Modular marine overflow questions?

[Contractor_Chris]

So I purchased a 3000gph modular marine overflow for my 180 gallon tank. Just installed it. But the two bulk heads going thru the tank are completely in the way of being able to make a durso. The 3 bulk heads going out are 1½" so doing a bean animal. 1 full siphon, one durso, 9ne emergency. But they are right on top of each other. Close enough I'll have to stagger all the unions. I'm sure many have this over flow. Post a photo or explain what you did that worked? Thanks Chris

 

[Bakedpwn]

ive been looking around for same issue and i believe you can hack saw the threads shorter. helps to have the nut on and then spin it off after the cut. take apart the overflow if you can

 

[iReefer12]

I’ve had a modular marine overflow in the past, they are great!

Hard to tell from the image what is preventing it from working? The pass through unions look like they are on either side of the 3 bullheads? No?

Just need 2 straight pipes and one U-bend pipe (open channel). The u-bend can be rotated slightly to miss the pass through bulkhead too.

Here is m beananimal setup in case that gives some help.

 

[Contractor_Chris]

I’ve had a modular marine overflow in the past, they are great!

Hard to tell from the image what is preventing it from working? The pass through unions look like they are on either side of the 3 bullheads? No?

Just need 2 straight pipes and one U-bend pipe (open channel). The u-bend can be rotated slightly to miss the pass through bulkhead too.

Here is m beananimal setup in case that gives some help.

See how far apart your 3 bulk heads are spaced. It allows unions and valves to be installed same height. That's my issue 1. Issue two is an elbow for 1.5 inch pipe doesn't have room from the ones inside the tank. Here's another photo or two. It's hard I know to tell what's going on. But there just isn't enough room for 1.5 pipe.

The only way to make it work is far side is emergency. Middle is durso (thay will end up looping over the 3rd one). And then the last one has nothing on it just the bulkhead. As the durso will.be directly over it

 

[DCR]

You don't have install the U-bend (Durso) on the secondary overflow. An open top is fine for the trickle flow that will go over it. I agree you will need to stagger the unions on the outlet pipes. 1-1/2" drain pipe is really large. Not sure what size tank you have but 1" is typically large enough for most tanks that are 240 gallons or less. You don't have to match the bulkhead size with your piping.

 

[Fungusamongus]

I took my bulkheads out and cut them down enough to tighen then but leave room for the BA setup. They had way too much threaded pip on the ends and left no room. Looking at the overflow box, I have the durso on the left side, full in the middle, and emergency on the right. I used a T pipe for the durso with the cross part of the T verticle. Capped and drilled the top the attached a 90 to the middle. I will see if i can get a pic tomorrow. Works well.

 

[Contractor_Chris]

I'm not following what your saying at first. I don't have the 2nd elbow attached because the bulkhead coming thru the tank and over flow box are in the way.

Tank is 180 gal, and sump is a trigger with bulk heads to connect three 1½" pipe so im just going to keep it that size. Unless it proves it can't happen with this over flow box. (1 inch pipe WONT flow whay its advertised to do) In thay case the price and the flow is highly fictional and well I'll refrain from saying more.

Basically it needs some sort of special "U" piece to fit because standard 1.5" isn't going to happen in the space they provide.

 

[Contractor_Chris]

I took my bulkheads out and cut them down enough to tighen then but leave room for the BA setup. They had way too much threaded pip on the ends and left no room. Looking at the overflow box, I have the durso on the left side, full in the middle, and emergency on the right. I used a T pipe for the durso with the cross part of the T verticle. Capped and drilled the top the attached a 90 to the middle. I will see if i can get a pic tomorrow. Works well.

I may getbwhaybyour saying. I used a T and street90 on my 300gal fresh tank for my durso. So you used one 90 and T or two 90s and a T?

 

[iReefer12]

See how far apart your 3 bulk heads are spaced. It allows unions and valves to be installed same height. That's my issue 1. Issue two is an elbow for 1.5 inch pipe doesn't have room from the ones inside the tank. Here's another photo or two. It's hard I know to tell what's going on. But there just isn't enough room for 1.5 pipe.

The only way to make it work is far side is emergency. Middle is durso (thay will end up looping over the 3rd one). And then the last one has nothing on it just the bulkhead. As the durso will.be directly over it

Now I see what you mean. I thought you could just rotate the 90s. That does look a bit tight. As suggested already, cutting the bulkhead thread down, and staggering unions might be your best bet.

I think I used a U bend on mine, it might use less space than 2 - 90s. : https://www.supplyhouse.com/Spears-...rqPD574OAf6ZqLLp0kjoPV9OIw9b7V9BoC_d0QAvD_BwE

 

[DCR]

Just eliminate all the elbows inside the box and set the normal overflow slightly below the emergency overflow. You do not need any elbows inside the box.

 

[Contractor_Chris]

Now I see what you mean. I thought you could just rotate the 90s. That does look a bit tight. As suggested already, cutting the bulkhead thread down, and staggering unions might be your best bet.

I think I used a U bend on mine, it might use less space than 2 - 90s. : https://www.supplyhouse.com/Spears-...rqPD574OAf6ZqLLp0kjoPV9OIw9b7V9BoC_d0QAvD_BwE

Yeah the U half of a P trap. I'll have to check, I probably have one laying around or in my work van. Though call me silly i was trying to stay fancy and keep it all blue and sch80 gray

 

[Contractor_Chris]

Just eliminate all the elbows inside the box and set the normal overflow slightly below the emergency overflow. You do not need any elbows inside the box.

But that means two would go full siphon possibly. And then just have an emergency. Esp. Since I'm not certain where in this overflow box the water level will be

 

[DCR]

The water level in the box will be wherever you set the top of the secondary overflow. It is easier to set if you make it a straight open pipe rather than a U-bend. It will not go full siphon unless you massively overload it. A U-bend can go full siphon as well if you overload it.

I would add that it would be practically impossible to turn the secondary full siphon with a 1-1/2" pipe.

 

[iReefer12]

Yeah the U half of a P trap. I'll have to check, I probably have one laying around or in my work van. Though call me silly i was trying to stay fancy and keep it all blue and sch80 gray

I hear ya, I tried to do the same too. Chopping some the threads off the bulkhead might help you.

 

[iReefer12]

The water level in the box will be wherever you set the top of the secondary overflow. It is easier to set if you make it a straight open pipe rather than a U-bend. It will not go full siphon unless you massively overload it. A U-bend can go full siphon as well if you overload it.

I would add that it would be practically impossible to turn the secondary full siphon with a 1-1/2" pipe.

He’s right.

It doesn’t allow you to run the 1/4 pipe down to the water line to create a full siphon (like in beananimals design) but in 10 years of using this drain setup I’ve never relied on that. I think you could negate the 90s in the box and just have 3 straight pipes and be happy.

 

[PlumberDude]

I just used straight pieces of pvc pipe at different heights and left them dryfitted.. no glue. Has been working fine for over a year.

 

[Contractor_Chris]

He’s right.

It doesn’t allow you to run the 1/4 pipe down to the water line to create a full siphon (like in beananimals design) but in 10 years of using this drain setup I’ve never relied on that. I think you could negate the 90s in the box and just have 3 straight pipes and be happy.

How loud is that? Now to think of it, that's how an older tank I had was, and I feel like it sounded like a water fall constantly. can i still control that with a valve and it won't go full siphon? I have a bean animal on my other tank and it's quiet as can be. (I'll include some photos. You can see the durso and the full siphon with a strainer behind the durso. Can't see the emergency though)
Another concern is if something gets into the over flow box, I feel it's easily going for a ride where the durso deign helps slightly?

 

[iReefer12]

I’ve never run it like that, but it is still a beananimal style drain, the open channel is just open top now, the water is still flowing through exactly how it would if you have 2 90s or a U bend on top. So it should be just as silent.

No need for a valve on it. It won’t go full siphon as the bulk of your flow will still be going down the actual Full Siphon drain, and just dial in that gate valve to control how much flow goes down the open channel drain. The water level should just be overflowing that open channel pipe, shouldn’t be more that 1/8” higher than the top of that pipe.

Hope all that makes sense, hard to explain without showing.

 

[iReefer12]

Oh, and fully agree, don’t glue inside the box, no need, and you’ll appreciate being able to adjust and clean in the future.

 

[Contractor_Chris]

Oh, and fully agree, don’t glue inside the box, no need, and you’ll appreciate being able to adjust and clean in the future.

Yes I never glue inside the over flow. I guess I'll give that a shot. Worse I don't like it. And trim down the bulkhead threads and try to make the U shape.
I do already have the 2nd gate valve. I suppose it won't hurt to throw it on (and it will act as another union to ease install and disassembly for cleaning). Thanks!