Quote:
Originally Posted by Skimmin
I've never had a closed loop but the holes in the bottom of the tank for it makes me kind of nervous. Also all the extra plumbing that could potentially leak. I'm not sure if that is a legitimate concern or not.
I absolutely agree that I don't want any water movers/powerheads anywhere but on the back glass. I want totally unobstructed views from all three sides which would be great for a closed loop.
I don't think im gonna close off the top of the tank. I might make a small 'shroud' on the rails for around the radions so theres no blinding light spillage from the sides or just below them.
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You don't need to have a lot of holes for a closed loop. Consider each hole a powerhead. You could easily just have two holes. Ideally, you would have the current switch from one to the other to create a more random flow. Put a Loc-Line swivel end on each hole and you can point them however you want. Then you don't have to clean coralline off powerheads every few weeks, and you don't see that clutter either. A closed loop pump is easy to clean if you position it where it is easy to get to and use unions for easy removal.
When you use powerheads on a 5 or 6' peninsula and only have them on the overflow end you need a powerful powerhead to make that distance to have flow on the far end, and because of that you can't place any corals too close to the powerheads/overflow end or the flesh will get blown off! Not to mention that windswept look...
Btw, the Vortechs are still noisy. I'm a Tunze person myself since they are pointable and quiet.