Primary drain not working - fleece roller, bean animal

[mfollen]

Hey reefers,

I just fired up my new display that is plumbed with a bean animal overflow to a Red Sea reefmat fleece roller. The primary drain is not kicking in, resulting in the secondary durso pipe to be the working drain.

I don’t know what I can do to get the main drain working. Is it related to the rollermat connection to the drain? Or is it related to how I have the bean animal drain piping set up in the external box?

The primary upside down u drain in the box is pretty low, lower than the durso. When I turn the water on though the water line goes right up past the primary drain and then immediately needs the secondary to kick in.

Pic of the primary drain to rollermat inlet tubing

 

[mfollen]

Saw this earlier doing my research…

“A siphon running at a decent flow rate should be able to purge the air easily . If air is getting trapped, then either the gate valve is closed too much (very weak siphon) ... or the exit end is too far below the sump water level for air to purge.”

Maybe its my hose piping that goes low in the sump? Is there any way I can set that up better? Maybe shorten it so it’s a direct shot to the reefmat?

Or is it potentially something with my upside down u piping in the external box?

Flow rate on the pumps are not super high now.

 

[Mr. GoodStuff]

You have 3 pipes (drains) in the overflow correct? If so, that doesn't really look like a correctly setup bean animal.

 

[Mr. GoodStuff]

 

[mfollen]

Three drains. I do believe it is properly set up. What doesn’t look right?
I followed all instructions in videos and threads. Examples of similar setups:

 

[mfollen]

Another shot of the drain pipes and tubing:

Top down pic of pipes in external box:

 

[KStatefan]

Saw this earlier doing my research…

“A siphon running at a decent flow rate should be able to purge the air easily . If air is getting trapped, then either the gate valve is closed too much (very weak siphon) ... or the exit end is too far below the sump water level for air to purge.”

Maybe its my hose piping that goes low in the sump? Is there any way I can set that up better? Maybe shorten it so it’s a direct shot to the reefmat?

Or is it potentially something with my upside down u piping in the external box?

Flow rate on the pumps are not super high now.

Normally the recommendation is to only have the full siphon drain 1" below water surface

If you think the u piping is causing the problem pull it out and try it.

How are you controlling the flow in the primary? I did not think I saw a valve.

 

[homer1475]

Long vertical run, coupled with the "coil" at the bottom of the corrugated pipe isn't helping you. Your not purging the air from the main, reason the secondary is kicking in.

Try removing the U off the primary and shorten that corrugated pipe a bit. Might help.

 

[mfollen]

Primary drain flow is controlled by a gate valve, which has been fully open.

Yes the vertical run is perhaps 2.5’ long. That makes sense that the air is not purging. It did purge once out of 10 tries interestingly.

I’ll try shortening the corrugated pipe first.

Will report back! Thank you everyone for any help and advice here!! It’s greatly appreciated.

 

[homer1475]

You also don't need that U on the primary. An open channel is all that's required. With the few bean animals I have setup, I find the U can cause problems purging the air, so I just remove it and run an open channel.

I run mine wide open, but put a strainer on it just so nothing can climb, or swim down it.

 

[Homers]

https://youtube.com/shorts/Qh0rKhI_1S0?feature=share
This is my turtle tank. If you take the 90 going down off, will it start? Seems like its getting air locked. I have my ball valve closed about 1/4 of the way.

 

[mfollen]

Shortening the corrugated pipe did it!! Job well done crew.

Thanks everyone! Very happy to get this running and working right.

 

[Homers]

Shortening the corrugated pipe did it!! Job well done crew.

Thanks everyone! Very happy to get this running and working right.

I really like mine, its dead silent and mine moves around 3600 gph. Its pretty fail safe as well. Is this your first bean animal? I run a coolant heater from tractor supply inline in my drain, i had a brain fart when i first set it up and put it on the secondary drain and ended up melting both of my couplers that hold it in, thankfully the wife caught it before it turned into a massive leaking disaster

 

[mfollen]

First bean here!!

Woa I never heard of that. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Homers]

When wife gets home later ill get her to take a pic and ill post it. I have the heater set up on an inkbird thermostat, so far only issue in 5 years ive had was water messed up probe on thermostat. Used a toilet fill valve and made an auto top off

 

[Homers]

First bean here!!

Woa I never heard of that. Thanks for the tip!

Heres the plumbing on mine with the heater. I dont run it in summer

 

[Sebastiancrab]

You have 3 pipes (drains) in the overflow correct? If so, that doesn't really look like a correctly setup bean animal.

A bean animal has 3 drains going to the sump - that is normal.