System Design - Scheduled Chat 9-11 p EST

[Mike]

I guess the for this type of system (CL) an acrylic tank gives me a littel peace of mind.

That is all true to a point. I had twin MP40's on the tank and I get better movement (with the way my tank is set up) with the closed loop.

[schminksbro]

Define better?

[jimsflies]

Unfortunately, there isn't one perfect solution to flow. Each has it's pluses and minuses.

[Mike]

I could barely get the water moving on the end of the tank across the 6 foot span with the MP40's. I would have needed an additional 2 MP40's or to go up to the bigger Tunze pumps.

[jimsflies]

I believe that. The wide flow ends up lacking punch on longer tanks.

[jimsflies]

So what everyone's turnover in their display?

[Mike]

I get more vorticies with the closed loop on the four way because of the variations in force that occur when the drum moves between the outlets. The water force does change as this happens as well. The pulling force also adds a negative force so I get a push pull effect near the bottom of the tank.

The vortecs do that too but because the intake on CL is so much bigger it draws in water from a larger area. I also have two intakes for two loops.

[Mike]

My display in tank circulation is around 45X's and hour with both pumps on.

[schminksbro]

I am at like 80 times per hour but because of the directional flow I need that much.

[Sir Patrick]

I plan on running a closed loop to direct water flow across the bottom of the tank into a barrel roll, to take detrius over the overflows and down to the skimmer.

This set up for flow will give very little usable current to the corals in the tank though, so I plan on running my 3 maxijets on a timed wavemaker to give some extra randon flows to the rest of the tank, along with 1 modded maxi 900 running constantly on a 65 gallon breeder with dual corner overflows..