DIY closed loop system

[simplycoral]

It would depend on how you were planning on taking the water from the tank and returning it. In my situation, i will be taking the water from the back of the tank and returning it through 2 bulkheads in the base. The ball valves will allow me to shut off the outlets at the base and remove the pump if anything goes wrong with it.

Simon..

[Ya Dude]

You know whats better than closed loop? Tunze.
if anything leaks with CL youll _ _ _ _ _ _ !!!

[the marine apprentice]

ya i wish i could get a tunze just a lil out of the budget at the moment. im just building this from the stuff i got layin around

[fkshiu]

I strongly suggest that you incorporate a large number of true union ball valves into the closed-loop. The ability to isolate a problem outlet and clean parts is essential. If you have everything hard wired you'll leave yourself very little flexibility.

Plumbing is the biggest hidden cost of a closed-loop system.

[the marine apprentice]

noted tks fkshiu

[golf nut]

Originally Posted by Ya Dude

You know whats better than closed loop? Tunze.
if anything leaks with CL youll _ _ _ _ _ _ !!!

Could you say why a Tunze is better than a closed loop.

Why would anything leak, comments like this typically come from people who are plumbing impaired or PVC challenged.

[ZachAttack]

what's the difference between closed loop and tunze??

[mike31154]

Tunze is a company that primarily manufactures powerheads and wave boxes for water movement in marine tanks. I think they also make skimmers and a few other things. Anyhow, a Tunze powerhead is placed in your tank for water movement and can be situated pretty much wherever you want to create the flow you need. No holes required in your tank to use them or any other powerhead such as a VorTech or Koralia.

A closed loop is essentially a plumbing network which draws water from one area of your tank through a bulkhead (requiring a hole or multiple holes through the glass) and delivering it via an external pump back into the tank for flow, either over the top or through more bulkheads through the glass in several other locations. It can be fairly simple or get quite complex, depending on your flow requirements. Generally once a closed loop is set up, there's little you can do without major rework if your requirements change. A closed loop is separate and independent of your overflow, sump and return pump if so equipped. A conventional powerhead is easily removed and relocated although more unsightly in the display. A closed loop can be virtually hidden if done properly, although multiple outlets are required to create adequate flow in all areas of the tank since the openings are typically small with concentrated flow. This is where a Tunze or VorTech powerhead have a bit of an advantage since the flow is more broad and they are easily repositioned if required.

Lots of debate re closed loops vs powerheads these days. Each has its advantage & disadvantage. In the end I think it boils down to personal preference, since adequate flow can be provided by either method if implemented properly.

[ZachAttack]

Ok, so the whole tunze vs closed loop arguement is strictly on of flow. if you want to hide your refug. skimmer, filter, etc. then you need a closed loop section...

[mike31154]

Originally Posted by ZachAttack

Ok, so the whole tunze vs closed loop arguement is strictly on of flow. if you want to hide your refug. skimmer, filter, etc. then you need a closed loop section...

Yes and no. Yes it's a flow argument and No you don't need a closed loop to hide your refugium, skimmer etc. As I mentioned in my earlier post, the closed loop is a separate system from your sump and return pump. The sump and/or refugium is where you can place your skimmer, heaters etc. It has its own return pump but it is in fact a kind of 'open' loop because of the overflow typically used to drain the display tank water to the sump and refugium. The 'closed' loop for flow is 'closed'. Bulkheads for intake, pump inline, more bulkheads to discharge the water back into the display. Totally separate and independent of the sump/refuge circuit. This is one of the potential disadvantages of closed loops, all the extra holes required in your tank.