baffle sizing in the sump

[DaBrowns]

I know the center baffle needs to be one inch higher than the other two...but since I want the water level to be 12 inches does that mean the baffle height when cutting them should be 12 inches as well?

Make any sense?? HELP

Thanks

 

[Krish]

BRB with a quick sketch to answer

 

[Krish]

K...These 3 sumps will give you a 12 inch water level regardless of the height of the middle baffle. Also, once the 1st or 3rd baffle is set to 12 inches and neither one is any higher than 12, then water level will be set at 12 inches where you want it, but if one goes any higher than 12, then your water level will be set to the height of the highest baffle. So you can cut all of the baffles at 12 if you wanted and will be fine... Even the middle one. Just make sure you leave atleast a 1 inch gap at the bottom of the middle baffle to allow water to pass under without any issues

 

[DaBrowns]

perfecto krish...as usual you ROCK!! Thanks

 

[Krish]

LOL! No prob Make sure you leave enough room in the sump for back siphon for when the return pump is cut you don't overflow

 

[Scooterman]

K...These 3 sumps will give you a 12 inch water level regardless of the height of the middle baffle. Also, once the 1st or 3rd baffle is set to 12 inches and neither one is any higher than 12, then water level will be set at 12 inches where you want it, but if one goes any higher than 12, then your water level will be set to the height of the highest baffle. So you can cut all of the baffles at 12 if you wanted and will be fine... Even the middle one. Just make sure you leave atleast a 1 inch gap at the bottom of the middle baffle to allow water to pass under without any issues

Not to step on toes here but the best way really is reverse what Krish has & add a 4th baffle, what this does it trap all of the bubbles better, 100% really. Just 2cents!

 

[Krish]

I agree...Most people go with the 3 baffles to conserve a bit of space which still does prevent bubbles from getting into the last chamber (atleast it has always worked for me with about 700-800 gph of flow) but definately 4 would be better.

 

[Scooterman]

Actually Krish the baffles need to start High first, then Lower, the High & last Lower, Big-T had more reasons why this works better, I just can't remember for the like of me This forces water Under the first baffle leaving bubbles up.

 

[Krish]

Yeah...You mean with the last baffle putting water into the last chamber from under the baffle rather than over the baffle... I have good success the opposite way as in the pics, but I never did have that many micro bubbles in the sump before the bubble trap nor did I ever try to flow more than 800 gph through any of my sumps either

 

[DaBrowns]

OK - attached is a thumbnail of my plan that I threw together with powerpoint. I BARELY know how to use it...so don't make too much fun of it's simplicity. I used the 4 baffle plan scotter mentioned and hope it's right. If I did the calculations right it will hold 53g at 12inches. Since I want it to be 16T, 17D, and 60L, I "think" an extra couple gallons from the overflows will be no problem. Is there an advantage or disadvantage to putting a lid over all or some of it?

Thanks for all the help

 

[Krish]

Looks good to me...Once you don't put any sand in the refugium you will be fine otherwise the sand will block the incoming water from under that baffle right before the fuge. As for the lid, some benefits of it is it prevents alot of salt creep and evaporation, but it traps heat so if heat is an issue, I wouldn't use a lid

 

[Scooterman]

looks very nice but the baffles are still wrong, start with the first baffle high, leaving a 1" gap below it, this will force water under it, otherwise it will work great.

 

[Krish]

looks very nice but the baffles are still wrong, start with the first baffle high, leaving a 1" gap below it, this will force water under it, otherwise it will work great.

So the last baffle needs to be lower then for water to flow over?

 

[Krish]

I forgot to mention Scooty that if you go on Marc's website (melev's reef) he starts his bubble trap lower first on all of his sumps which is where I got the idea from intially when doing mine and almost all of his bubble traps only consists of 3 baffles like I do mine just like it the pics above. Infact, I don't think I've ever seen 4, but I'll double check

 

[Scooterman]

Let me try this again!
The first baffle should be about 1" off the bottom, the second baffle would be all the way on the bottom sealed, the third baffle would be again 1" off the bottom, then the last baffle on the bottom sealed, this will keep the same level. Now if you want lower level you adjust the last one for that. Sorry I went high the low & then high & that was confusing LOL!

Think about it, bubbles float up, if you went your way the bubbles would float over the top of the first baffle, the force of water would then push some under the middle baffle, so doing it the way I explained would start off with leaving the bubbles high & only water flowing downward. I ran my skimmer pump with all the bubbles open in the sump & none went through the trap but my sump has only three, I ran out of materials, even with three it works better this way.

 

[Krish]

Makes perfect sense I wonder why Marc does all of his sumps the other way and we all know Marc knows his stuff??? Aw well...The bubbles must pop when the hit the surface going over the baffles which eliminates them in the last chamber. I know I never had any issues before with the way I do it, but your way is more logical

 

[IAP Brian]

Here are some pics and my 2 cents. More than 3 baffles is overkill IMO. The sump in these pics actually has 5 baffles (that's what I recommend if you use more than 3). The over under over works best at forcing bubbles to the surface and it also acts as a dam for sand, gravel and other misc debris.
( I know the sump needs cleaned really bad )

Here are some pics of 3 baffles that I think work best from a large fuge I am not using at the moment.

 

[IAP Brian]

Here are some pics of 3 baffles in my reef tank sump/fuge. It doesn't show in the pics but there are no bubbles in the chamber where my pump suction is. I tried to show that in the overhead pic

 

[IAP Brian]

And last, here are some pics of only 2 baffles. This works well when space is the primary concern but in order to work it has to be run with a foam block that needs cleaning every week or so............( so that needs cleaned too! )

Oops, I shrank the first pics too much. Well I hope you get the idea and this helps. I have tested a lot of baffle combos and I think 3 works the best while using as little space as possible.

 

[Krish]

Nice pics Brian! You set up those baffles they way I described them where 3 is being used. I see a lot like that as well as few like Scooty mentioned.