Modified Herbie or Bean Animal??

[Feet4Fish]

Have a preowned tank that has two holes drilled in bottom of overflow to accommodate 1.5” bulkheads. Have real estate for a third hole. Considering drilling for a 2” bulkhead. Here is my question should I do modified Herbie style with the 2” and one of the 1.5” pipes both being primary and the other 1.5” pipe being trickle/ emergency? OR should I do a Beam Animal with a 2” primary? Return will be approximately 5000gph. Display is 600 gallons. thanks!

 

[lmm1967]

it's not a glass tank is it? If it is - make sure it's not tempered on the panel you intend to drill

 

[JumboShrimp]

If you’re not scared to drill, here’s what I have going on. The pipe to the left breaks/skims from the surface. The pipe to the right is submerged and draws from under the water level. The red valve controls the ‘mix.’ Obviously the middle pipe is a never-to-be-needed (!) emergency overflow. Best wishes!

 

[Feet4Fish]

it's not a glass tank is it? If it is - make sure it's not tempered on the panel you intend to drill

Sorry I forgot to say. It is acrylic.

 

[cracker]

That's a good question. You say around 5,000 gph, 600 is a 'Big" tank. I assume this includes head loss etc. A 1.5 bulkhead will handle a lot of water. So one siphon The other as trickle/emergency drain could work just fine.
I'd like to hear what others say Good luck.

 

[ca1ore]

There aren't many pumps that will do 5,000 gph. Seems excessive for even a 600 gallon tank (is that actual water volume?). If it were me, I'd use the two 1 1/2" drains as primary and secondary, and the 2" as emergency. A single 1 1/2" siphon will move a heck of a lot of water, maybe even 5,000 gph. Can the weir handle that much flow?

 

[Feet4Fish]

There aren't many pumps that will do 5,000 gph. Seems excessive for even a 600 gallon tank (is that actual water volume?). If it were me, I'd use the two 1 1/2" drains as primary and secondary, and the 2" as emergency. A single 1 1/2" siphon will move a heck of a lot of water, maybe even 5,000 gph. Can the weir handle that much flow?

Actual water volume of system is approximately 800 gallons. Pump is a reeflo tiger shark. The weir is 40 inches long with 1/2 inch between weir teeth.

 

[Breadman03]

Bean. The 1.5" siphon on my 150 can handle way more flow than my Blueline 70 can provide, though the Blueline is teed off to supply my Lifereef skimmer. I've found that having the gate valve mostly closed makes it take a little bit until the siphon fully clears upon restarting, and I would have probably been better served with a 1" siphon left mostly open. I'd suggest running the math and choosing a size that will handle a bit more than you need to flow.

 

[Feet4Fish]

Thanks for the input so far everyone! Plan on drilling and plumbing out the overflow this weekend. Will go with a Bean Animal with 2 inch full siphon and about a 12 inch fall. Looked up flow dynamics and it will be way sufficient!