Closed Loop Design: Need Advice!
 

Just looking for some opinions and comments on the semi closed loop setup I am trying to design for my buddy’s 75 gallon reef. Don’t mind the poor excuse for a purple tang, I just got bored. Also I think I’m over feeding him. Anyway both pumps are Mag 9.5 and the one running the Aqua C Remora EV-120 is a Mag 5. Tubing will be ¾â€? Schedule 40 PVC and the manifold will also be ¾â€? PVC accept the outlets for the ball socket tubing will be ½â€?(I used it because I figured I could point the outlet any which way I would like to). I am aware that reducing this to one half will give me more pressure at the ball socket tubing but will reduce overall GPH run through it. I just want it to move some water and reduce of eliminate to need for powerheads jumbling up the reef structure. Arrows indicated movement of water. The black triangles are flare nozzles and they will be mounted in the rear corners of the tank (it’s hard to show on a 2D picture). I didn’t include the Ball valves that would be in place, I’m just wondering if the overall design is good. Opinions, bashing, and suggestions welcome. Thanks!

<img src="http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b201/Kuklikimoku1022/CL752.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

<img src="http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b201/Kuklikimoku1022/Manifold2.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

Here is a closer look at the sump/fuge we hope to use:

<img src="http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b201/Kuklikimoku1022/SumpFuge.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

The only problem I see is the flow rates going into the tank will be almost nothing after all the 90 degree bends. Unless you get a bigger pump I see a loss in improvement.
Overall I think the design is awesome.

I think the purple tang looks a little stretched.

The 10 outlets won't help it either, I think most of the flow will be los in the back run and the rest on the sides. In addition to upping the pump size, you probably want to considered valves to adjust flow individually.

try to go 3/4 on the pipe if you can and check out All Things Salty with Anthony Calfo forum he has a large thred on colsed loop systems

Hey you used my design..just kidding...it is extremeely close to what I am running, except I run a mg 12 return pump, and a little giant mdqx4..I think, anyway it works awesome!!But I do have 3 ball valves in the spraybar piping and run 6 nozzles through the little giant and the other 4 are run on the mag 12..Also definitely use 1" pipe and 3/4" swageloc fittings. the valves are to let me select which nozzles I run on which pump ..if you follow me.. I can run all 10 on either the mag or the little giant, or both,...I also have 10 swageloc fitting valves to regulate each nozzle also..looks great good luck!!

Ok so what if we run a Gen-X Mak 5?

So lets say I upgrade the return pump for the sump/fuge to a Mag 12, that gives me 1200 GPH at the head and about what? 1100 GPH at 4 feet. It has 3/4" inlet and outlet so it's the same as the 9.5. So run the Mag 12 as a return due the the excesive plumbing needed to make it reach the tank. Also due to having 10 outlets on the manifold for the closed loop I could use a Gen-X PCX-100 Mak 5 like laszlo said and that would be like 1550 GPH and has 1" Male Threaded Outlet. Only beef I have is the Mak 5 is 360 Watts! That's a lot of electricity. Anyone have a suggestion for a comprable pump that runs on less watts. I know benter said the MDQX4 from little giant which is 1225 GPH and only 145 watts (215 watt difference!). Or possibly the Mag 2400? I know it's 265 watts put has better head pressure at 4 feet than the Little Giant (675 GPH Difference).

nothin?

The Sequence Reeflow Dart runs at 140 watts and pumps out 3600gph @ 0' head.......maybe too much for what you need but you can valve it back and use less power....I called MDM and talked to them about this pump and they said valving it back is no problem so?????

Also I think your thinking your head loss will not be too bad for the Mags......I say you'll lose at least 300gph on the mag 12. You gotta figure in all your fittings, valves and diam. of the pipe.


Mag 24 consumes 160watts

Go with the dart.

I ditched my two closed loops with Iwaki 55's and put six Seio 620's in my 220 instead. Much better water movement and much cheaper to run.
2 x Iwaki 55 = ~360W, 1800GPH
6 x Seio 620 = ~48W, 3720+GPH
No comparison and the Seio's don't take up much more room than the return nozzles from the closed loops.

That is what I just decided the other day. Haven't looked at this in a while. It would be easier to just put 2 Seio 1100s in the 75.