closed loop

[reefkrazy]

Does anyone know if its a bad idea to use the 3\4 return hole on an allglass 90 gallon, as the input for a closed loop? I want to take water from there to a pump then back out over the top to a bar with lockline outputs. The return for the drain with be over the top, so I wont have to use the 3/4 hole. My thought process is that the water that is taken from the overflow will be put right back (because of the closed loop) so there will not be any delay or draining the overflow. Am I right here in my thoughts? Anyone done this or has this set up? Thanks

[reefkrazy]

bump

[dougchambers]

If I understand you correctly, you want to keep the normal function of your overflow utilizing the larger of the two bulkheads to feed your sump and tap into the 3/4" BH to feed a closed loop pump. Typically you want a closed loop for higher flow rates that what you want to put through your sump. Depending on what pump you use, you would be putting a significant amount of water into your overflow to feed the closed loop in addition to your normal sump drain rate. Even if your overflow could handle the flow, it wouldn't be a true closed loop. With your return pump shut off, you still run the risk of continuing to push water through the overflow and into your sump.

My suggestion would be to pull from the main tank and leave the overflow out of the equation. We ran a MAG7 sitting on top of a piece of acrylic that pulled water from the display and returned it through a SeaSwirl for years on our 75RR. Once it was primed with a powerhead, we never lost prime due to power outages or maintenance.

-Doug

[reefkrazy]

doug can I get a pic of your set up. Thanks for the info.

[pass1over]

Since were talking CL setup, i'll add my question here without starting a new thread.

I am going to make a HOB CL for my non-drilled tank (dont want powerheads in the tank at all). Do I have to put the inlet pipe for the pump in the display, or could the inlet for the pump be in the sump and pump the water into the display?

[dougchambers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10716472#post10716472 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefkrazy
doug can I get a pic of your set up. Thanks for the info. I'll look through my old website stuff and see if I still have a picture of that system. Essentially I took a piece of acrylic and built a shelf that sat right on top of the corner overflow. I threaded a funny pipe (sprinker part) elbow into the MAG7 and ran a tube about 4-inches strait down into the tank tucked right up against the overflow. To prime the system, I would take a looks powerhead and put the output right up against the nozzle of the SeaSwirl and push water back through the pump until the air was out of the system.

Our new closed loop is a little more complicated...

http://135reef.chambersohana.com/sysdesign/closedloop.jpg

-Doug

[dougchambers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10716505#post10716505 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pass1over
Since were talking CL setup, i'll add my question here without starting a new thread.

I am going to make a HOB CL for my non-drilled tank (dont want powerheads in the tank at all). Do I have to put the inlet pipe for the pump in the display, or could the inlet for the pump be in the sump and pump the water into the display? To be a true closed loop, none of the water should be transferring through your sump. Think of it this way. If you turn the closed loop on or off, it should not change the water level in your display tank. They way you are describing it would be an open loop. Open loops have more opportunities for wet floors.

-Doug

[pass1over]

thanks for the info Doug.

one more basic CL setup question. I dont have the money right now to buy the OM Squirt. But I have the pump and can get the pvc piping/connectors for relatively cheap. Could I set this thing up without the squirt for now and add it in later?

[dougchambers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10717302#post10717302 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pass1over
thanks for the info Doug.

one more basic CL setup question. I dont have the money right now to buy the OM Squirt. But I have the pump and can get the pvc piping/connectors for relatively cheap. Could I set this thing up without the squirt for now and add it in later? Absolutely... Consider a union or make sure you design a good place to cut into the CL return manifold so you can plumb in a squirt down the road. For the price of PVC, you might just scrap the initial manifold and start from scratch.

-Doug

[gabe3d]

I'm actually doing this with my AGA 210 megaflows.

The 3/4'' drains in the sump and the 1'' is directly connected to my Hammerhead pump. Like Doug said, you'll have to make sure that the CL will still get water even when the return is shut off.