Herbie Style Vs Overflow

[Josh]

I am currently in the process of moving and decided since i have to empty my biocube 29g to move i mind as well drill it and add a sump during the process. I have done a fair bit of reading and decided a 2 pipe herbie system with 1 drain and 1 emergency drain is probably my best bet.

I already have a 2nd outlet line coming through the false wall of the biocube similar to picture #1

I have a closed loop reactor i put some chaeto in piped into my 1st chamber and found unless i piped the drain or supply line into anything other than chamber 1 it screwed with the natural flow through the filter rack and chemi pure rack i have and would mess with the return pump. Ever since i piped the return into the actual tank and started pulling out of 3 the main filter system and return pump returned back to normal.

The part im getting confused is that almost every single bc29 im seeing online where people have drilled for a sump they mostly pull out of chamber 2 where the water has to flow over the wall in chamber 1 and trickle down into chamber 2 into the drain lines with the return pipe back into chamber 3 where the return is for the main return pump. Seems pretty silly to me to rely on that pump to then pump it back into the main. I think its best to pipe directly to the back wall like below. Any thoughts on where or how i should pipe this?

I have options of just buying a nano overflow box and trying that? Seen very little info on which is a safer method to avoid floods.

 

[zoomster]

Have you researched the BEAN ANIMAL drain Josh?
I switch all mine (Reef, fowlr, frag) to the bean animal and will never use any other type again - to many pros and no cons.

 

[Josh]

Interesting.... I had not even heard of that style drain. Ive partially changed my mind about drilling. I did not realize technology had advanced and they have reliable siphon overflows now. Toying with the idea of usign a CPR cs50 with a lift pump to keep things consistant.

Do you run a throttling valve on your pump to set your water flow? How do you set your flow to match your overflow, I assume you find the specs on the overflow say its good for 250 gpm. I then take the lift from the sump and calculate what size pump i need for ~200-300 gpm then throttle it slightly to match flow? Or is the system more forgiving than im giving credit?

 

[AdInfinitum]

Your overflow must always be able to flow much more than your return can pump then the flow is self regulating. Trying to build a system where flows have to balance is a recipe for a flood.

 

[Josh]

yah thats kind of what i was thinking, so if flow thru the overflow is say 250, and my pump is at 200 the overflow will eventually slow down to match the pump?

 

[AdInfinitum]

As long as the capacity of the drain system is greater than the feed from the pump, the level will maintain itself. In most people's bean animal or Herbie systems the total drain capacity is usually 6-8 times the capacity of the return system allowing a huge margin of safety to allow for buildup of crap...rogue snails...etc. in the drains.
Beyond safety, drains that are running way below capacity are much much quieter!