Carey's 40b Reef Build

[mr_X]

Fail safe, means they don't fail. Gravity is something you can definitely count on. How is it going to flood something if it never stops working?

 

[Sniperhank]

How so if you dont mind me asking- "fail safe to prevent flood"

Gravity never turns off. That's the difference between that and hob overflows, which can lose siphon from an air bubble.

 

[Rare]

When they talk about *Bean Animal* " safe fail" system they are talking about the fail safe as in no flood. If its a durso stand pipe with only one drain pipe and whatever may be the reason that something gets stuck in that drain pipe (fish, big snail etc) that is where your flood will come from. Sump water got to go up but cant come down. It must have happened to someone at one time-right?....Anyways that is your flood scenario . The other part is that it is "super silent" which is great.

 

[mr_X]

Any drill holes in the tank are a potential leak risk. beanimal, youranimal...anyanimal. It's ridiculous to think a snail or fish is going to clog a drain line on a durso setup. it just doesn't happen. this would mean the snail would have to climb over the overflow teeth and go all the way to the bottom of the overflow box, then up the standpipe, and into the drain hole, before the tank keeper misses to realize it. Odds of that?
The "big fish" scenario is just as far fetched.

 

[Rare]

Note: I didnt come up with the system or the reason with it or the name. The other missing part is that it is "super silent" which is why the bean animal is used. Over the thousands of replies on reef central i think people like it...just sayin

 

[kdpuffer]

What about drilling the back of the tank and doing a coast to coast overflow? If fail safes are a concern there is a nice drain setup with three separate drains.

Skip that just realized that's the same as the bean animal.

 

[mr_X]

I just feel that there is absolutely no need to drill 3 holes in the back of a tank to drain water. Many people have silent tanks.

 

[carey]

I was under the impression that the 1.5 inch hole for the overflow would be silent. If you go to 1 inch it makes a sucking sound from what I;ve read.

Still waiting on word from the guys, I will be seeing them on Saturday at our monthly reef meeting so I may have to wait until the weekend. :-((((
I may make a surprise visit to the guy making my stand for the 60g....I'm kinda hoping I can convince him to drill the two holes for me for the inconvenience of having to wait at least two extra weeks for the stand. lol

 

[Rare]

What about drilling the back of the tank and doing a coast to coast overflow? If fail safes are a concern there is a nice drain setup with three separate drains.

Skip that just realized that's the same as the bean animal.

Bean Animal Some of these risk taker reefers even go as for as 5 holes . Two for the return on 1 on each side. I might setup up the 40b like that.

Wont be long before you are running....at least the holes will be done this weekend

 

[carey]

Ok. I have that reef club meeting tonight and I need to be prepared with what I want/need done.

I know I need a 1.5 bulkhead for the overflow. Gonna go with just a single hole for that. BUT the part I can't figure out is the return hole(s).

I would love to do what Mr X mentioned, have a single 1 inch bulkhead and have it cut off to two different .50 spray nozzles. I have not for the life of me been able to find a reducer that will reduce from 1 inch to .5 inch. Would it have to be slip or would there be a female threading so I can just use the actual bulkhead which I could get with a thread. See, I'm confused.

And I think Mr x is gonna question this, but what about having two .50 holes drilled on either side of the overflow hole? Neat and clean. Is it worth the extra risk to drill the extra hole?

Thanks, let me know guys. I don't wanna look like a total noob at the meeting, I'd rather you guys see me as a noob.LOL

 

[mr_X]

1 hole for return. I don't think I've even seen half inch bulkheads. Overflow on one side of the tank and return on the other. They sell a threaded reducer at home depot. You aren't bring it down to 1/2", you are bringing it down to 3/4". the locline T goes from 3/4" to two 1/2".
Loc-Line 61512 Y Reducer

that connects to this-
Loc-Line 61505 NPT Connector

Then of course you need 2 of these-
Loc-Line 51801 Hose Segment

and 2 of these-
Loc-Line 51807 Flare Nozzle

 

[carey]

OOOh I think I get it now. Thanks so very much. I will need a one inch hole/bulkhead for the return. Then a reducer to get to .75 then the locline goes 3/4 to 1/2 for each nozzle.
thats it right? I just couldnt put my head around it for some reason. lol

Thanks again. Hopefully I have good luck tonight and get this drilled very soon.

 

[carey]

Ok so here is where i am at with this build.

i just ordered from the website above that X linked. I even found the reducer bushing to go from 1 inch to 3/4. I got the 3/4 inch hookup to that reducer and the 3/4 to 1/2 inch splitter for the locline. I got two segments of tube and 2 flare nozzles. SOooo i think the return section is finished. Coming ups I believe so will have it this week.

I hooked up with a local guy last night at the meeting and he will do the drilling as soon as I get the bits. No one had the right size bits so I have to get my own.
I plan on ordering a 45mm bit and a 60mm. that should be 1 inch and 1.5 inches respectively.
I had alot of problems finding the right sizes, I've been going back and forth between glass-holes, BRS, ebay and amazon trying to figure out the right ones to get. It seems glass-holes has bits that are just a tiny bit larger than what everyone else sells. I am assuming its because they are for sch40 or 80 pvc bulkheads. If that is a bad guess let me know. its been driving me nuts. lol
The only other thing is the actual bulkheads. I know I need the 1.5 and 1 inch ones but since I am confused kinda I am going to order both threaded on each end. that seems to be the best fit, but I could be wrong. lol The only negative is that i cant find "short" ones other than from glass-holes and I dont think they will fit if I get the smaller diameter drill bits.
Anyone know of someplace I can get the short bulkheads? AND if I dont find them can I just cut off some of the overflow bulkhead to make it shorter?

Thanks, I know this post is longer than most but I really wanna get this right and need all the help I can get.

 

[TheTodd]

Does your LFS sell bulkheads? They might have the short ones. ( or be able to get them). One of the two LFS in my area had only the long version and the other had none on display, but had both types of bulkheads in their back room area.

 

[huma-huma]

if you take your time with a handsaw and some cool water, you should be able to shorten those without screwing up the threading

 

[carey]

So I received almost everything I need to drill the tank BUT the overflow box. lol

That is supposed to be here in a few days. I got all the bulkheads, the pvc fittings and all the locline as well as the drill bits. So a couple more days and we can get this up and running.

I do have bad news on one front though. After a couple years of having my mandarin Mandy, he has passed. he died yesterday, still fat so I know he didnt starve. Not quite sure what killed him, I think it was the stress of moving tanks to be honest. He just never came back from moving him to the 10g from the biocube. :-(

I will not be getting another one though, I feel I was very lucky with the one I had and dont expect to be that lucky again.

 

[redsea]

Sorry Carey. You had her for a very long while though! You have to be proud of that!

 

[carey]

Thanks Red. While i am sorry to see him go I knew he wouldnt last forever. I did a pretty good job at keeping him alive and happy, at least I hope I did. lol

So far the stock for this 40b will be the two clown gobies and the perc clowns will go into the 60g. I was thinking the mandarin would have been great in the 40, but it was not meant to be I guess.

 

[redsea]

I suppose everything happens for a reason, as they say.

 

[carey]

Yeah, so they say. i cant see the reason a small helpless little fish should die though. :-(

Kinda bummed about Mandy,. i am really gonna miss him. What I wont miss is the constant feeding I used to do just for him, my water quality in the tank should improve drastically.