PLUMBING
I am running three outlets from the weir (
bean animal overflow). One is 32mm, the other two are 25mm. They are located top centre on the back of the tank. I'm also running two 25mm returns but one will be plugged for now, until I fit my
water switcher later on.
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EDIT:
I went off to the hardware today
(Dec 16 2012) with what money I have available before Christmas. Murphy's law - I didn't have quite enough and they didn't have everything I needed, being a sunday & being a long way from a Bunnings, I had to improvise some things but there was no way to improvise around the fact that they had no 25mm male to female elbows. Those I have to have.
So with what I could get I made a different version of a "Durso" overflow using Australian standard poly irrigation parts, some parts used in the parts list for the American "Durso" & "Bean Animal" overflows, just aren't available in metric sizes or are incredibly hard to get.
So I introduce you to the "
Aussie Overflow" system, a modified bean animal design. One advantage with this design is it uses only off the shelf parts, no cutting, no solvents, no glues and no modifications are required except for drilling one single 1/4" hole in a plastic plug. All parts are available from your Bunnings, major hardware, farm supply or irrigation supplies shop.
The Aussie Overflow consists of three outlets from the weir in the same configuration as a bean animal. Each outlet looks like this:
32mm version of the overflow shown.
The main siphon (centre) also needs a 25mm poly female/female (internal thread each end) ball valve. This is also another standard part. Personally I've put a tap on each for maintenance purposes but it's not really necessary other than on the full siphon.
The parts list for each 25mm overflow unit is:
1 x 25mm tank outlet fitting.
1 x 25mm 3 way female threaded tee (all branches are threaded internally).
1 x 25mm end plug (male).
1 x 25mm x 150mm poly pipe threaded each end (this is a std pipe part).
1 x 25mm threaded ball valve.
Teflon tape / plumbers tape.
Pictures of all parts are shown at end of this post for reference purposes. The most common brand & readily available are "Hansen" brand fittings. Elsewhere in this thread I have given hole saw sizes for Hansen tank outlets.
If your store sells them by imperial size, 25mm is the same as 1 inch pipe.
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HOW TO
BELOW: Wrap all external threads with teflon tape, winding on in the same direction as the thread. Usually anti clockwise when holding thread away from the ground. For some excellent plumbing tips see
VaultBoy's plumbing tips.
BELOW: Wind tee piece onto tank outlet (top of pic). Make sure you use a spanner or multigrips to stop your tank outlet from turning while you do this, especially if you've used silicon on the outlet gaskets. Then tighten plug into top of tee.
Then wind your pipe into bottom of tee and your ball valve (tap), if using one, onto bottom of pipe. Hand tighten all then a half turn extra.
Each one should look something like this when finished.
I've used a 32mm tank outlet, tee & plug on my main siphon then a 32mm-25mm reducing bush to fit the pipe into. I've done this as I wanted to be absolutely sure this would purge any air from the siphon & it does. With a normal 25mm setup you won't have the extra "nut" on the bottom of the tee piece.
I
After the ball valve I've elected to go with soft plumbing for now. mainly to reduce cost. I may fit hard plumbing when funds are available, I might not.
Here I'm fitting a 25mm to hose barb fitting into low pressure rated tubing. There is no real pressure as the outflows are gravity fed. I've used standard steel hose clamps here as they easier to find, cheaper & are not in contact with salt water, these aren't even inside the cabinet. Anything near salt water will use plastic clamps.
More to come........................
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Parts list with pictures:
25mm tank outlet fitting. 
25mm 3 way female threaded tee.
25mm end plug. 
25mm x 150mm threaded poly pipe / riser
25mm threaded ball valve. 
Teflon tape. 
That sucks mate!
