Closed Loop Or Ph's?

[kdblove_99]

Well with income tax money i plan on treating myself to a 60 cube. It will replace the TruVu 60 cube i have now.
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Plan on going through keith Grandt who i have contacted already. It will be Starphire glass.

Also was debating wheather to do the overflow internal or external?

Wasnt sure if i wanted to do a closed loop or just continue to use powerheads.

I know one Pro for Ph's is energy effiecient

I know one pro for Closed loop would be no more of my shrimp will get mangled.

i would more than likely use a Sequence pump. Not sure which one though. It would be in the garage anyways. So not worried about noise or leaks, etc. Would just want to get one that would be appropriate size for tank

 

[kevin95695]

I vote PH's. You can re-configure them easier. I know they're not as pleasing to the eye and I know they put heat in the water. But still...

 

[woodycb]

I have PH's now, I am upgrading and going CL. I am using locline for the returns to direct flow where I need it. I am tired of looking a the PH's all the time.

 

[bored4long]

My recommendation is an external overflow. Why would you want to sacrifice space with an internal overflow? Maybe add to the length of the tank and have a false back (similar to an all-in-one design) for your overflow. That is what I would do. The false back could be black glass.

 

[jtarmitage]

Having done both, I still can't say which is better. CL's keep the tank clutter to a minimum, which is very nice, but plumbing is a pain. On a 60, I would go with a CL with either 2 or 4 returns. But, a sequence pump might be a bit of overkill on a 60 cube. I have a 60 cube and can't imagine the flow of even the smallest sequence pump (snapper, which is rated at about 2500gph) blasting that tank. Definitely not if you intend to have sand in the tank.
Just be sure to take all the plumbing required into account. Both in terms of work to do it, and the space required to accomodate it.
As for the overflow, definitely external if you don't mind the tank sticking out a little further from the wall. The internal just takes up too much real estate.

 

[kdblove_99]

Thanks guys. I will not be using sand anymore. Just not a fan of it.


Here is how i was seeing it and i could be wrong though,. Snapper is rated at 2500GPH? If i had up to 4 returns there would not be 2500GPH going through each return correct? I would think quite a bit less, but this is the part i am not sure about

 

[jtarmitage]

Correct, the flow would be reduced. 2500/4=625gph per outlet. For reference(though I have a sand bed to contend with) I have a mag 5 for the system return and 2 Tunze 6045's in the top corners(previously 2 seio 620's) and have had trouble with the flow blasting my sand bed. There is plenty of flow for any of the SPS anywhere in the tank. Assuming you will still have a system return pump, then I guess the snapper will work after checking flow rates. I would definitely recommend more than 2 CL returns though. Even though the Tunze's have a stream flow, they are a little too much for the tank.
Where would you place the CL returns and intake?

 

[jtarmitage]

Also, a SCWD or OM would add nice alternating flow, but that would bump up the gph to each of the returns as it turned on and the other(s) shut down.

 

[kdblove_99]

I think I'm leaning just to keep the Ph's. The main thing for me not liking the PH'S are like i said before i lose shrimp in them and i want to keep several, Like Cleaner and fire. I have two K3's a K1 and Maximod 400. They are all kinda open all around i wonder if the Seios would not suck in things as bad?

maybe like 2 1100's or 2 1500's?

Opinions?