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Overflow and closed loop intake design feedback


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I am designing a new tank and want to design it such that there is no plumbing out the back of the tank. As you can see in this design the water would flow into the sides, there would be "light defuser" material that fits in this hole, then a finer black mesh would glued to the light defuser to keep fish etc out. The water would both then flow down into the bulkhead in the bottom (closed loop intakes) and also flow up and over into the center portion that will be the normal overflow. There will also be center middle overflow up top to allow surface skimming in the tank.

 

This tank will be glass. I have checked on cutting the square out of the glass and sounds like it will be $30-40 per side. (lazer cut) not bad IMO.

 

Feedback? See attached

post-10-141867764752_thumb.jpg

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So that picture is the overflow box right? Sounds like a good design if the box can supply the flow fast enough for the closed loop. You could also just drill a hole in the back of the back outside of the over flow for the closed loop intake.

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well the key was that I didnt want to have intakes come up from the bottom due to the possibility of sucking in sand etc, and having to look at the "screen" at the end of the PVC riser (coming out of the bottom.

 

The square holes would be like 4x12 inches, I cant imagine that wouldnt provide enough flow, its going to be alot more surface area for suction than regular bulkhead covers.

 

Also the BIGGEST issue is I cannot have any plumbing behind the tank, I have tiled my floor at home and I would have to move the tank 4-6 inches away from the wall and it would make the tile look terrible. Thats why Im drilling all the holes in the bottom rather than any in the back.

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If you need even more reason to consider the Tunze streams over a closed loop how about.

 

  • a lot quieter
  • no plumbing required
  • if one pump dies your whole tank will not lose the flow
  • less heat output
  • no worrying about leaking or breaking plumbing
  • takes up no room in sump
  • easy to adjust and change flow with the controller
  • etc...

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the Dart flows 3600 at 160w, I dont know where your numbers came from.

 

Darts are pretty much soundless, Im not worried about the sound

 

I dont agree it would be less heat either, at only 70w different, Im sure more than half of the heat produced by a dart goes into the air not the water.

 

Points to consider for a normal closed loop:

No impellers to clean like powerheads

easilly have multiple outputs in different locations without buying multiple pumps

Closed loop system is seperate from sump system, either could fail without the other failing.

Easier to hide without having goofy fake rocks covering the pump

 

 

I guess all and all I see your points, but I dont buy it at all.

 

I kilowatt costs about $.08, 70 watts different equates to 0.1344 per day, at $333 (marine Depot) That equates to 6.8 years to pay for the pump. I dont think that qualifies for cheaper in the long run IMO.

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