching to try and figure out how to get it. So I will do some research on how to add air to open channel. Thanks! One last piece to plan

WvAquatics · Mar 28, 2020

I'll probably have to make a durso stand pipe for open channel

User1 · Mar 28, 2020

WvAquatics said:
Ok so I'm putting it inside an exotic marine overflow. It has 1" drain lines. So not 100% bean animal. I cannot find any u pipes with clean out that's 1" so that is going to be some searching to try and figure out how to get it. So I will do some research on how to add air to open channel. Thanks! One last piece to plan

I'm not familiar with that kit but I just did quick search and found this. Not sure if it help. Nice kit but honestly I've never used it so can't really say much more. It looks like they have a Tee of some sort or a U design but a straight pipe for emergency. I'm sorry I don't have more.

WvAquatics · Mar 28, 2020

Yes but the u pipe is only made in 1.5 or larger. So I cannot use that so I will have to do a durso open drain. With a cap on top with a hole for air flow.