CLS >>>>tips please

[three90s&125sump]

OK,

Now, I'm looking for tips on creating a CLS for my 90s. I have never made one before, so I have no idea what to do. I ordered some modular piping today.

I'm wanting to get a mag12 for each tank (or larger?).

How many returns should I have and placment. I have to drill my tank, I got the bit set today.

What sized bulkheads?

How deep should I put the intake?

Is there any special consideration for force and flow (some kind of formula maybe) in relation to the distance from the LR structure?

How should I seal my lines to insure minimal salt creep?

How should I seal my bulkhead fitting to insure minimal salt creep?

Is there anything else I need to pay attention to?


My tank has the over flow comming up off center in the rear of the tank about half way to the center. There will be two returns comming out of it with about 500 GPH each of flow, with deffusers on them. I think I have ruled out any sort of oscilating device or switching device due to the unsightlyness of the oscillators and the cost of the solinoids.

[reef_noob]

have you considered going with a tunze stream instead? They create a ton of flow and can be hooked up to a controller which switches them on and off to create surge. You can even get two and hook them up to work as a wavemaker.

They aren't cheap, but they are real high quality and don't require drilling or fitting pipe, which is a huge bonus.

Just another thought.

[three90s&125sump]

I want to avoid putting anything in the tank thats not reef related unless I absolutly have to. Thats one reason why I dont get 20 PHs.

[motorslave]

Let me eat (just got home from work ) and Ill show you how I did mine.....


Robert

[reef_noob]

Originally Posted by three90s&125sump

I want to avoid putting anything in the tank thats not reef related unless I absolutly have to. Thats one reason why I dont get 20 PHs.

Well, that's really an inaccurate comparison, 20 powerheads would be impractical. They would be bulky and add significant heat to the tank. A tunze streams is slightly larger than one powerhead and puts out more flow than 20 powerheads. Additionally, they create a diffuse flow over a wide area of tank, rather than in intense flow in one line.

I understand wanting to keep the tank uncluttered and that anything you add to the tank adds heat, but they can be a real simple solution to flow issues that avoid some of the difficulties of closed loops. I'm just saying it might be worth investigating them a bit before drilling the tank. You know, once you've drilled, there's really no going back.

[motorslave]

Okay, I have a Sequence barracuda pushing this CLS, awesome pump! The manifold in the middle is the intake, the outer manifold it the return set up. The water hits the spraybar first then up each side to the top returns wich are set with lock line. The ball valves you see were put in place to be able to divert all flow to the spray bar for cleaning purposes. Havnet had a need to do that as the flow just happend to work out to be perfectly balanced. This is actually a pretty basic set up and easy to do. Of couse its on a BB tank but you could mod it any way you wanted if you have SB. The spray bar feature could be raised to put flow behind the rock, drilled with holes for what ever directional flow desired!HTH!!!!

Robert

[motorslave]

Noob is right, once you drill there is no going back, unless you plug the hole! It realy is a matter of tase to some extent. The CLS I have adds to the amount of room I need behind the tank in its current location, wont be an issue in the tank room though. Something else about the Tunze other than the fact that they create an exceptional stream of water, is that you can buy "rocks" made just for them that with time will become coverd in coraline and blend in with the LR. They realy do make a much better stream of water that is better for coral, it is spread out over a wider are providing huge wolume with no damaging velocity.

Robert

[three90s&125sump]

My LFS has one in his tank. Its kinda big. Its sounds alot better than your average PH. I'm planning on using fluted diffusers to keep the velocity down and the direction and un-point-source as posible. I will reserch the tunze. Can you put it on a timer for surge type flow?

[motorslave]

The Tunze? Yeah they make a controller for all the models. You can run one or two up to four I believe. Even a fluted difuser cant make the wide flow pattern of a Tunze.

Robert

[three90s&125sump]

Hows the cost? for all of it?

[motorslave]

Yeah, well, its spendy stuff, no way around it. Check out Premium Aquatics or My Reef Creations (both sponsors here) The Tunze products are expensive. Just depends on how far you want to go.
My CLS on the other hand was about $50 in plumbing (mostly for two 1 1/2" true union ball valves for the pump) anf the cost of the pump itself, about $250. You will easily spend just over $300 for one Tunze pump and controller. On a 90g 1 Tunze could do it. If you ran one in each tank with one controller youd be set and maybe even comparative in price to three seperate CLSs (depending on pum,ps you use, not everyone wants a $250 pump)

Robert

[three90s&125sump]

80 bucks mag 12

[motorslave]

Yeah, youve got a 90 so not bad. Dont forget the heat issue, head loss and such. They dont make big pumps for nothin! Depends on needs! 4 of those and you can flow as much as me!!! With a simple manifold system you could use one high quality high flow pump to handle all three tanks. It would be a simple thing. I am partial to external pumps these days. Ive had submersables and they are loud and add heat. I decided after all the money Ive put into this box o water I would get some heavy duty stuff that I could count on. I know what I want to have as an end result. Subs work fine and some of those little bugars can move some water, I just have my preferances. Mags are widely used and considerd to be a great pump! With a system that has as many tanks as yours Id want to get some pretty serious hardware. Its going to be more complex than normal as it is.

Robert

Robert

[three90s&125sump]

How much water you circulating, counting your returns. Is that on your 150?

[motorslave]

A little over or right at 5000gph. Yeah its on the 150, its a BB.

Robert