Closed loops

[DaveMorris1]

I was wondering....What should be put on the intake of a closed loop system? Is a regular strainer adequate or should it be something else? How deep into the tank should it be? I have a glass tank so my intake will have to go up and over the top of the tank but if the intake is too far into the tank I have concerns about getting to it easily to keep it from getting clogged. Any suggestions for a 125g glass tank being fitted for a closed loop system with no holes being drilled?

 

[ChrisRD]

A regular intake strainer is all I've ever used - works fine.

As for depth - as long as they're not right up near the surface where they could suck air or too close to the sandbed, whatever works for you should be fine. FWIW, when I did an over-the-side type CL I set the intakes about mid way down into the tank which worked fine.

Tank looks nice BTW. 8)

HTH

 

[Anonymous]

cylindrical over flow box sponges (large pore) work excellently as strainer covers

it depends on whether or not you'll be keeping things that can get mashed through strainers or not (like mobile anemones, etc)

 

[Anonymous]

and don't forget to clean even the strainers regularly from coralline algae!

darn stuff creeps up on you and one day-no openings on the strainer! heh

 

[DavidY]

What kind of pump do you guys use on your closed loops? I have an old GenX M4 external pump (1190gph) on my 120g reef. The outlet of the loop is behind a baffle on the opposite back corner of the tank so the flow is diffused across the rock work. The overall flow is only noticeable within a few inches from the baffle, but after that it doesn't appear to have much effect on the corals further away, especially when the other powerheads cycle on. I've always wondered how much benefit I was getting from this closed loop, but I've left it in figuring it's gotta be helping with 1190gph. I'm definitely interested in getting a couple of Tunze Streams, but I can't keep spending that kind of money anymore. I'm 8 years into this reef tank which equates to mucho $$$. The wife will probably really kill me this time if I pull the old "just one more thing I need for the reef" bit. :roll: