Closed Loop??

JPfish · 05-22-2003, 12:51 PM

I'm going to be starting on my AGA 90 gal RR tank soon, and I would ultimately like to have an SPS / clam tank. I've read that if your going to incorporate a closed loop system, it is best to drill the tank before you start.

Is it really that necesarry to have a closed loop system on a 90 gal SPS tank, or could 4 maxijet 1200's with a wave strip which would alternate the currents as well as a Mag 9.5 returning water from my sump, be enough?

Calvinc4s · 05-22-2003, 12:59 PM

I think what you are asking is all opinion- so here is my go at it.
Power heads are going to be a pita to service from high calcium in a sps system. IMHO, have it drilled.

If you are still on the power head side of the fence, check out the Tunze stream system.

thefatman · 05-22-2003, 01:35 PM

imo, the advantage to a cls is not having the tank filled with powerheads. and only one pump to service instead of 4 powerheads.

i'm planning on a closed loop, with one intake, and 4 exits around the tank. each one will have it's own ball valve. i'm also planning to put a scwd between the left and right sides, which would be much cheaper than a wave strip and 4 ph's.

just my two cents.

as calvion said, it's all a matter of opinion and choice.

BUT.. if you are gonna drill, do it BEFORE setting up the tank. fwiw, i found a glass shop in my city that will drill the holes for 8 bucks per hole on the aga 75-90 gal tanks. 6 dollars for smaller tanks. (the price changes based on thickness of glass)

mnreefgeek · 05-22-2003, 01:35 PM

If you're leary of drilling it is possible to do a closed loop without the holes. Just some crafty PVC work.

Reedman · 05-22-2003, 01:44 PM

If you are going SPS I highly recommend abandoning the PHs and going with a closed loop. You will be able to have more flow with less equipment in the tank. You also have less heat transfer (depending on the pump you choose). That said, be careful about one pump closed loop systems. My pump recently died and I went from 3000 GPH to 600 GPH (powerheads). My corals are not happy.

Redundancy is the name of the game. You should either keep a backup pump to put in the place of the primary if (when) it breaks, or run 2 closed loops to avoid this nightmare I have.

I highly recommend drilling the tank like Jay said. It's so much cleaner. A little planning goes a long way here.

JPfish · 05-22-2003, 04:59 PM

How about using the return pipe that's allready drilled in the overflow tower of the AGA tank for a closed loop intake?? I assume I would need to make another standpipe the same height as the existing one that drains to sump?

What is the least expensive/decent quality pump I should use for CL on my 90 gal ??

thefatman · 05-22-2003, 08:20 PM

you wont need a standpipe for a closed loop. because there is nowhere for hte water to drain. it goes from tank to pump to tank. hence. "closed loop"

yeah you could use the return hole, for the intake to the closed loop. but i'm guessing it's probably smaller. and you will still need the returns around the tank coming back from the cls pump. some people dont mind having a ton of pvc inside the tank. but i think it looks better, and easier to do since the tnak is running yet, to drill holes in the back before hand, for the returns from the cls. that wya you dont have a gob of pvc all over the place.

i'm getting a sen 900 for my cls.

check out www.premiumaquatics.com the mags, sens, and gen x are all good prices. i've heard the mags COULD be a bit louder if not in a sump. which is why i'm going with the sen, because i've been told they are much quieter, and jsut as reliable. though they are bigger than the mags.

JPfish · 05-22-2003, 09:31 PM

So what your saying is that 800-900 gph is enough for a 90 gal tank? Reason I ask is that I've seen some member tanks which are 75 gal and have an ampmaster 2000 which does 2k gph. Just wanna be sure! I would rater save money and go with the SEN 900 than spend >$200 on the ampmaster

thefatman · 05-23-2003, 02:52 AM

it all depends what you plan on keeping i suppose. if you are going softies then i've heard of poeple using a simple 200 gph powerhead for the closed loop. if you are going stonies, then i guess you'd want something really powerful.

i'm only planning on the sen, because i'm jsut going with softies. or you could spend the extra 10 bucks and go with a mag12. but it COULD be louder. though plenty of people have said they are quiet as long as they are on something to isoloate the vibration, like on a mouse pad.

Reedman · 05-23-2003, 08:53 AM

Jay said it perfectly. It all depends on what you plan to keep. I run an ampmaster 3000 on my 74 gallon because my goal is to keep SPS. They like the high flow rates. If you put that on a softy tank they won't be happy at all.

JPfish · 05-23-2003, 10:30 AM

what if I want to keep a couple LSP corals and mushrooms way on the bottom and SPS's on top, then is there a recommended CL pump that would circulate around 1500 gph, which one would you all recommend besides the mag?