Strainers on either main or backup for Herbie style overflow?

[GroktheCube]

I've got the cuts down for all the plumbing on my new tank, but I'm not sure whether or not to put strainers on either the siphon or dry backup drain. Both at 1" pvc, the siphon with a gate valve, and the standard downturned "U" opening to prevent surface vortex formation. The dry backup is just and open 1" pipe.

Is there any benefit to a removable strainer on either pipe? I imagine it would need cleaning, and possibly result in a rise of the water level inside the box with even a small amount of crap caught on it, but I can also imagine having to pull a snail out of the pipe being a huge PITA. The gate valve has threaded connections so that I can remove it easily if I need to, but the same is not true of the connections on the bulkheads.

Is it worth it to replace the factory slip connection bulkheads with fpt connections for easier service in case this happens?

[Avonlea,PA]

I'd like to know the opinions on this as well, since I'll be setting up a Herbie very soon. I did purchase a strainer, so I have it ready to go if the consensus is to use one.

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I do not use one. IME a strainer can actually make it easier for something to partially clog the drain, since it catches things, usually in a manner that reduces flow, that might otherwise just wash straight through. Take a wad of nori algae ripped free by a tang for instance - no strainer it goes right through. Strainer, it gets caught and blocks flow.

In situations where I've felt the need to protect the overflows from debris (i.e. if you have snails that really like to climb in there, or fish that get sucked in, or whatever) I will typically use a "strainer" of sorts, just not on the standpipe itself. Instead, I like to cover the whole overflow box with nylon mesh (i.e. the 1/4" stuff BRS sells to make tank covers with) or eggcrate. This keeps things out of the drain system without running the risk of causing blockages, and the "strainer" is so large there's no chance of it getting blocked.

If you do decide to use an actual strainer, make it as big as possible and consider partial blockages in your design (for instance, if your emergency standpipe has an upturned elbow as is typically the case for these designs, it makes no sense to put a 4" tall strainer on it if it's only 1" below the lip of your aquarium - if the bottom 1" gets blocked it doesn't matter HOW long it is!)

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Oh, in the specific scenario you raised, where a snail is climbing down your siphon pipe, I've found that causing a temporary huge rush of water by opening the siphon all the way pretty much always flushes them out. I like to make screaming noises in my head as I do this, to act out what I imagine is happening in the snail's tiny little brain.

[Meanmike]

Curious as to why elbows are even used instead of just the open top of the pipe? Assuming the bulkheads are in the bottom of the aquarium.

[der_wille_zur_macht]

It really depends on the space you have available in the box and the general configuration. Having a downturned opening on the siphon pipe significantly reduces the chance it'll pull a vortex and start sucking air. If you don't have a downturned elbow on it, or some other design that allows the opening to be pointed down, you need a lot more height difference between the two standpipes, which may not be feasible in some layouts.

[aus996]

Stumbled across these the other day
http://maggiemuffler.com/skippyintake.htm

admittedly its more of a muffler than a strainer but may be helpful for people with open pipes.
I run the bean animal myself and just run a strainer to the bottom of the wier for the main syphon and the standbye. No noise or vortex, no clogging, only the smallest of snails could get in their which would be very unlikely to block the pipe system.

It may also depend on how much you have your sytem adjusted with a ball gate valve to get the right flow. You may have a 1.5 inch pipe and think nothing is gunna block this sucker but if you have it throttled back with a half closed ball valve this is where the obstruction is going to lodge (we have all had a snail do this) and the results can be quite dramatic. Again with the bean animal set up the redundancy is there for this eventuality. Making your wier into one big strainer as pointed out is probably the ideal

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Patent pending? Is that a joke? The maggie muffler is (apparently) just a Stockman.

[BeanAnimal]

20th Century?

[GroktheCube]

Thanks for the advice. I'll skip the strainer, and throw some mesh over the whole box if snails start getting adventurous!