What is meant by "closed loop system?"

[Ignaz]

I've run in to this term several times since researching reefs, but haven't been able to figure out what it's referring to. Can someone out there explain it to me?

Thanks!

[Jeremy Blaze]

SEARCH!!


Basically it is a pump used for water movement that only recirculates water in the tank. It does not go trough a seperate vessal, such as a sump.

[thaiman]

A closed loop system is basically a tight-line. Water feeds a pump, the pump pushes the water back to where it came from.

[Ignaz]

Originally posted by Jeremy Blaze
SEARCH!!


Yeah, thanks.

I tried searching and got 42 pages of results. Tried sifting through 4-5 pages of that before attempting to narrow the search parameters, then the site gave me a message that further searching was impossible due to some technical issues.

Sorry to take up band width or whatever.

[Snakebyt]

http://www.melevsreef.com/closedloop.html

[Jeremy Blaze]

I'm sorry. I thought my explanation was good though.

[psuedopimp]

so on the inside of the tank do you have a little screen like what is on the intake of a powerhead, or something else that keeps critters out? I have seen lots of pictures of the plumbing on the outside of tanks, however I haven't seen the inside of the intake pipe.

[Jeremy Blaze]

Yes, you would want to have a screen of sorts, unless you are wanting to make fish purie in your tanks.

[NeilPearson]

Here's my closed loop:

You can see the 2 screened inputs for the closed loop here:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/508/64246April_5_2005_001.jpg

Also in the above you can see the 2 return pipes that feed this manifold:

Notice you can see one of the return pipes in this picture too

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/508/64246plumbing_top.jpg

In the cabinet, I have a pump on each side:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/508/64246plumbing_left.jpg

[Jeremy Blaze]

How is that set up working? Getting much flow out of the manifold?

[NeilPearson]

Originally posted by Jeremy Blaze
How is that set up working? Getting much flow out of the manifold?

Here it is running while I filled it:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/508/64246Filling.jpg

I have since reduced the size of outputs on the right side of that picture which boosted up the water flow coming out of the left and pretty much evened it out.

I get about 4200 gallons an hour out of the manifold and an additional 700-800 from my sump return. I had to play with the angle of the returns too. I wanted them pushing water down but if I aim them too far down it blows the sand around.

I am happy with the flow I'm getting.

[Jeremy Blaze]

Looks good. I am suprised you are able to keep any sand in there!

[NeilPearson]

Originally posted by Jeremy Blaze
Looks good. I am suprised you are able to keep any sand in there!

After I put the sand in, it took over 2 weeks for the water to clear up. That first picture was at about 2 and a half weeks. Just a couple days before that picture was taken, I couldn't see those pipes or that rock at all. You can see how cloudy it was in the picture of it filling. Notice how the overflow pretty much disappears as soon as it sits the water.

[SmokeFish]

Originally posted by Jeremy Blaze
Basically it is a pump used for water movement that only recirculates water in the tank. It does not go trough a seperate vessal, such as a sump.

Would there be any benefit (other than water volume) of having a sump on a closed loop system? If I were using the sump mainly just to keep equipment out of the tank, would the closed loop negate the need for the sump?

Thanks!

[Jeremy Blaze]

You would still get all the benifits of a sump, water volume, place for equipment, etc...

I think the first ideas for the CL was because everyone was trying to push so much water trough the sumps people were haveing problems with micro bubbles, and noise. You also eliminate power heads which helps with apperence among other things.