Over the top plan

[dtech]

Ok I am working on my DIY LEDs right now, but I figured it best to start planning early. I want ot build a closed loop ayatem for my 75g. Heres the catch I am not going to drill it. It is already etup and running. I want to build it over the top. I also want to build my return over the top and use the return bulkhead to feed something else or such. I am looking for plans on nozzles, location for them, spraybars for return etc. I recently thought of useing the larger bulhead to feed the closed loop and the smaller to feed the sump? any thoughts any plans , any links to similar stuff, the more the better, maybe it could be a community design????

[uncleof6]

Ok, so should we start with a basic over the top design, from Anthony Calfo?

http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu274/uncleof6/Untitled-1.jpg

Regards,

Jim

[dtech]

Good start, I wish I could do those drawings I haven't got the whole sketchup thing figured,
Back to the drawing , if using that for the closed loop I would thin maybe anoutlet in each corner and a axtra in the front perhaps and use simple T with small lencth directional nozzle, except center in front use a Y with 2 directionals?
or use this for the return with outlets in the corners? and then do a closed loop like this one of Melev's
http://www.melevsreef.com/closedloop.html
??

[dtech]

Just dug this upin an old thread
http://i351.photobucket.com/albums/q475/dtech71/clloop.jpg
and here is the thrad,
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=687914&highlight=calfo
I like the ay the return is a bit too, but I feeed my sump on 1 side only and return from the other end simple 3 area sump.

[MattShack]

I would put the Tee that feeds the closed loop on a corner so that the flow coming from your pump flows through the "run" of the tee and not coming in through the "branch". Pumping water into the branch of a tee cause about 4x more frictional head than through the run because water coming in the branch hits a "dead end" and has to go either left or right. Make sense? Either would work, but throught the run will give you a little more flow. Also, you may want to consider a valve at each outlet to have some control over the flow.

[uncleof6]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15304206#post15304206 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MattShack
I would put the Tee that feeds the closed loop on a corner so that the flow coming from your pump flows through the "run" of the tee and not coming in through the "branch". Pumping water into the branch of a tee cause about 4x more frictional head than through the run because water coming in the branch hits a "dead end" and has to go either left or right. Make sense? Either would work, but throught the run will give you a little more flow. Also, you may want to consider a valve at each outlet to have some control over the flow.

Look at the drawing I put up there, this is the way the T is plumbed.....:p With the top loop closed, this would pretty much balance the flow through the outlets, so valves may not be necessary. The T in the second drawing would add 8' in equivalent feet of straight pipe, ~ 2 ft, maybe a little less of vertical head loss (after conversion) assuming 1.5" pipe. (10 linear would be 2.3 ft head loss @ the 3600 gph starting point of a Dart) From a chart, not calculated, but you get the idea.

Regards,

Jim

[dtech]

Makes sense to me, doing the feed on the end at say rhe right rear corner where would it be best to put the outlets? I will also be changeing the return from a single LocLine to a spraybar of some sort, Maybe incorporate them to worktogether. I am thining 5 outlets on the cl and the feed for it will be in the left rear corner next to the overflow, Then make the return spraybar come back in the rear center to a T then branch to pipe that just has holes in the length just above the water level.