closed loop vs tunze stream

[dmack]

I need more flow. Any feedback about using a closed loop vs tunze steam would be very helpful. I hear great things about the steams, but I'm not sure I see any advantage to it over a closed loop.

[manderx]

lower electricity use and the ability to reposition easily. no drilling or plumbing. plus with the tunze controller you get nice alternating currents, which is more difficult with a closed loop.

[SDguy]

Conversely, with a closed loop all but small amounts of plumbing are hidden outside of the tank. You can choose the number of outlets you want, and point them in any direction you like. Even turn different ones off or on as you please. And as corals grow, these small directional outlets can be changed easily.

People will tell you good and bad points for each. Both work great. Pick whichever one you like. For me personally, with only 18" front to back to work with, I absolutely did not want pumps in the tank. That was the deciding factor.

hth

[13engrsapper]

I personally like the wide even flow that the Tunze streams produce. So far I have not seen anything that reproduces this effect in a closed loop. And as mentioned the multicontoller can really produce some nice variations on in tank flow.

[96p993]

I have to agree with Peter...I love my closed loop, I have nothing in my tank but what is supposed to be there. I have no problems creating erratic flow and for me the energy consumption over the Tunzes is minimal.......If clean is what you are looking for the closed loop is the way to go

[BraenDead]

No reason you can't have both :) They both offer different flow. If putting a closed loop on something like an OceansMotions you can have great altenating flow in the tank onup to 8 sources. If using a tunze with a controller you can also have alternating flow, but from only one source.

I have both on my tank and wouldn't trade either of them. They both serve a different purpose and serve it very well.

Bob

[dmack]

The feedback is appreciated. I think the closed loop may be the way to go for me considering the aesthetics, and $$$. It also seems that a well designed closed loop offers more versitility in directing flow as SDguy mentioned.

[SDguy]

One thing I will say. Get an OceanMotions4 or 8 way. That way you can 1) Get away with a smaller pump 2) Get good alternating current.

I say this from experience. I use a hammerhead with 10 outlets. I needed a lot of flow to reach the bottom of a 30" tall tank. An OM, though more up front cost, would have been better since I could have used a smaller pump = less electricity = less heat production.

hth

[flyyyguy]

OM 8-ways are the BOMB..
Yes they cost way more to operate than a Tunze..or even the 4-8 different tuzes required to truly get the same everywhere flow as it is coming from EIGHT different directions both alternating and variably.......

But i honestly wouldnt care if it cost ten times as much to operate........I would still prefer the OM's as i dont have to look at any plumbing or bulky powerheads in the tank besides the omniflex nozzles.

As far as cost though dmack........dont think you are getting off cheaper with a OM 4 or 8-way. I havent done the math on the 4 way, but i have two 8 ways running on different tanks and they are going to cost you $1000 apiece if you factor in all plumbing parts and the pump to drive it. Comparing the month to month electricity costs of the tunze vs the OM's is kind of a joke as there is no comparison........the Tunzes are WAY cheaper to operate.

Worth every penny IMO : )

[nyvp]

there is also the situation that you have to take the tunze's out to clean them which put me into the CL's. I didnt want to see them and hiding them under the rocks or use the tunze rock made it a pain to take them out.

[sjm817]

They both have their ups and downs IMO. The complexity of plumbing in a 8 way is not to be overlooked. That is a lot of plumbing to hide. The Streams have a lot of nice benefits too. One that hasn't been mentioned is you can run one for a long time on a small UPS.

[dmack]

Well... I did the math and it looked like the closed loop is more expensive when you add in a nice pump, and an oceans motions 4. Then I looked at all the plumbing involved. I don't have convenient ways to hide all the plumbing. So... I bought 2 tunze 6000 streams and a multicontroller. All I can say is...WOW! I also considered the fact that the tunze would be easy to sell if I ever wanted to. I see how quickly streams sell on RC. If my tank were in a diffferent location and it wasn't up and running yet, I may have gone with the CL. The monthly costs would still scare me though. I think the motions oceans must be a great product too.

[Henry Bowman]

I have gone through this same thought process and decided on the Tunze's. 1)not enough space for all the plumbing 2)electricity cost of the 2nd pump 3)putting holes in my new acrylic tank. Other'n that the costs would be about equal with the OM.