Plumbing straight to return pump

[Irishman]

Title says it all. Has anyone done this? Pros/Cons to it? Recommended?

 

[JuanGutz]

So pretty much a closed loop?

 

[Irishman]

Maybe. I don't know what that is.

Instead of having the rubber hose going up to the return nozzles just using PVC all the way. Is that what closed loop is?

 

[Fitz19d]

Biggest thing I'd be concerned with is things that normally would be taken care of in the sump, making its way into the motor. (Snail, crunchy food bits, whatever)

 

[jda123]

I do it. Just put some unions on there so that you can get the pump out to work on it.

 

[neil82]

I can't quite understand the scenario you are asking about here. Can you offer some more details?

 

[Irishman]

I can't quite understand the scenario you are asking about here. Can you offer some more details?

I guess I answered my own question. Just wanted other peoples thoughts on it.

 

[JuanGutz]

I guess I answered my own question. Just wanted other peoples thoughts on it.

Closed loop is where the overflow goes straight to the pump and then back to the tank with no filtration in between, is that what your talking about?

 

[Irishman]

Closed loop is where the overflow goes straight to the pump and then back to the tank with no filtration in between, is that what your talking about?

No I have my overflow splitting off into two chambers. I'm talking about instead of using a rubber hose on the return pump, like one going from the outlet on the return to some point on the aquarium where it returns to the spray nozzles, just use PVC plumbing instead of the rubber hose.

 

[CRW Reef]

Yep just make sure you use unions like JDA suggested.

 

[Walter White]

You can absolutely run pvc straight to the return intake or output but as JDA123 mentioned you should incorporate unions at both ends to make swapping or servicing the pump easy.

I do think in some cases a flexible hose coming directly from the pump can reduce vibration noise in some cases and sometimes it is more appropriate if you need a subtle s curve in the pipe that cannot be accomplished with standard 45deg elbows.

The technical description of "closed loop" actually has nothing to do with the overflow. Its simply a means of supplying flow which is isolated to the display by plumbing both the intake and output of a pump directly from the display. In other words it acts like a power head inside the display but the pump is just external to the tank. So you pull water directly from the display and return it right back to the display. In this case the sump completely bypassed.

Here is a simple illustration that show the difference.

 

[Irishman]

Yea I am about to go out and get some unions as well as some other things from HD.