Protecting a Closed Loop Intake

[TheReefGeek]

The intake for my closed loop is 1.5" PVC with horizontal sawblade cuts on each side of it.

My pump pulls so much flow, even with this method there is a lot of suction that a fish who swims too close might not be able to break free.

How can I further protect this intake?

My last resort (because its ugly and harder to hide) is to build an egg-crate box around it.

[Jaws]

I used 1" PVC elbowing downwards in the tank and just capped the end of it and drilled a ton of 3/16 holes in the PVC. It's all hidden behind the rock too so you can't see it. I actually made up two identicle setups so I could remove one to clean it and replace it with the other. Hope that helps.

[TheReefGeek]

Mine is the same idea, just with 1.5" PVC capped behind the rockwork. (But fish and stuff will still get to it I have not doubt)

Min is just with cuts instead of holes, I am still worried of a fish getting stuck. I could try some PVC with holes and compare the suction per square inch with my hand.

Any other ways people have done this?

[Skimmerking]

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e122/asmodeus338/DSC03270.jpgCool I'm not the only one that did this, I have lost 3 turbo's from this so far. I havent lost any fish yet thou.. thee pretty much keep away from the flow thou. I have tried sticking it into the over flow ,but man it sucks to much.

Here is picture of it

[Ryan7]

I used the strainer that comes with a Mag 18 (pump is ampmaster, 1.5" intake) It has long slots to weaken the suction, small enough so fish and snails cant get in.

[Scavenger]

I don't have a closed loop myself, but thinking about this I wonder what would it work like to have your intake for your closed loop inside your overflow box? This would keep a flow in the box where it is normally dead(ish) water as well as more flow for surface skimming the proteins.

This just an idea off the top of my head and I don't know if it's a good or bad idea.

[Skimmerking]

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e122/asmodeus338/DSC03270.jpgCool I'm not the only one that did this, I have lost 3 turbo's from this so far. I havent lost any fish yet thou.. thee pretty much keep away from the flow thou. I have tried sticking it into the over flow ,but man it sucks to much.

Here is picture of it

NOte what i have typed here tried it in the over flow but it was too much suction. Now that was with a barracuda 4500gph if you use a mag 12 might work.

[TheReefGeek]

Asmodeus, you are running a barracuda too? That is the exact pump I am hooking up, and my intake looks identical to yours, with the horizontal cuts in it.

How have you arranged your return lines? I setup a return manifold with 7, 1/2 inch t's and loclines.

[Jaws]

The only thing I would be careful with when running it in an overflow is sometimes bubbles from the falling water and foam end up in the overflow and once they go through a pump on a closed loop, you end up with thousands of micro bubbles. JMO

[TheReefGeek]

And carefull you dont run your overflow dry because you dont have enough linear lenght of overflow to keep up.

[medican]

Here is what I did......

The two intakes for my closed loop has three strainers on each.....
This cuts the suction down, same volume of water.

[Chin_Lee]

cut eggcrate to fit inside the 1.5 " bulkhead then no strainer and nothing protruding - its its mostly flush against the tank

[Ruth]

Heck I just use the strainer baskets on mine. I run my closed loop with a sequence hammerhead (5800gph) I have never had a fish stuck to it - a couple of snails but that's it. I think most fish can swim well enough unless they are weak because of illness or whatever. Even my 2 firefish are OK and I have seen them swim right by it. No dumb fish in my tank!!!!!!

[TheReefGeek]

With minimal water spraying all over my fish room, the closed loop is up and running. The 1.5" PVC with cuts in it for 18 inches has almost no suction per "slit", even the weakest fish could fight off it, and snails should have no problem either.

Thanks for all the suggestions, now im off to finish up my new return. (The barracuda was my return throttled down, no it is wide open on a closed loop)