10' tank planning - closed loop or no?

[Biff0rz]

I've read a ton of opinions on closed loops, and the more I read, the more undecided I become about whether I should install one on the 10' tank I'm planning. If I go that route, I'd likely use a Panta Rhei system (HydroTube 42 forward/reverse)

The tank will be viewable from three sides (not a peninsula). My current flow plan is wavemakers on both ends, along with four return outlets on the back panel using Loc-Line with RFG nozzles (abyzz a200 return)

A properly designed closed loop isn't cheap, though. My biggest concerns are long-term maintenance and the potential for leaks.

For those of you with 10', 12', or even longer tanks: if you were building your system again, would you install a closed loop or skip it? Why? Looking back, what do you wish you had done differently?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@BeanAnimal

 

[JPG@CFI]

If you decide on a closed loop, use Spears Sch80 bulkheads, and valves of high quality like Cepex. The bulkheads are bullet proof, and you can always work on the plumbing. Been using that combo for decades for installs.

 

[hatfielj]

If you decide on a closed loop, use Spears Sch80 bulkheads, and valves of high quality like Cepex. The bulkheads are bullet proof, and you can always work on the plumbing. Been using that combo for decades for installs.

YES! Very important, especially if you have the closed loop intakes on the bottom of your tank. Asahi valves are also super high quality.

 

[hatfielj]

I've read a ton of opinions on closed loops, and the more I read, the more undecided I become about whether I should install one on the 10' tank I'm planning. If I go that route, I'd likely use a Panta Rhei system (HydroTube 42 forward/reverse)

The tank will be viewable from three sides (not a peninsula). My current flow plan is wavemakers on both ends, along with four return outlets on the back panel using Loc-Line with RFG nozzles (abyzz a200 return)

A properly designed closed loop isn't cheap, though. My biggest concerns are long-term maintenance and the potential for leaks.

For those of you with 10', 12', or even longer tanks: if you were building your system again, would you install a closed loop or skip it? Why? Looking back, what do you wish you had done differently?

I personally think closed loops are super useful. I'm a big fan of sea-swirls or other oscillating devices for closed loops. It's a much more headache free, low/no maintenance way to get big random flow throughout your tank.
Use a high quality pump to drive the closed loop and you'll have a highly reliable flow system that requires virtually no maintenance when compared to using powerheads which need to be taken out and cleaned every month or whatever. The only regular maintenance item to worry about with closed loops would be the intake screen. You can just have a couple on hand, pop out the dirty one and replace with a clean one. I suppose eventually you'll need to clean the pump itself, but with an Abyss or Royal Exclusiv, you could run that pump for years without cleaning it at all and it would be fine (I know that's not what they recommend, but those pumps are built to be insanely reliable).

Overall, closed loops are probably cheaper to get the same flow vs multiple powerheads. And no doubt will last longer. Plus you don't have to worry about magnets rusting and poisoning your tank which is fairly common, especially with Vortechs.

As for the potential for leaks, I chose to put my intake 1/2 way down on the back panel instead of on the bottom of the tank. Just felt safer than having holes in the bottom panel. Though, if you use high quality bulkheads and valves as noted above, you really won't have to worry about leaks. Just take your time with the plumbing and use a chamfer bit and heavy duty glue to do your PVC connections and there won't be any leaks to speak of.