Overflow Piping - from scratch

[thecodingart]

My last tank was a waterbox, and came with the appropriate baseline piping for the overflow + return lines.

My next tank is a used tank minus the plumbing in these areas (specs are attached). Given I lack any experience in building my own overflow + returns, would anyone here be able to help guide me along the process with resources, kits or recommendations.

The tank is a Planet Aquarium tank, and I didn't quite see any overflow out of the box kits provided by them. Especially not in the size this tank requires.

 

[JC1977]

That diagram is extremely confusing to me?? So two drains and one return line?

 

[DCR]

I think the drawing is clear enough. That is an internal overflow box which comes with the tank with two large 2-1/2" drain holes and a smaller 1-3/4" hole for a return but there is no return slot in the box, so I it is really intended as a full siphon with a Bean 3-drain set-up. There are two separate 1-1/2" holes for returns (one in each corner).

The 2-1/2" holes on the inside of the overflow box will take 1-1/2" ABS Bulkheads and you can run 1-1/2 secondary and emergency overflows down to your sump. The 1-3/4" hole in the overflow will take a 1" ABS bulkhead. I would make that your full siphon with 1" piping and a 1" gate valve.

The 1-1/2" return holes will take a 3/4" ABS Bulkhead. I would recommend running separate 1" lines up the bulkheads and then reduce down right at the bulkhead.

It is set-up for ABS bulkheads. You can get them from BRS or others. You can go with slip (glued) or threaded fittings as you prefer. The threaded can be more prone to leaks but can be adjusted and re-used.

Working with PVC is pretty easy. Get yourself some PVC cutters and plan out all your fittings and pipe. I would just use the Sch 40 white pipe and fittings from the home improvement stores. Some like the more expensive colored pipe but it is purely asthetics. You will want to put unions at locations that will allow you to take the pipe apart. The details of that are more than can be covered here. I would just do some research.

Should be a really nice well-made tank from Planet with low iron glass on the front and side and glass bracing on the top.

 

[JC1977]

I think the drawing is clear enough. That is an internal overflow box which comes with the tank with two large 2-1/2" drain holes and a smaller 1-3/4" hole for a return but there is no return slot in the box, so I it is really intended as a full siphon with a Bean 3-drain set-up. There are two separate 1-1/2" holes for returns (one in each corner).

The 2-1/2" holes on the inside of the overflow box will take 1-1/2" ABS Bulkheads and you can run 1-1/2 secondary and emergency overflows down to your sump. The 1-3/4" hole in the overflow will take a 1" ABS bulkhead. I would make that your full siphon with 1" piping and a 1" gate valve.

The 1-1/2" return holes will take a 3/4" ABS Bulkhead. I would recommend running separate 1" lines up the bulkheads and then reduce down right at the bulkhead.

It is set-up for ABS bulkheads. You can get them from BRS or others. You can go with slip (glued) or threaded fittings as you prefer. The threaded can be more prone to leaks but can be adjusted and re-used.

Working with PVC is pretty easy. Get yourself some PVC cutters and plan out all your fittings and pipe. I would just use the Sch 40 white pipe and fittings from the home improvement stores. Some like the more expensive colored pipe but it is purely asthetics. You will want to put unions at locations that will allow you to take the pipe apart. The details of that are more than can be covered here. I would just do some research.

Should be a really nice well-made tank from Planet with low iron glass on the front and side and glass bracing on the top.

I got the gist of it but didn’t catch the 2-1/2” cut out being for 1-1/2” bulkheads. I was picturing 2-1/2” drain pipes which seemed crazy that’s all lol.

 

[thecodingart]

I think the drawing is clear enough. That is an internal overflow box which comes with the tank with two large 2-1/2" drain holes and a smaller 1-3/4" hole for a return but there is no return slot in the box, so I it is really intended as a full siphon with a Bean 3-drain set-up. There are two separate 1-1/2" holes for returns (one in each corner).

The 2-1/2" holes on the inside of the overflow box will take 1-1/2" ABS Bulkheads and you can run 1-1/2 secondary and emergency overflows down to your sump. The 1-3/4" hole in the overflow will take a 1" ABS bulkhead. I would make that your full siphon with 1" piping and a 1" gate valve.

The 1-1/2" return holes will take a 3/4" ABS Bulkhead. I would recommend running separate 1" lines up the bulkheads and then reduce down right at the bulkhead.

It is set-up for ABS bulkheads. You can get them from BRS or others. You can go with slip (glued) or threaded fittings as you prefer. The threaded can be more prone to leaks but can be adjusted and re-used.

Working with PVC is pretty easy. Get yourself some PVC cutters and plan out all your fittings and pipe. I would just use the Sch 40 white pipe and fittings from the home improvement stores. Some like the more expensive colored pipe but it is purely asthetics. You will want to put unions at locations that will allow you to take the pipe apart. The details of that are more than can be covered here. I would just do some research.

Should be a really nice well-made tank from Planet with low iron glass on the front and side and glass bracing on the top.

Sweetness and you’re pretty much going down the path I was looking for.

I’m pretty familiar and comfortable with plumbing and probably was going to use scheduled 80 pipes over 40 just out of preference.

The Bean drain setup is where I have a large knowledge gap atm, so if you have any recommendations on resources, definitely feel free to shoot them my way. Especially in regards to the pipe lengths for the lines.

Otherwise, I’m reviewing any source material I can find: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/content/post/md-2017-08-durso-herbie-bean-animal-overflow

 

[fltt]

Silent & Fail-Safe Aquarium Overflow System | BeanAnimal's Reef

Build the world famous "Bean Animal" silent and fail-safe aquarium overflow system. No noise, no adjustment, no floods. A truly set and forget setup that makes the Durso and Stockman style of standpipes obsolete! Build your own today!

beananimal.com

Here you go read up. It's a great dead silent over flow system. Good luck

 

[DCR]

You can use Sch 80 pipe if you prefer, but you cannot use the Sch 80 bulkheads as they will not fit the holes in your tank. Sch 80 pipe has the same OD as Sch 40 so it will fit inside the ABS bulkheads.

 

[thecodingart]

Silent & Fail-Safe Aquarium Overflow System | BeanAnimal's Reef

Build the world famous "Bean Animal" silent and fail-safe aquarium overflow system. No noise, no adjustment, no floods. A truly set and forget setup that makes the Durso and Stockman style of standpipes obsolete! Build your own today!

beananimal.com

Here you go read up. It's a great dead silent over flow system. Good luck

Is there any good resources for recommendations on measurements?

For example; how far you want the emergency line, second line, and primary drain line to be from the top of the drain or from the drain line itself?

Also, as an odd question, with this return line setup isn’t the following technically incorrect?


The goal would be for the full siphon to take 100% of the flow and the secondary broken siphone to be a backup (shouldn’t really have any water going through it normally) right?

I oddly see some videos where the secondary broken siphone is submerged as a normal set of operations rather an overflow..

 

[DCR]

There are three drains that I will call full siphon which is your primary, a secondary overflow which controls the level in the box with a very small flow, and an emergency drain which is normally dry (not flowing).

You want to adjust the full siphon with a gate valve so that just a trickle of water goes through the secondary overflow. The full siphon just needs to be several inches below the secondary overflow and can be at the bottom to keep the bottom of the overflow stirred up. I normally just insert a strainer into the bulkhead in case a fish gets in the overflow, but I use very shallow external overflows so access to the strainer is not a problem. Might want to add a standpipe on yours so you don't have to reach all the way into the bottom of the overflow to get the strainer. THe box will not fully drain into the sump when you shut down the return pumps that way as well. You do not need a U-bend on the full siphon as it is always underwater.

Set the secondary overflow height at a height where you want the level to run in the box. Don't make it more than an inch or so below the bottom of the weir teeth on the overflow box or it will give you a water fall noise as it flows over the weir. I like about 1/2" difference. You can either put a U-bend on top with a small (1/8") anti-siphon hole drilled in the top or just leave it open top (open ended vertical pipe). The u-bend reduces the noise but with a small trickle noise should not be an issue. Set the bottom of the U-bend about where you want the level to run if you install a U-bend. I like an open top because it just makes access easier and I can see what is happening better with the secondary overflow.

The emergency overflow is normally dry and should be about 1/2" or so above the secondary overflow, but not so high that it would cause your tank to overflow. Just make it open vertical pipe. If it is flowing, you want to hear it.

All the plumbing inside the box can just be press fit. That way you can take it apart and make adjustments if needed.

 

[thecodingart]

There are three drains that I will call full siphon which is your primary, a secondary overflow which controls the level in the box with a very small flow, and an emergency drain which is normally dry (not flowing).

You want to adjust the full siphon with a gate valve so that just a trickle of water goes through the secondary overflow. The full siphon just needs to be several inches below the secondary overflow and can be at the bottom to keep the bottom of the overflow stirred up. I normally just insert a strainer into the bulkhead in case a fish gets in the overflow, but I use very shallow external overflows so access to the strainer is not a problem. Might want to add a standpipe on yours so you don't have to reach all the way into the bottom of the overflow to get the strainer. THe box will not fully drain into the sump when you shut down the return pumps that way as well. You do not need a U-bend on the full siphon as it is always underwater.

Set the secondary overflow height at a height where you want the level to run in the box. Don't make it more than an inch or so below the bottom of the weir teeth on the overflow box or it will give you a water fall noise as it flows over the weir. I like about 1/2" difference. You can either put a U-bend on top with a small (1/8") anti-siphon hole drilled in the top or just leave it open top (open ended vertical pipe). The u-bend reduces the noise but with a small trickle noise should not be an issue. Set the bottom of the U-bend about where you want the level to run if you install a U-bend. I like an open top because it just makes access easier and I can see what is happening better with the secondary overflow.

The emergency overflow is normally dry and should be about 1/2" or so above the secondary overflow, but not so high that it would cause your tank to overflow. Just make it open vertical pipe. If it is flowing, you want to hear it.

All the plumbing inside the box can just be press fit. That way you can take it apart and make adjustments if needed.

When you not "press fit" you're just referencing not gluing things into the fittings unless they're 100 solid (dry fit)? Or is there a particular non-slip fitting I'm overlooking that would be better for adjustments in an overflow. I'm trying to identify if I do not use threaded bulkheads, what the best course of action would be to ensure I can still remove and provide maintenance and adjustments on the pipes if needed within the return box.

Waterbox has external threading around their return lines with some union like bulkhead couplers (unsure where those can be purchased).

Waterbox. Bulkheads

Does anyone know where to purchase the waterbox bulkheads

www.reef2reef.com

Obviously would prefer a standard (non metric) version of these.

Probably going to start off with the following as I build this out over time. I have a few spare pipes and equipment at home as well.

 

[DCR]

When I say press fit, I mean just pressing standard PVC socket welded fittings into pipe or bulkheads without any glue. You can also do threaded if you prefer but the point is that the joints do not have to be leak tight inside the overflow box.

 

[thecodingart]

When I say press fit, I mean just pressing standard PVC socket welded fittings into pipe or bulkheads without any glue. You can also do threaded if you prefer but the point is that the joints do not have to be leak tight inside the overflow box.

Ah, that’s a really good point I hadn’t considered. It can be a dry fit inside.

Also, really appreciate you throwing over this information plus some rubber ducky talk.

 

[DCR]

Not sure what you are planning to use the silicon adhesive for, but at the risk of sounding condescending, you should use the PVC cement for the PVC piping ( I find the Oately Heavy Duty clear without a primer works fine). I would also highly recommend getting some silicone grease to smear over the rubber gaskets on the bulkheads to get a good seal. I would not use the adhesive on the bulkheads except as a last resort. The problem with it is that if you accidentally turn the bulkhead while working with the external pipe, you will break the seal and it will usually start to leak. The grease works really well unless you have some type of large chip in the glass surface.

Be careful not to overtighten the ABS bulkheads. They are more fragile than PVC and more prone to splitting from overtightening. I do like to use the pipe dope on them rather than Teflon tape if you use a threaded joint to connect the pipe, but it looks like you are going with slip fittings so that will not be an issue.

You are also going to want a bunch of unions.

 

[thecodingart]

Not sure what you are planning to use the silicon adhesive for, but at the risk of sounding condescending, you should use the PVC cement for the PVC piping ( I find the Oately Heavy Duty clear without a primer works fine). I would also highly recommend getting some silicone grease to smear over the rubber gaskets on the bulkheads to get a good seal. I would not use the adhesive on the bulkheads except as a last resort. The problem with it is that if you accidentally turn the bulkhead while working with the external pipe, you will break the seal and it will usually start to leak. The grease works really well unless you have some type of large chip in the glass surface.

Be careful not to overtighten the ABS bulkheads. They are more fragile than PVC and more prone to splitting from overtightening. I do like to use the pipe dope on them rather than Teflon tape if you use a threaded joint to connect the pipe, but it looks like you are going with slip fittings so that will not be an issue.

You are also going to want a bunch of unions.

Oh, yeah I have plenty of clear PVC cement. The silicon is in case I want to add some extra sealing around the bulkheads, that’s all. Grease would be the other option for a similar effect.

I’ve always applied a mix of dope vs tape depending on what I’m doing. It’s sometimes a hit or miss with either and I know some plumbers will swear by using both at the same time.

Outside of the overflow box, I definitely plan on Union galore. This is really just the first time I’m doing my own plumbing in the box itself making me pretty cautious and analytical on what should go inside with precision.

 

[Indymann99]

So I think the Bean Animal drain system has been covered above, I like glued joints vs threaded.

 

[thecodingart]

So I think the Bean Animal drain system has been covered above, I like glued joints vs threaded.

Off topic, but I’m considering getting the Bashsea pro 60 sump. Is that what you have there and how do you like it?

Definitely curious about your stand with the algae scrubber + media under it to. Would be cool to not have a refugium in this guy and replace it with that.

 

[Indymann99]

Off topic, but I’m considering getting the Bashsea pro 60 sump. Is that what you have there and how do you like it?

Definitely curious about your stand with the algae scrubber + media under it to. Would be cool to not have a refugium in this guy and replace it with that.

Sump is Trigger 39. The ATS is pulling this every 2 weeks.