Sump design help please !!

[dbl]

Sorry can you explain better ? Never had a
sumped tank before so excuse my ignorance

When your pump shuts down, for maintenance, power outage, etc., you will get back flow from your tank that ends up in your sump. So you need to leave some space for these events. That is all I was trying to point out. Several factors determine the amount that will drain to the sump.

 

[Biznizface]

Yes I understand the baffles need to be at least 4 inches from the outer edge height to allow for that yeah ?

 

[Shaun Sweeney]

Got it. What design changes have you settled on?

 

[Biznizface]

I'm thinking this, with 2 inch gaps between the baffles to aid cleaning and as you can see 3 baffles after skimmer and 2 before return but I am really scared it's wrong please correct me if so

 

[ourcoralreef]

Here i made you a schematic of a standard sump
Baffles are meant to keep bubbles out

The third baffle is also meant to keep things separated in your case the media out of the pump and skimmer and keeping from anything clogging up the baffles i use a plastic screen to keep smaller stuff like snails and crabs out of the different sections
You need a minimum of 1 inch in between baffles and 1 1/2 inches from the bottom of the middle baffle
Another thing to do is leave 4 inches (depending on your display and sump size) of free space from the top of the sump to the water level (that is made with the hight of the baffles)

I would also glue small pieces of glass or acrylic 7 inches (depending on your skimmer manafactuar recommendation) from the water line so that you can put a piece of acrylic (with a bunch of holes) or a piece of light diffuser (eggcrate) as a shelf to have your skimmer in the ammount of water recommended by the manafactuar add the size of the "shelf" to the 7 inches (or whatever is recommended by the manafactuar

 

[Biznizface]

Yes I understand the skimmer will probably have to be raised on some egg crate for optimum performance at the moment I'm 90% certain on a Nyos 120.

I was thinking 2inch gaps between baffles for cleaning purposes and also what do you think of not running filter sock and just jamming some floss in the first baffle which can easily be replaced when spent ?!

Don't understand about critters getting in the sections and the gluing of acrylic etc ?

 

[Biznizface]

ok got what u mean about gluing 7inches meaning an alternative to sitting the skimmer on a platform you perch it on ledges yeah ?

 

[ourcoralreef]

Yes I understand the skimmer will probably have to be raised on some egg crate for optimum performance at the moment I'm 90% certain on a Nyos 120.

Don't understand about critters getting in the sections and the gluing of acrylic etc ?

Im not really familiar with that skimmer so i don't know


As you can see in the diagram The first and last baffle is touching or glued to the bottom of the sump
Doing this prevents things getting stuck in the baffles eventually getting to the return pump etc..

I personally use a knitting plastic mesh to prevent smaller critters getting into the baffles

Glueing little squares of acrylic or glass in the skimmer section as shown in the diagram is so that you can place a "shelf" in that section the reason you are not glueing the shelf is so that you can access underneath it for maintenance

 

[ourcoralreef]

Better photo

 

[billwill]

Better photo

I'm not sure I see the need for the second set of baffles before the return pump. My sump simply uses a single wall to separate the fuge from my return section. No bubbles will be happening there.

 

[billwill]

Better photo

I'm not sure I see the need for the second set of baffles before the return pump. My sump simply uses a single wall to separate the fuge from my return section. No bubbles will be happening there.

 

[ourcoralreef]

I'm not sure I see the need for the second set of baffles before the return pump. My sump simply uses a single wall to separate the fuge from my return section. No bubbles will be happening there.

When water evaporates it will create a waterfall that will make bubbles

 

[Biznizface]

Thanks for your help but I'm still not to sure about the baffles. Understand about the separation obviously but why and how do you know there will be bubbles ?

I understand the theory of the baffles before the skimmer having more time to remove stuff and slowing the flow for the siporax.

Are the baffles really necessary as the advice I got was the first photo I posted and that was from an experienced reefer

 

[ourcoralreef]

I am a experienced reefer as well
And that's why im giving you advice
Everyone has their opinions on what you should do
But there are some standards and baffles are the standard
Take a look at sumps for sale online and you will see what we are talking about
The person that gave you the diagram ask them if they forgot about baffles and what their opinion is on it

 

[ngvu1]

My sump is like your first picture. In the drain chamber the water surface is 6.5 inches away from the rim and return chamber the water is 1 inch lower. Sump was done by Advanced Acrylic, but the the idea is similar. I put the fuge in the drain and the skimmer in the second chamber

Sump - 30" L x 20" W x 16" Deep
-3 Compartment - chamber #1 is 13" L by 12" Wide (total width is 20" but the filter sock takes about 6")
-Chamber #2 is 10x20"
-Chamber #3 is 6x20" for return pump

 

[Biznizface]

I suppose can always remove baffles but harder to put in ?

What about as mentioned putting floss in first baffle rather than a filter sock over drain ?

 

[Biznizface]

I think I have got my final design guys please let me know if anything wrong dimensionally.

I have allowed a centimetre for the panes of glass but please let me know if anything at all is wrong as I will be going to the glass shop later today.

I have taken on board everyone's opinions and realised mainly that you can take baffles out probably but would be hard work putting them in.

Any commments are welcome and encouraged thanks a lot.

 

[ourcoralreef]

You could do 4cm in between baffles
Measure your pump, heater and skimmer and make sure all parts will have sufficient room to work

 

[Biznizface]

L

Have done the measurements yeah allowing for skimmer and pump width.



Would 4cm allow my hand to get to the bottom to clean was my thinking ?

 

[Tristan]

Put the Refugium before the skimmer