Which sump design is better for flow?

[Siderjan]

I was looking at my refugium/sump the other night thinking on a way to get the water to actually flow thru the refugium part as the way the water looks now is like it is flowing is only over the top. Here's a drawing of my current design.



Area 1 is the refugium part (7"). 2 is the return area (8"), and 3 is the skimmer area (7 1/4"). The baffles are starting from the left of the refugium (1) 2", 2 1/4", 2 1/4", 2 1/2", and 2 1/4". It's a 35 gallon tank which is 36" long, 18 1/2" high by 12 1/2" wide. I was thinking on building a new one that would be 40 1/2" long, 18 1/2" high by 15 1/2" wide making it 50 gallons and laid out as below if it would create more flow thru the refugium area. I have the space in the stand for it, and have been told bigger is better.



The numbered areas would stay the same, but the widths of each area would be 1=10", 2=8", and 3=10 1/2". Baffles would all be 2 1/2" apart and from the bottom and the top of the tank.
My question is which layout would be better for flow thru the refugium. If both layout were either the size I have now. Just moving the baffles/dividers around to make the new layout, (keeping the areas the same size) or go with the bigger tank and keeping the layout the way it is or changing it around to the second picture. I know what I want to ask, but I'm not sure how to ask it so hopefully this is clear enough.