sump baffles

harleymike

harleymike

Super Active Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2012
Location
Courtright, Ontario
Trying too figure out my sump baffles. The part that confused me is how high too make the baffles.
The sump is a 30 gallon. Main tank is a 135 gallon
Sump dimensions are 30x 12.5 x 18.5.
So with a 18.5 tall tank, how high do i make my baffles so i have enough room for a power failure.
 
B

Boga

Active Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2012
Location
Dorchester, Ontario
Just did my baffles for my new sump. Skimmer water height is important. My new skimmer needs a max 8" water level. I did that baffle 9" height. I will raise the skimmer with 1-1.5" and then it should be OK. On the other side, my return pump requires at least 5-6" water level. So if I set the level of the ATO at 7-8" I am good too. I estimate that the water drop will be 1.5".

I do not have any anything else in this sump. I will have a separate refugium, so the empty space can be filled with water during a power failure. I think that the best way is to do a test and see how much water is draining from your tank, hoses, skimmer, etc.

There are few designs available on internet. If you can post a sketch with your planned design.
 
harleymike

harleymike

Super Active Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2012
Location
Courtright, Ontario
plan was too use a sock for the water coming in, and fill the sump with live rock. Running a skimmer. Only have hob for now. But will get an in sump skimmer. Running gfo reactor. I wanted too put a bubble trap before the return pump. But didn't know what height too make the two outside panels.
No other panels in the sump.
Pretty simple i guese.
 
B

Boga

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Jan 12, 2012
Location
Dorchester, Ontario
I hope I got it. If you want to keep LR in sump, I would suggest something as shown in the picture. First left outside baffle is about 10" height at 17" from left, the right outside baffle is about 8" height. Then you would have available approximate 14.39 gallons before the sump overflows. If you think that it is not sufficient, then you may reduce the baffles or move them to the left little bit.

If you are running a sock, then you should not have a lot of bubbles coming from the tank drain.
 
harleymike

harleymike

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Nov 11, 2012
Location
Courtright, Ontario
scarlabo link said:
I hope I got it. If you want to keep LR in sump, I would suggest something as shown in the picture. First left outside baffle is about 10\" height at 17\" from left, the right outside baffle is about 8\" height. Then you would have available approximate 14.39 gallons before the sump overflows. If you think that it is not sufficient, then you may reduce the baffles or move them to the left little bit.

If you are running a sock, then you should not have a lot of bubbles coming from the tank drain.
Click to expand...

Thats exactly what i was looking for. Looks good.
Thanks for the help
 
unibob

unibob

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Mar 15, 2012
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St Thomas
I'm confused with that drawing, didn't you say you wanted to have Liverock as well as have a in sump skimmer possible.

Would you just add another baffle when you get the new skimmer? Or would you be running the HOB first and purchasing an in sump down the road?

Looks and sounds good otherwise.
 
harleymike

harleymike

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Joined
Nov 11, 2012
Location
Courtright, Ontario
just running the hob skimmer at first. I hope too purchase an in sump skimmer later. Then make what mods i have too.
I might decrease the size of the return pump area a little, inorder too make the fist compartment bigger.
Trying too keep it simple.
 
R

Reef Hero

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May 27, 2012
Location
Lucan
I don't use baffles either.....I just have a 40g long for my sump.....but my skimmer does not require a certain water height either as it could be run external even but I chose to put in sump....
 
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Duke

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Sep 20, 2011
harleymike link said:
plan was too use a sock for the water coming in, and fill the sump with live rock. Running a skimmer. Only have hob for now. But will get an in sump skimmer. Running gfo reactor. I wanted too put a bubble trap before the return pump. But didn't know what height too make the two outside panels.
No other panels in the sump.
Pretty simple i guese.
Click to expand...


i think 10" is a good height that should work with most skimmers but given that your using a smaller tank for a sump i would look for an external skimmer since you should have the room in your stand. Holding the extra water in a power outage or when your return pump off is dependent on the amount of water your return lines will back siphon into the tank.. if they are an 1" below the water line, your going to have your main tank drain 1" of its water into the sump until the siphon breaks.. feel free to stop by and recheck out my sump if you want some ideas.
 
R

reefin

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Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Location
London
harleymike link said:
ya, wonder if i should have went bigger now for the sump.
Click to expand...

yeah I would have went bigger on the sump as well. I would have gone a min 55 gallon. Is it too late? As far as how much room to leave in your sump for power outage I did the math for my tank and since I drain 2 inches of water from the DT the Volume = LXWXH inches cubed. Mine is 48X2X18 so the water conversion is 7.5 us gallons to flow back to the sump. And if I had to I could go as high as 20 gallons draining. Since your tank is 45 gallons bigger than mine lets just say you are going to drain the same as me therefore your sump volume during operation can only be 22.5 gallons. 
 
B

Boga

Active Member
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Jan 12, 2012
Location
Dorchester, Ontario
harleymike link said:
ya, wonder if i should have went bigger now for the sump.
Click to expand...

+1. Go for it if space permits and you can still do it.

I have a 125G DT. My DT tank drains about 3 gallons when powered off. Expecting maybe another 3 gallons if both overflows would fail (leaking). Plus half gallon in skimmer above the water level. Total ~6.5-7 gallons max. I have room for 13 gallons of drained water.
 
B

Boga

Active Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2012
Location
Dorchester, Ontario
harleymike link said:
ya, wonder if i should have went bigger now for the sump.
Click to expand...

+1. Go for it if space permits and you can still do it.

I have a 125G DT. My DT tank drains about 3 gallons when powered off. Expecting maybe another 3 gallons if both overflows would fail (leaking). Plus half gallon in skimmer above the water level. Total ~6.5-7 gallons max. I have room for 13 gallons of drained water.
 
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