Closed Loop Question?

[foltzcd]

Would someone mind explaining how to plump a closed loop application?. I am setting up a custom shaped 150 reef with two 1 1/2 inch overflow drains and two 1 inch returns. On one I plan to use an in-sump pump to get the 3-5 turnover for the sump. The other I wanted to create a closed loop to help increase flow for the sps's.

The plumbing for the drains and returns runs under the house into the garage where I will keep the sump. A long run but only about 5 feet of head height.

I plan to add two tunze into the rockwork to get additional flow in the tank.

Suggestions on the closed loop plumbing is appreciated.

Chuck

 

[crazyguy34834]

I would make sure you have enough room in the sump for all that water when the power goes out and an automatic way to break any siphoning that can happen. That's usually a given but you would be surprised how many people make that mistake (my local fish store did this and had about 20 gallons on the floor, it took all i had not to laugh till I left the store)

The best way to plump is to have one pump run water to the tank and let gravity do its thing for everything else. Thats not to say that you can't take advantage of your return pump and hook it up to equipment like a uv sterilizer or anything else that is sealed up tight to handle the pressure as long as you have a bypass to regulate the flow and redirect it for maintenance. While I say this I would never run it directly through filter bags or media without a constantly open bypass to take the water backing up from clogging. Keep in mind that anything you add to the return pipe will slow your flow (some more than others) so compensate with a larger pump. I am doing an upgrade to my tank now and am making some of these changes. The more you can do with less pumps, the less you have to clean/maintain pumps and the less noise your system will make.

Be sure to avoid any sudden change in water direction like 90 degree elbows and any waterfall situations, this will drematically reduce noise. Pad the pumps and pipes attached to them where they contact anything that will cause a vibration.

Thats the main stuff besides plumbing a DIY sump and for that it would take a drawing of what you think would work so we can comment on it and give some pointers. I don't have a lot of money to spend on my tank so I live by my DIY saying "if you can build it, you can have it".

 

[silverwolf72]

How I have my closed loop, 2X 1.5" bulkheads in the back about half way down feed a sequence dart pump, from there up to a oceansmotions 4 way and a by pass that goes to the bottom to help puss stuff across the bottom to the overflow, the 4 outputs goto the top four corners and I use 2 45' dry fitted to aim the output to where is best.