Closed loop???

[Southern Boy]

I'm settin up a 54 corner bow.I want the benifits of a closed loop but don't want do drill.What I'm thinking on is using the bulkhead for my return as a drain line for the loop and pipe my return from my sump over the back the old fashion way.I would obviuosly have to pipe the return pipes for the closed loop over the back to.I figure I can run them over the back and down into the drain tower and drill holes in the bottom of the drain tower (which I would seal off) and run 1/2 or 3/4 piping under the sand.I shouldn't have to worry about breaking syphon should I?It will get it's own pump.For that size tank what size pump should I use?Will this even work? I figure I would have to put the drain for the loop pretty low so I'm not sucking air.Will the overflow tower for 1 of those handle the draw of that loop and a return pump for the sump/fuge? It used to have a mag 9.5 on it .That was running a skimmer,a u.v and the return.Well I'm not puttin a u.v. back on it and I think my skimmer will have it's own pump with some mods.So I might downsize the return pump.Any input will be very helpful.Thanks!!!

[kau_cinta_ku]

the prob. with that I can see is that the drin that will feed the CL pump will be to small. and not give the pump enough water. here is a way to do a CL without drilling.

http://www.melevsreef.com/closedloop.html

[45commando]

Hi,if I'm reading this correctly & you're planning to use the drain as the input for the closed loop?I think you'll find that you'll have a major problem with micro bubbles being pumped into the tank-due to the drain.I think a better idea,if you don't want to drill,is just use the overflow for the sump.Then construct an over the tank siphon for the input of the closed loop.They are pretty easy to build using standard PVC plumbing parts.I think Melev's reef had a thread on how to build one.Do a search & hopefully you'll find what I'm describing.HTH

Edit: Kau cinta is a faster typer than me,but that's the link I was thinking of,thanks

[Southern Boy]

Do you meen the actual drain pipe itself or the drain riser that is in the tank.I thought I might have a problem with the actual riser that has the teeth.I don't have the tank infront of me so I don't no what size bulkheads are in it.I guess I need to figure that out.My 180 only had bulheads for 1 1/4" drains and 3/4" returns.I used reducer couplings on both sides of the tank(top and bottom) to give me a little more volume.So my returns are 1" and my drains are 1 1/2".I know that there is still restriction due to the bulkhead being smaller but it still allows for more volume and a little more water movement.O.K. so it's got a 1" bulkhead and a 3/4" bulkhead.Since I'd be adding the closed loop for circulation could I use the 3/4 for my sump drain with a smaller pump and the 1" for my drain for my closed loop?I did look at his design and if that were my only option I could live with it and hide the drain behind some rocks or even run the drain over the back with the returns and drill a hole in the overflow tower 1/2 way down and put the drain out there.I just want it all to be hidden.What is a good flow patern for the returns on that?I kinda want somthing at the bottom to give me circulation down below.I will have ball valves on all the returns.I would like atleast 3.

[Southern Boy]

Yea I guess I failed to think about the bubbles created by the water overflowing....Sounds like I might do what I mentioned above and bring all the pipes into the overflow towers and dreill holes through the plastic and seal around the holes with silcone.That way I can put my drain for the closed loop behind the rock work just below the top.I don't want to put it to far down so I can keep an eye on it to make sure nothing is cloging it.I don't have a problem with rock.I have close to 250 pounds in my 180.I'll be picking through it when the 54 is done.And sellin the rest with the 180.
So past the ist hill now for the next ..... few
1 how do you rate what size pump to use?
2 where is a good place to aim the 3 returns.I figure on 1 of them I will split it in the bottom back corner and have 1 facing along the sides of the tank.That way I will have flow on the bottom coming around the sides and I'm sure it will blow off the rocks.But where else?
3 what kind of fittings should I use to actually distibute the water.
4 all this pipe will be under the sand.I seen another thread where he used egg crate under the pipe.I think Iwould like to set the pipe on the glass and put egg crate inbetween the piping.Will I get vibtation?I wouldn't think so with all that rock pushing down on it.But what do you guys think?

[jspot]

http://www.oceansmotions.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=274