<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13406498#post13406498 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by IridescentLily
Flyyyguy,
Can you explain to me what the value of a closed loop system is vs. having a sump, etc?. Pretend you're explaning it to your small son lol, seriously.
That's one thing I just cannot get no matter how many times I read it on various threads. Even by looking at Melev's closed loop design on his website, I'm still not clear on the "why" part, meaning I could possible do it if I go by his instructions, but I guess i'm looking for what the advantages are to a closed loop system. Is it because of no powerheads perhaps? Or are there more than one reason why you wanted to have it plumbed this way. I've wanted to ask someone but was too embarassed.
It's fantastic what you did with it by the way. Wow. :eek1:
I know you are pushing the envelope with this new tank, and I wondered if you went bare bottom, and closed loop because it is a polyp tank?
Thanks again.
sump and closed loopps have absolutely nothing to do with each other.
a sumps numero uno purpose is a place to house the skimmer. there are lots of other things that can go on there, but the skimmer is first and foremost and all water schematics should be built around this notion. If they arent, then you arent allowing your skimmer to perform as efficiently as it could. I could go on and on about this, but i will spare you for now. thats the nuts and bolts of it : )
A closed loop is simply put, a means of achieving water flow in the tank, by taking the water out of the tank, into a pump and right back into the tank making it a "closed loop". The main benefits of it IMO is that on a small tank such as this 90 I have posted here, one pump outside of the tank can be used for the sole means of flow in the tank without having to look at powerheads. Another benefit is when you use a Oceans Motions 8-way such as I do, the random flow patterns are endless and coming from 8 differnet directions and varying in both velocity and direction multiple times a minute. It would take 8 powerheads each on wavemakers in different parts of the tank to get that kind of random flow that I am getting with this Hammerhead powered CLS.
There are certainly downsides to a closed loop as well. 1. You ahve to plumb it. it can be much simpler of course than what I have set up here, but still....the tank needs drille d and plumbed. 2. If you are using any kind of a worthwhile pump, they add a lot of heat to the water that powerheads do not do. Like several degrees in my case witha hammerhead on this fairly small tank. 3. electricity consumption. The Om unit and the hammerhead together are pulling over 400 watts 24/7. Not cheap to operate.
High end powerheads on controllers can do a incredible job as well
So simply put....cls are not for everyone. I LOVE om 8-ways and wouldnt consider setting up a tank without them at this point until something else comes out thats better. I use a OM 8 way and hammerhead on my 240 as well. I would liket o use three or fouor of them to get the flow i want, but it is kind of unrealistic. i waste enough juice as it is. the single 8 way does the random flow I need and i supplememtn it with 2 vortechs and 2 tunze 6100's in that tank.
Why barebottom?? Becasue sand sucks
![Big grin :D :D](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png)
I like full control fo the water column and what I want to do with the flow. With sand, you dont get true 100% control of either.
I *think* i got your questions. if I missed any...let me know
![Smile :) :)](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png)