BeanAnimal conversion of an 2005 Oceanic 150 GA Tank - possible?

[Rpkneumann]

My first 32 GA AIO Reef Aquarium biologically collapsed after 4 years. My fault. I had slowed down in my cleaning cycles and the tank would equalize water levels anymore. Constantly refilling water janked the values up and down until one morning everything was literally floating on top.
I was about to give up the hobby as my children found an old Oceanic dual Overflow 150 GA tank from 2005 and gifted it to me, it including a trigger system crystal 36 sump. All needed a lot of LTC and cleaning.
After cleaning it all looks great. The tank is actually 48 x 24 x 29 (w/d/h).Quite a heavy monster empty.

I'm an engineer and love to develop plans. I discovered that the tank has 2 Overflows spec'ed as 660 GPH capacity. Drilled with two holes.
Those are meant to house a 1" drain and 3/4" return in each overflow.
I found the original drains (Durso type) now being supplied by Aquenon but my curiosity drove me to dig deeper and look for an update.

Since my previous tank was an AIO, a sump this is something new to me and the research led me to a BeanAnimal System.
I decided to design a plumbing with two return pumps and now need help deciding how to do best the BeanAnimal setup.
Problem arises that there are only 2 holes drilled in each overflow and not enough room for a new third hole.

Is the following doable and feasible:
- Install in each overflow a Full Siphon Drain with gate valve and an Open Channel Drain using the existing holes.
- Install one Overflow Pipe in middle of tank by drilling hole for bulkhead a few inches below waterline in center of tank back wall.
- Drill two additional holes for return pipes in back wall between Overflow and side walls. (about 4 1/4" space) or go over the back with lots of elbows.

Would love advise on this.

 

[reefing102]

Welcome to RC! Oceanics are definitely beasts.

With that said, I don’t know much of the BeanAnimal style set up but I’ll go ahead and tag the original designer himself @BeanAnimal and hopefully he pops in with information.

 

[redneckgearhead]

It's definitely possible, but I'm not sure it would be optimal. If it were mine I'd use 3 of the 4 holes already there for the beanamimal. Then either use the remaining hole for the return or drill the back wall for returns.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

You could do a Herbie style overflow where the returns come in over the back of the tank.
Still silent with 2 drains in each overflow.

 

[Rpkneumann]

You could do a Herbie style overflow where the returns come in over the back of the tank.
Still silent with 2 drains in each overflow.

So this basically a BeanAnimal without the Emergency Overflow drain?
I do kind of like that safety aspect having that emergency overflow. Had some bad luck with a small 32 Gallon tank constantly overflowing. It filled it to high and slowly lost about 1 gallon a day to the floor. .

I had already planned to drill the back for the returns anyhow. One more hole for and emergency overflow?
The glass is 1/2" thick.

 

[wvned]

My 180 gallon has the same setup as your tank.
It works just fine the way it came with 2 drains and 2 returns.

 

[Rpkneumann]

My 180 gallon has the same setup as your tank.
It works just fine the way it came with 2 drains and 2 returns.

Let me clarify. Your using in each overflow a Durso and a return. Is Noise level tolerable? Might just safe me a ton of work. I can get the "Megflow" Dursos from Aquenon for a reasonable price and that would make it the original setup.

 

[redneckgearhead]

My 90 has a dorso and a return. It's dead silent, but the air bubbles in the sump needs regular attention for the salt creep.

 

[wvned]

Let me clarify. Your using in each overflow a Durso and a return. Is Noise level tolerable? Might just safe me a ton of work. I can get the "Megflow" Dursos from Aquenon for a reasonable price and that would make it the original setup.

Yes, silent. My sump is in another room.

 

[Rpkneumann]

Thanks for all the feedback.