Closed Loops: Pros and Cons

[LadyTang2]

Is it worth it to have 2 holes drilled in a tank for a closed loop, what do people like these over powerheads. Please share any and all thoughts on the advantages/disadvantages. I can understand they are less visible than a powerhead and there is a risk of flooding but what else?

If you want to plug the holes temporarily, how do you plug them?

 

[TexasTodd]

If the intakes are low in the tank and any of the plumbing ever comes apart it will empty your tank with no safety stop. Also make sure you can reach the intakes to clean them etc.

 

[Bugeater281]

I’m in the process of setting up my tank with a closed loop. I did a bunch of research first. While leaks are possible, I figured it’s worth the risk. My bulkheads for the closed loop are directly on top of the sump. So any leaks should drip right into the sump. And the odds of piping completely breaking is slim(I also included some flexable pipe to prevent vibrations). I’ve lost quite a few smaller fish to powerheads. And they are just plain ugly. However I will still be using some. My tank is 24in deep. And I don’t like have the pumps close to the bottom. My closed loop will help keep the bottom clean(bottomless tank). I ran my intakes for the closed bigger than needed, to reduce the suction they create. I’m also not a man with a bunch of money to buy the nice ecotechs for the clean look.

And lastly, I personally am very skeptical about how much water powerheads actually move. My eco tech vectra will launch water out of a bathtub up to 2+ feet. It will also swirl water in my tank. My 2500gph powerhead seems to barely move water in comparison.

 

[Hydrored]

And lastly, I personally am very skeptical about how much water powerheads actually move. My eco tech vectra will launch water out of a bathtub up to 2+ feet. It will also swirl water in my tank. My 2500gph powerhead seems to barely move water in comparison.

I run 2 MP60’s in an 8’ tank along with 4 other MP40’s, MP60’s can push water clean across the tank and blow over torches in its path

Is it worth it to have 2 holes drilled in a tank for a closed loop, what do people like these over powerheads. Please share any and all thoughts on the advantages/disadvantages. I can understand they are less visible than a powerhead and there is a risk of flooding but what else?

We will be building a new house next year, while I do not have experience with closed loop i’ll be using it in the new tank build that will be roughly 400 gallons, never cared for the look of powerheads everywhere

 

[jda]

You should consider more than two holes. A single intake and then a few outlets are good.

They can move a lot of water. If you use something like an Oceans Motion, then they can be nice and random. Being higher pressure, they can really move a lot of water... especially if you use some eductors in the tank. They are also usually pretty quiet.

Buy bulkheads that are threaded on the tank size. If you need to repair something, you unthread your strainer on the intake and loc-line on the outlet and thread in some plugs... they don't have to be seal 100% for a few hours of work, but with some teflon tape, they usually seal pretty well even just being hand tight.

You have to be careful not to use too large of plumbing on the outlets. Velocity is good, not water that barely moves. I like 3/4. If you move up to 1" the same amount of water comes out, but but slower... if you use 1.5", then it is a trickle.

Closed loops are great in larger tanks. Kinda hard and waste in larger tanks. I have a 12x4x3 planned and I am going to use a AmpMaster in the 6500gph range with a 4 way oceans motion with 3/4" outlets on each 6 foot section (so two of these). Also have a Tunze 6200 with Sea Sweep on each side. This is as efficient and cheap as I can do it. On a tank like this, a MP60 fizzes out into nothingness pretty quickly and the flow gets really weak and I don't want to have them all over the place - Tunze 6200 is a little stronger, but still need a whole bunch of them. The Oceans Motion 4 way can move water like 8 feet and blow sand away from the glass with ease. People just don't know how much more flow this is unless you do it.