best way to set up closed loop

[alrmc4]

please be very explicit need all info just pretend you are trying to make a 3 year old understand..thanks

 

[Hara]

ok...here goes....have someone else do it for you! ROFL
(insert evil chuckle here)

 

[reefrunner69]

What are you looking to incorporate/do with your closed loop? What are we working with as far as tank is concerned? What pump are you gonna use for the closed loop?

 

[alrmc4]

yep thats what i want to know all of it it is for a new 75 rr all glass reef tank...dont have pump yet want good circulation with as few ugly boxes in there as possible...thanks

 

[reefrunner69]

Well if it were me, I'd go with a large pump something along the lines of 2400gph. You understand this does not take the place of your sump on a rr tank? I would make a manifold that contained 4-5 return nozzles placed along the back and side of the tank at varying heights. Or possibly a couple of seaswirls, run a drain line into the tank about 1/4 to 1/2 way into the tank, into the pump, then into any equipment you want to run it through (chiller, UV, etc...) then to the manifold. If you go with the seaswirls you will not have to worry about something to control the flow (on/off) if you go with the manifold, you might want something like an aquacontroller to control the pump. I am not real familiar with them, I just know it will do something like that. Maybe we will get lucky and mojosreef will chime in here, I know he has extensive experience with them. Might consider pm'ing him with a link to this thread

 

[alrmc4]

you forgot to explain it to a 3 year old i know i need a sump,large pump got it manifold?seaswirls?return nozzles? got any pics? :?

 

[Guest]

I found a link that is cool

http://padens.homestead.com/tankplumbing.html

 

[mojoreef]

Maybe this can help u a bit
Layout the plumbing and then mark where u want the holes to go

Get a glas shop to cut the holes for ya

Fit in your Bulkheads

Dry fit all the plumbing

then attach the pump and glue all the plumbing together

From the last pic you can see 2 holes down low to draw in water. (now my tank is easy to get to so you may want these holes higher where you can get to them) then those holes go to the intake of the pump and then from the top of the pump up to a manfold ( a series of tee's really that line up to the holes going through the back wall of the tank). My tank has a motorised ballvalve, so ignore that and just go straight to the manifold from the pump.

Heres one looking from the front at the plumbing when it comes out of the back wall. Ignore the purple spray bar

hope it helps

mike

 

[alrmc4]

wow you guys are great thanks had no idea this was going to make me as crazy as the lighting issue thought the headaches were over silly me...maybe i will do the power head thing for a while sure don't want to be cutting holes in the tank thanks loads the link timbo and the pics mojo are wonderful!!!!

 

[Guest]

There are ways to make a closed loop system without drilling holes in your tank..I think if you were going to spend a lot of money, you could do the above mentioned method. I remember going through some sites out there at one point or another that did this much easier, not as politically correct, but, working. I will try to put up some links for more diverse methods of closed loops. It was hard for me even to put head or tails to your post Mojo, Sorry, What is the reason for the 9 holes in the tank? You totally confused me.

 

[reefrunner69]

Mikes tank is close to 900g, if I remember correctly. Maybe he'll post a pic of the front, it is something we all aspire too. Probably the nicest tank I've ever seen outside a publicly funded aquarium.

As for the 9 holes, the more places you got water entering the tank the more intricate the flow is gonna be.

 

[mojoreef]

Timbo I am not sure what is confusing you , If you could tell me maybe I could explain it. You mentioned nine holes in my tank and ask why. Thier are actually 25 holes in the tank just associated with the 2 closed loops. I have 2 inputs holes (where the water sucks into the tank) and 12 ouptut holes (where the water is pumped out of the pump and ijnot the tank). Was that what YOu were asking???


Reefrunner thanks for the kind words my friend. I am a lousy picture taker but her are a couple of shots for ya
This was before the balance of the lights were up and before I put all my coral back in.

and here is one after

 

[fishfreek]

Excellent description and photos of your closed loop.

+25 Kudos to you.

 

[Guest]

What threw me off is, where the holes for I take it to be your returns, are all in a row and right next to one another instead of strategicaly placing them or running them to different parts of the tank. ( or maybe from the pictures I can't see that.)

I understand how the closed loop works. I worked building Jacuzzi's for a couple of years back in the 80's. Same difference. I am looking to do something similar on a much smaller tank like alrmc4, except I have no choice but to create an outside solution running inside if that makes sense. In other words, I cannot drill the tank. It would be nice, but not possible at this time. I am trying to figure out how to implement it witout making it look like garbage. Great looking tank BTW...

 

[alrmc4]

timbo when you figure it out without holes i want pics and step by step directions!!!!if possible..thanks

 

[Guest]

Will do

 

[mojoreef]

Ahh I gotcha now timbo. To understand my flow pattern you kinda have to look at the hole package.
I have 3000 gph going through a 1 1 2/ spray behind the rock work. (this keeps the detritus from settling). The one closed loop on onew side of the tank. It pushes 5000gph up to a motorized ball valve. On each side of the ball valve is 5 to siz out puts with lock line to adjust where the flow goes. The ball valve rotates direction every 5 minutes. So water comes out one bank for 5 mins (creates calm in one zone and chaos in another) then it swaps out to the other side of the valve and thus to the other bank (so what was chaos is now calm and what was calm is choas). what it does is re creates a wave splashing down (chaos) and then when it switches over creates the calm of the wave retreating. With 2 closed loops it makes 4 of these micro zones. Its really kinda neat. The Public aquarium curator was over taking pics to re create it (but on a larger scale ) for thier aquarium.

I will look for something for you to work with.


mike

 

[Guest]

Another question...Can you incorporate a sump configuration along with a closed loop system? For a Refugium? or is that how it is done anyway?

 

[bizzybeas]

Mojo, WOW. What a tank. I have my water draining from an overflow into a big pump, to the chiller and then back through some centipedes. Is this what you consider a closed loop? Lor, I paid someone to configure it and set it up. It was worth the 150 dollars to me.

 

[mojoreef]

nope a closed loop is closed. it never sees air