bph July 27, 2008 Share July 27, 2008 Hi all, I have a AGA 125G tank that I am setting up and was wondering how to integrate a closed recirculating loop. It has two overflows pre-drilled just shy of each corner in the back. The piping for the overflows go out the bottom of the tank, and I have the tank set up so I can drill thru the wall to a "fish room" behind it that will be holding my sump/refuge/etc. From what I have read, you shouldn't rely on the return pump from your sump to provide all your water movement in the main tank (takes too much electricity, etc. for the end results ). My question is how do you incorporate a closed loop for something like this? Do I just run another set of piping from the fish room to the aquarium and go up the back and over the top? I don't have a hood (yet, might never get one, still unsure) so having the white pvc around the top of the tank will detract from the overall "look" of the aquarium. Thanks in advance for any advice or ideas! Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bprinehart July 27, 2008 Share July 27, 2008 I ended up just drilling my closed loop. I was going to use the "over the top" pvc route, but decided in order to keep the peace with the Mrs. on aesthetics, it would be better to just drill it. I made 1 larger inlet, and two smaller outlets for mine, and connected to the pump through regular old bulkhead fittings. Look around online, there are a million and 1 closed loop designs. If I could do anything differently it would have been to think a little harder about my pump placement before I glued it all in place. Good luck, this is the fun stuff! Just make sure you're satisfied with it, cuz there ain't no pokin no more holes in it once it's filled! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishWife July 27, 2008 Share July 27, 2008 You can see our closed loops from former 80 bowfront and 175 bowfront. Both were HOB (hang over the back) styles: no drilling. They take some planning, but are fairly straightforward to plumb and make all other pumps, oceans motions, etc. obsolete... at least they did for ours. 80 bowfront build 175 bowfront build thread HTH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8 2 RISE July 27, 2008 Share July 27, 2008 heres a copy of the plan for my tank, the closed loop is on the 75 and is "suspended in air" actually, I couldn't display where I wanted it to go in the stand, so I just drew it like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paenian July 28, 2008 Share July 28, 2008 You don't need the closed loop to go to the fish room, although if you want to hide the pump that's certainly an option. There are two closed loop 'styles' - drilled and undrilled (hang on back). Drilled means you simply drill several more holes in the tank - probably the back, an intake and two or more returns. Be sure to plumb the pump with screw unions, and also use threaded bulkheads, so that everything can be removed. Undrilled, instead of holes you run all pipes over the back of the tank; same rules for drilled apply, except you also need a small intake at the top to prime the pump (fill the pipes with water, typically a screw-on end cap). An idea to make the undrilled more attractive would be to plumb through the inside the overflows - so you'd drill the side of the overflow and run the pipe over the back there. This is, of course, assuming the overflows have the extra space. Hope that helps! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bph July 28, 2008 Author Share July 28, 2008 Thanks for the responses guys! It is good to see it in photo form and an overall layout in the design. Certainly gives me some things to work with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Grenier July 28, 2008 Share July 28, 2008 Of course, many of us, including myself, don't have closed loops. Just wanted to make sure you don't think that you must. Not here to debate their superiority or advantages or closed-loops, just saying you don't have to. I just have my return thru a mini spray-bar in the middle and two Koralia Circulation Pumps in the rear corners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bph July 28, 2008 Author Share July 28, 2008 Is there a reason you did not go that route? I know it would certainly be easier for me to not have a closed loop... but if it is the right thing to do, then I don't mind working one into my setup before adding water to the tank (I have had my tank set up and empty since December ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Grenier July 28, 2008 Share July 28, 2008 I may be criticized but I don't like any more holes and plumbing than I must have. The downside with pumps in the tank is looks and heat in the tank. I don't mind the pumps in the back corners. Look in the galaries here and you'll see alot of them in use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paenian July 29, 2008 Share July 29, 2008 There's also these, which solves the heat problem by throwing stacks of cash at it. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak July 29, 2008 Share July 29, 2008 There's also these, which solves the heat problem by throwing stacks of cash at it. Paul Link broken dude. If you want help with closed loops look though the threads in the dedicated tank fourm for people working on closed loops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryL July 30, 2008 Share July 30, 2008 Link broken dude. If you want help with closed loops look though the threads in the dedicated tank fourm for people working on closed loops. i have had that problem with marine depot links before. here is a rough image of what i have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bph August 1, 2008 Author Share August 1, 2008 (edited) Based off of water movement, is there a reason to have a closed loop at the top of an aquarium as opposed to being at the bottom of it? (Taking into account the various corals that one could have in the system. I haven't gotten that far in my thought process, so don't want to hamper my options at a later date by messing this up). How do you get the water into the closed loop system? Of course you have an intake, but do you just have a screened off opening that the water goes through? What about keeping snails/fish/etc. away from the intake? I assume that you have a lot of flow, so this intake would be sucking a LOT of water... right? Or do you have multiple intakes to cut the flow from one down? Should this intake be near the top/middle/bottom? Edited August 1, 2008 by bph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryL August 1, 2008 Share August 1, 2008 i have mine in the middle of the left half of the tank. it has 1100 gallons running through it and it has a bulkhead strainer on it. i have it elbowed down so rockwork can sit on it. here is a pic of the outlet..if you can see it then the overflow is basically how i have my intaake but in the left half of the tank. if you cut the tank in half and draw an x from corner to corner in the tank the middle of the x is where i have the intake. if that makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak August 2, 2008 Share August 2, 2008 (edited) As long as you have a way to prime the closed loop you don't have to drill anything. I wouldn't reccomend drilling unless you abslolutely have to. I've build 2 tanks with closed loops on them and I didn't drill for either. There is a pic of my closed loop design 4 out puts (2 at the top center, 2 at the bottom left and right) 1 drain and NO DRILLING Edited August 2, 2008 by jason the filter freak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryL August 2, 2008 Share August 2, 2008 (edited) As long as you have a way to prime the closed loop you don't have to drill anything. I wouldn't reccomend drilling unless you abslolutely have to. I've build 2 tanks with closed loops on them and I didn't drill for either. There is a pic of my closed loop design 4 out puts (2 at the top center, 2 at the bottom left and right) 1 drain and NO DRILLING looks good. i think i will do that design with a smaller tank. when i think about mine.. i think the original idea and it may happen soon is that i may take the outlet of my closed loop and turn it into anothe inlet and plumb both pumps to spray elswhere. Edited August 2, 2008 by GaryL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbittner August 3, 2008 Share August 3, 2008 When planning on water movement, no matter what you use, try to plan it so it takes the water from the bottom and moves it towards the top and the overflow(s). This keeps stuff from settling on the bottom and keeps the water clean. Both of our tanks has the water moving in a circular pattern from the bottom back to the middle front, then bounces back towards the top back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bph August 7, 2008 Author Share August 7, 2008 When planning on water movement, no matter what you use, try to plan it so it takes the water from the bottom and moves it towards the top and the overflow(s). This keeps stuff from settling on the bottom and keeps the water clean. Both of our tanks has the water moving in a circular pattern from the bottom back to the middle front, then bounces back towards the top back. So, placing the overflow pvc in the sand, and the outlets shooting up at a 45 degree angle is a good design? I was told that some corals/mushrooms that live near the bottom of tanks (due to lesser light) like less waterflow. I am currently not sure what I am going to be putting in my tank, but don't want to limit what I can do by the way I am setting it up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Grenier August 7, 2008 Share August 7, 2008 (edited) I was told that some corals/mushrooms that live near the bottom of tanks (due to lesser light) like less waterflow. We could be wrong but I've read that as-well. Kinda makes sense, stuff that thrives down lower prefers less light and flow. A bit of a delima for mixed reef systems. You may also have the problem of mixing-up the substrate too much. I go for minimal flow at the bottom and more near the surface and an occasional "turkey baster" blast here and there but maybe that's just me. So, placing the overflow pvc in the sand, and the outlets shooting up at a 45 degree angle is a good design?Actually, I would think this would make minimal flow at the bottom except for right near the outlet and max flow mid to top. Edited August 7, 2008 by Larry Grenier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bph August 13, 2008 Author Share August 13, 2008 (edited) So, here are some pics on my attempt at a closed loop system. Big thanks to FishWife for their build thread! Look good? Anywhere it could be improved? You can see my loc-lines just sitting on the bottom of the tank. Nothing is glued or screwed down yet. Loc-Line is resting on the overflow. Kind of give myself an idea of what the final look will be. Edited August 13, 2008 by bph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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