Hey all I’m just about ready in a few weeks to setup a reef ready 75 gallon perfecto I’m going to use a 20 long as a fuge.This tank is eventually going to be a reef tank when I take after I paint back of tank is there anyone willing to come and help me install a closed loop on this I have never drilled a tank so I would love to have some one experienced in drilling tanks to help. What kinda pump would I need and stuff
Don’t paint!
Paint fades, chips, messy, hard to remove. There are better ways to do it. You do not need, and if you are only doing a 75, you do not want a massive pump. I’ve drilled many tanks. I ordered a drill bit about 4 months ago and it hasn’t showed up yet!
dont drill the tank either, if you are not comfortable with doing it. make a hang on back closed loop . its easy with PVC and 90 degree fittings, some vinyl tubing and a pump.
Then if not to pain what do suggest
[quote=“jsodonnelljr, post:5, topic:3231”]
Then if not to pain what do suggest[/quote]
Paint has it’s draw backs, but if put on slowly and done properly it can hold up for years and still look great. However a better option we’ve started to see more of is vinyl. I haven’t used it yet, but another club member swears by it and says you can pick it up from any sign shop.
If you come by East Coast Aquatics, I would be glad to talk the values of the closed loop and show you a few things, I am doing one on my new 65gal (it is a replacement). I can also coach you a little on drilling the tank. I have done more then a few holes. As always advice is free, regret is very pricey.
I have tools, garage space, and a bit that’s for 3/4’’ bulkheads. If you want help with the drilling, or making your sump, your welcome to it. Maybe everyone thats interested in helping or watching can decide on a time to get together over here, we can have a mini clinic/meeting/bullsh@tting about tanks type of thing, next weekend any day, just let me know. (btw… i live 2mins from DPA)
john
can some one post like a pic of back of tank and a pic of front of tank that shows pics of closed loop or draw a diagram
3 holes bro. 1 water out… 2 water in… or more if deemed necessary, but that’s a basis. Think of a sump setup, minus the sump. Lol best way to explain it…
What size pump are you going to use? How much flow do you want to push? I’ve seen closed loops with three, most typically have a bit more, and I’ve seen them with 20+ holes. You can set up a closed loop and KaptKen explained without a single hole.(Google search for “HOB” or “hang on back” closed loop)
I would highly recommend against only have one going in. If you want to push a decent amount of water you probably don’t want all of the water coming from one small little intake. Read your fish and inverts will get sucked against it and likely won’t be able to swim or walk away.
Huge depends.
You also would highly benefits from reading into squids, SCWD, or switch current water directors. They can take a plumbing set up or a closed loop and turn it into a wave maker set up.
If you want to have a rock scape that is a rock wall across the whole back of your tank then drill away and make swiss cheese out of it if you want. (HIGHLY SARCASTIC warning, don’t take it that far as you’ll end up with weakened glass ) If you plan to have a big open area in the center of the tank or on the left hand side of the tank then you might not want to drill holes there. You could also drill holes in the bottom and hide the intake and outtake with rock structures, but you would be a fool to make a huge rock pile above it that wasn’t carefully placed on the bottom and attached together.(add your rocks on top of your sand, introduce sand sifters, they remove the sand from under the rocks, the rocks fall on the pipe sticking right up out of your glass, your glass, rock, sand sifter, water, corals, and everything else goes rushing into your stand and out onto your floor if you get my drift)
Lots of decisions, lots of little tricks and ideas. Google around and look at as many images and you can. Try YouTube as well. If you are not a real comfortable plumber then a closed loop may not be the way to go.
had such a great time at meeting tonight…but lets get back to closed loop i wanna put on my tank i was thinking 3 holes.1 intake and 2 outputs.i was going to use a squid thing im not shore what type of pump or size but i was thinking a quiet one pump that does like 1000 gallons per hour. also im not shore what size holes to drill or anything
Hey Joseph, not much time tonight, but will get back to it soon. Send me a PM with your phone number and e-mail addy if you want to meet up sometime soon, we can talk about things in more detail.
I’d recommend going with 1" bulk heads at least. The output could be 3/4", but if you ever decide you want 1" you’re drilling it all over again or dealing with more pipes coming in the top. Bigger is better and it is a lot easier to connect smaller pipes then to drill bigger holes. Will talk more soon, but don’t have a lot of time tonight. Good to see you at the meeting.