FlyPenFly
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2013
- Messages
- 743
- Reaction score
- 338
- Location
- San Diego, CA
- What state or country do you live in
- California
Here's a design idea I've been kicking around in my head. It's essentially a "closed loop" design. I think this is now practical because of the proliferation of efficient and very small yet incredibly powerful DC pumps in the hobby.
Unions of course should be used everywhere practical.
I see a number of PRO's with this design:
• Can achieve extremely high flow rates without risk
• Drain(s) is completely silent without manipulating gate valves
• No need for large overflow system with multiple Large pipes and failure points
• Drain(s) can be placed anywhere and hidden among aquascape
• Can use multiple drains anywhere in the tank, not just the surface
• Easier to do maintenance on dry skimmer, reactors
• Structural integrity of tank is not compromised with holes
• No leaky bulkheads
• No air line breaks needed on return
• Returns can be situated anywhere in the tank
• With a powerful enough main pump, fewer powerheads would be required
• Minimum risk of water on the floor with dry sump
• Water Changes can be done without shutting off filtration
Cons:
• Dosing + ATO must be in tank
• Float + pH + Temp sensors are in tank
• Maintenance on refugium and heater is more difficult
The purge pump is used to empty the reactor and skimmer of water if you need to do maintenance.
Another modification of this design could be that you can use a very small low flow traditional overflow if you wish to keep sensors and dosing out of tank. Neither of these are flow critical so a very compact 50-100gph overflow will do just fine. Of course you lose some of the benefit of closed loop.
If you also don't mind bulkheads (I honestly never had a problem but some people seem to) and don't want any over the tank pipes/tubes, you can just drill the tank.
Unions of course should be used everywhere practical.
I see a number of PRO's with this design:
• Can achieve extremely high flow rates without risk
• Drain(s) is completely silent without manipulating gate valves
• No need for large overflow system with multiple Large pipes and failure points
• Drain(s) can be placed anywhere and hidden among aquascape
• Can use multiple drains anywhere in the tank, not just the surface
• Easier to do maintenance on dry skimmer, reactors
• Structural integrity of tank is not compromised with holes
• No leaky bulkheads
• No air line breaks needed on return
• Returns can be situated anywhere in the tank
• With a powerful enough main pump, fewer powerheads would be required
• Minimum risk of water on the floor with dry sump
• Water Changes can be done without shutting off filtration
Cons:
• Dosing + ATO must be in tank
• Float + pH + Temp sensors are in tank
• Maintenance on refugium and heater is more difficult
The purge pump is used to empty the reactor and skimmer of water if you need to do maintenance.
Another modification of this design could be that you can use a very small low flow traditional overflow if you wish to keep sensors and dosing out of tank. Neither of these are flow critical so a very compact 50-100gph overflow will do just fine. Of course you lose some of the benefit of closed loop.
If you also don't mind bulkheads (I honestly never had a problem but some people seem to) and don't want any over the tank pipes/tubes, you can just drill the tank.
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