Closed Loop Or Not??? What Is Your Flow Rate's

[The Grizz]

Well I have a dilemma facing me at the moment. I have been thinking of doing a closed loop on my 165 gal 8' tank. BUT I don't think my coral would like a flow rate of 2500 GPH.

Today I am doing a little experiment with my 155. I have a 1100 GPH return and 4 - 1300 GPH power heads but I noticed that a few a my coral were showing signs of not liking that strong flow. So what I have done is shut off 2 of the power head and moved the other 2 to the bottom back of the tank (opposite corner's) facing each other. So now every thing is full open and looking good.

So what I am asking is, anyone that is running a closed loop what is your flow rate? What size of pump are you using? How do you have it plumbed in?

Pictures would be great to see as well. Thanks to all in advance.

[JDigital]

You've only got about 40x turnover in your 155 by the sounds of it... which really isn't so strong that nothing can like it. It could be more your coral placement, rather than flow.

2500GPH in your 165 is only going to be 15x turnover + return... which isn't enough for SPS for sure.


I would run 4 holes down the middle of the bottom of the tank, and the intake mid-way up the back wall, or at least high enough that its not sucking sand up.. You may want some ball valves before each return bulkhead so you can adjust the flow in each 1/4 of the tank.

Couple pics of how I plumbed mine.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/JDigital/54G%20Reef%20Tank/75plumb2.jpg

Like I said, run the intake on the back wall, not the floor like me.. ;)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/JDigital/54G%20Reef%20Tank/CLreturns.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/JDigital/54G%20Reef%20Tank/75plumb7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/JDigital/54G%20Reef%20Tank/75plumb1.jpg

[loveless]

In my 330gal I have 2 2500 gal/hour pumps plus a 3600 gal/hour return pump. At this point im still not sure if it is enough. Oh and the 2500's are on om 4ways. You can check my build thread for pics n such

[The Grizz]

You've only got about 40x turnover in your 155 by the sounds of it... which really isn't so strong that nothing can like it. It could be more your coral placement, rather than flow.

2500GPH in your 165 is only going to be 15x turnover + return... which isn't enough for SPS for sure.


I would run 4 holes down the middle of the bottom of the tank, and the intake mid-way up the back wall, or at least high enough that its not sucking sand up.. You may want some ball valves before each return bulkhead so you can adjust the flow in each 1/4 of the tank.

Couple pics of how I plumbed mine.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/JDigital/54G%20Reef%20Tank/75plumb2.jpg

Like I said, run the intake on the back wall, not the floor like me.. ;)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/JDigital/54G%20Reef%20Tank/CLreturns.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/JDigital/54G%20Reef%20Tank/75plumb7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/JDigital/54G%20Reef%20Tank/75plumb1.jpg
Are you running a 4 way or just teed off the return of the pump?

[JDigital]

Edit.....

It was a Snapper Pump.. it was a closed loop, nothing was T'd off the return. And nope, I didn't have a OM4. T'd to 3 bulkheads w/ ball valves to even out the head pressure at each return outlet.

[BWI]

100% closed loop.. power heads suck...

[The Grizz]

Ok well what i was thinking was drilling in a 1 1/2" bulk head in the middle back, building a 4 port intake (facing up) about 4' long. Then drill in 4 - 1" bulk head returns along the back spaced 1'-2'-2'-2' from leftside of tank wall to the right. Put 1" 90's facing the front so it creates a clockwise flow. Bottom, up the front, towards the back and then down. Was thinking of a 4 way but I don't have the cash because the 155 has not sold yet. I have a return pump that will do 1100 GPH with the length of the return line's I have done.

So long winded but what do you think is it worth it??

[JDigital]

I personally wouldn't have a Closed loop again.. My last one was a ton of work, and I still needed to add a powerhead. Plus IMO it is harder to sell a "drilled for closed loop" tank down the road.

[The Grizz]

The other thing I was thinking was just putting my 5 or 6 1300GPH power heads down near the bottom on the back of the tank facing forward to create the clockwise flow.

[mark]

I've got a Dart/4way CL on a 145g with about 1000gph return, I'm happy.

For a really well done CL layout, check Dez'z build.

Good thread for what others are pushing here (http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=48372).

[The Grizz]

I've got a Dart/4way CL on a 145g with about 1000gph return, I'm happy.

For a really well done CL layout, check Dez'z build.

Good thread for what others are pushing here (http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=48372).
So what is your turn over rate??

[Parker]

I have closed loops run by darts. One dart supplies four one inch discharges along the the front bottom of the tank and one dart supplies two outlets in the top back corners of the tank. I also have a third dart the runs my return discharging out both side of my center over flow.

You have to look fairly hard to see all of the discharges in this pic, but they are there:

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa180/RParker_07/Tank%20Build/IMG_2736.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa180/RParker_07/Tank%20Build/IMG_2635.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa180/RParker_07/Tank%20Build/IMG_2630.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa180/RParker_07/Tank%20Build/TankDrawing-1.jpg

[mark]

So what is your turn over rate??

~30x of the display

[The Grizz]

What all do you have in there for corals? SPS, LPS, Softy??? Cant really tell completly from the pics.

[Dez]

I have one similar to Mark, a dart running 4 x 1" on a OM 4way. I built a fake rock enclosing an ABS "Y" fitting for the intake, and 4 holes along the bottom.

If you want to waste an hour of your life you can look at the details in my tank build here:

http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=50842

My corals are growing quick, and when they get really big I might add another closed loop. I can't bring myself to putting a powerhead in my tank. The only visible piece of plumbing in my display right now is the omni flex nozzle from my wavy sea.

[The Grizz]

Hey Dez I have look at your build before but refreshed my memory. I love the way you did the 2 side veiw. I don't know about all this flow rate stuff, but I will ask what your flow rate is? What size of bit / bulkheads did you use? Where did you get the bit's? And when are you coming to drill some hole's in my tank & cut my center brace?

[untamed]

I have two darts on OM4way CLs. So that's maybe 7000gph. A third dart is the return, and I get about 1500 gph out of that one. DT is about 400 gallons...so that is about 21x.

SPS seem happy enough.

[The Grizz]

I have two darts on OM4way CLs. So that's maybe 7000gph. A third dart is the return, and I get about 1500 gph out of that one. DT is about 400 gallons...so that is about 21x.

SPS seem happy enough.
WOW only 21x. I have been told by so many that at 40x my 155 does not have enough flow for SPS. What is your secret?

[Reefer Rob]

For the past 3 years I've had Dart on a closed loop with 4 outlets, that's 3600 gph. Dart return feedind 2 Wavy Seas would be about 2400 gph with head loss. Display is 180G so that would be about 33 gph turnover.

Lately I've added a Maxjet mod to increase flow, but it tends to create more dead spots than just the closed loop. Right now I've moved it to laying on the bottom at the back to circulate the water between the 2 overflows. Still playing with it, maybe I'll add another one back there. With the Maxijet the flow would be 42.

[Marlin65]

I run a Dart on my 75 Gal with a OM 4 way and only a 600Gal an hour return.
Even with that I think I could use more flow. I have Zoe's right up to the outlets they love the flow. The rest is mainly SPS and a few clams. Its a matter of putting them in the right place as long as you don't have direct flow on them they will be fine. I love my dart no power heads to clean or look at. You can see two of my outlets in the picture BTM front corners.
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg94/hikingtrigger/ReefTank60004.jpg