29 Gal Closed Loop Peer Review

[jombolo]

Hi all, i'm new to the site, have decided to, for better or worse, get back into saltwater.

I'm planning a closed loop 29 gal setup w/ sump/refugium and wanted to run my LRS design by everyone for some peer review. (I've already purchased a used 29gal acrylic on CL....yes yes yes, i know they scratch easier, but much easier to drill through)

I plan to have the following: 1 drilled 3/4" pvc overflow (recommendations for how low to have the overflow from the top of the tank?) 2 drilled 3/4" returns w/ scwd to alternate flow, in the middle of the back of the tank about 3-5 inches from each side. Also, am not sure if i should be using 3/4" or 1" plumbing as my standard. A 10 gal sump (was thinking about a 20, but this might be overkill?), with inlet sock filter, protein skimmer (haven't decided on a model yet), a small refugium with sand and some live rock in the sump, and of course a return pump connected to the 3/4" return line (would like some submerged pump brand and flow rate recommendations, i figure about 3-4 ft head loss, maybe more with the integrated T-split with the scwd?)

Thanks in advance

[jombolo]

...any comments or advice would be great! Thx

[yesjenks]

I've never seen a closed loop on that small of a tank. Great idea! Keep us posted on your progress and please post pictures.

If I were you, I'd go with a 20g sump. If you have the space you'll appreciate the extra water volume and larger sump for equipment in the long run.

I'm sure someone with more plumbing experience will chime in.

[TundraGuy]

Scratch the closed loop go. Bigger sump, add an mp10 or two, add the sqwd to the return and done.

Mp10 no chance to leak. Easy to move to change the flow patterns. Easy to change strength of flow. Easy to move the tank. Easy to mount. Small profile unlike flex line.

Closed loop on a nano. Next to impossible to change the flow patterns unless you add some flex line. Pain to do all that plumbing. Pain to replace the sqwd on a closed loop if it goes out. Plumbing will need to be hidden or it will detract from the tank.

[jombolo]

Yeah, i agree with you TundraGuy. If i go with a 20gal sump, what kind of gph rated submersible pump do you suggest? is it 2x-3x the total gal?

[TundraGuy]

If you want the sump to function as a five and grow out some pods and macro then yes 2x to 3x will be fine. I ran a rio2500 with a sqwd on a 29 gallon with a 20 long under it I liked that set up. It was a BB tank with a power head behind the rock to blow the detritus out from behind the rocks. I forget what power heads I usedforflowin the tank but yea that would work.