can you put a closed loop without a hole in the glass?

[naser]

im trying to re setup this tank. i had the two seaswirls on the return pump. i was wondering if anyone new if i could get a closed loop without drilling the glass?

[Ironreef]

put a pipe into the tank @8" or more. Look at golfish he did his that way

[naser]

yea i saw that right after i posted. im having to many bubbles returning so im just gonna use the sea swirls for a closed loop and find another pump for a feed somthing like 800gallons per hour. slow down the sump speed.looks like i have to drain it also.

[golfish]

Why do you have to drain it?

[Ltspd]

Sure, my whole closed loop is made without any holes in the glass. I wish I had holes but it works great the way it is.

[golfish]

Yeah, I agree..since the tank is not really setup yet, why not drain it and drill it. It looks better.

[naser]

i have thought about it, and have come up with not draining it and using the u-type tube. i dont mind that tube at all. atleast its not a power cord huh!

[Ltspd]

You can buy clear PVC from a place like http://www.mcmaster.com/ I dont know much about it but if you cold use it the closed loop would be almost invisable. Of corse thats until stuff started growing in the pipes;;

[naser]

im thinking just using white pvc. it will all grow stuff just like the back glass so i think after a while it would just blend in.

[golfish]

Gray PVC would be better and if you really want to make somebody happy go with black ABS........

[myreef]

Originally posted by golfish
Gray PVC would be better and if you really want to make somebody happy go with black ABS........

I went with gray schedule 80 PVC, it looks better than white IMO, but once stuff starts growing on it, it all looks the same.

[organicreefer]

Originally posted by golfish
Gray PVC would be better and if you really want to make somebody happy go with black ABS........

ABS!?!
im not so sure its a good idea,we all know that ABS has anti-bacterial/algeacidal chemicals impregnated into the plastic.
these could cause youre aquarium inhabitants to mutate into forms we can scarecely imagine for a horror/sci-fi film.
i also heard its radioactive and the shavings created when you cut it have a similar effect to anthrax .
bin laden is gonna use ABS to make a "pipe bomb" of unprecedented power.

[golfish]

I knew you'd come to your senses about the ABS

[organicreefer]

i have 2 1.5 inch pipes for my closed loop concealed in my overflows.i originally planned on abs to keep it all black(sure its all gonna be covered eventually ,but who wants to look at white pipes for a year+)but had the extra realestate in my huge overflows so i used it.still managed to keep the tank all black and not too much clutter:

[golfish]

Nice work, it look real clean

[organicreefer]

thanks alot golfish ,i really appreciate it terrible pic but you get the idea.man,that ampmaster is WAY too much flow shes definitely gonna be throttled back.where the sea swirls are,at the end of each rotation it points exactly to the corner on that side,so im getting excellent tank coverage.add to it my double returns with the loc-line so i can spot the current where i need it, and i have ball-valves underneath so i can direct more or less flow to either one.
picking up some sand this weekend ,im pretty much ready for the switch,i cant wait

[golfish]

Are those screw on strainers or pop on? If their screw on try screwing them all the way out then back in just one turn and leave em that way. I had a hec of a time getting mine off......

Its coming along very nice.

[organicreefer]

yeah they are screw on,as for keeping them loose,great advice ,but they are sort of screwed on tight so they are water proof,i drilled holes in the overflows so the threads on the strainers barely fit through,then i slipped a couple of rubber gaskets on the strainers,popped them through the holes and screwed them into an abs fitting on the other side.hmmm,i think you have a point though they probly get clogged and the growth on the threads is probly gonna make it even tighter. i guess this is something i kinda overlooked,how often have you had to take youres off to clean them?maybe if i just stay on top of it,and scrub em with a tooh brush every couple weeks, i wont have to take them off for a long time.