Sump Baffles

Johnny Reefer · #1 06-05-2005, 01:09 AM

I've decided to go ahead with installing a sump/auto top off system.

Anyone have any tricks up their sleeve re: the installing and siliconing of baffles in a sump tank?

Thanx much,

Skimmerking · #2 06-05-2005, 01:26 AM

John first of get your main baffle in first. THat would be the second baffle after the over flow that will determine the height of your sump and glue it on both side's.

and then have your baffles about 1" to 2" away from each other the tigher the baffles to each other the faster the water will go thur. in otherwords its going to push it faster what i'm trying to say.

And that is it glue the baffle if ya want too half and half its hard to get your hand down there with a cocking gun.

mike

StirCrazy · #3 06-05-2005, 04:23 PM

make sure the water goes under your last baffle.

Steve

Skimmerking · #4 06-05-2005, 05:21 PM

Thanks Steve I forgot to mention that ,... Pretty important step .

Johnny Reefer · #5 06-05-2005, 06:04 PM

NaCl H2O Reefer: I'm not sure which baffle you mean to be the "main" baffle.

I am planning on going with two baffles. I'll refer to them as the"standing" baffle,...that would be the one that goes from the bottom up to 2" from the top,...and the "floating" baffle,...that would be the one that goes from the top down to 2" off the bottom.

I was planning on putting the "floating" one in first because I could get a bead of silicone on both sides of it that way. Then, I was planning on putting the "standing baffle in second because I could then get silicone on at least one side, but also along the bottom, too. (Probably both sides along the bottom, given the 2" clearance). If I put the "floating" one in after the "standing" one I'm concerned that I would get a bead of silicone on only the one side. In other words...I think I could secure the "floating" one better if I did it first. Any advice to the contrary would be appreciated.

Any advice on the following would also be greatly appreciated...

1). Any trick to getting a silicone bead on the inside of the second baffle placed?
2). Any trick to holding the baffles in place while the silicone sets?

Thanx much,

BTW, Johnny is just a psuedonym. Maybe I shouldn't have chosen that handle.

Aquattro · #6 06-05-2005, 06:20 PM

Mark, remember, these don't need to hold any weight, and therefore don't need a bead down both sides. I only seal one side, and BTW, I have 4 baffles, which I believe is the most common way to set this up. 2 sets of standing/floating, as you put it.

StirCrazy · #7 06-05-2005, 06:53 PM

here is how I did mine

http://members.shaw.ca/s.l.s/diy/sump/index.html

Steve

Johnny Reefer · #8 06-06-2005, 12:28 AM

Brad: Thanx for the tip re: silicone worries.

Steve: Thanx for the pics. Is the corner box where you put your return pump?

The reason I am going with just one set of baffles, and thus two chambers, is that I do not want to have to rely on the auto top off to replenish more than one chamber while I am out of town. If I went with 3 chambers and the top off water didn't replenish high enough to flow over into the 3rd chamber (for whatever reason) I'd be screwed. If my return pump is in the same chamber that the top off feed comes in then that is one less thing to worry about.
I don't want to get too involved with this. It's basically a result of overheating I had two weeks ago, which constituted the need to remove my glass tops, which in turn created the need for an auto top off due the the expected increase in evaporation, which in turn created the decision to go with a sump to accept the top off water.
I want to go with just live rock in the second (return) chamber and I'll run a canister filter off to the side for Chemi-Pure, carbon and such.

Thanx again,

StirCrazy · #9 06-06-2005, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Reefer

Steve: Thanx for the pics. Is the corner box where you put your return pump?

Thanx again,

nope thats where all my water returns enter the sump, kinda a pre baffle befor the real ones. my return pump is external and such from the oposite end, my skimmer pump is external and sucks from the middle, my 25 gal tank supply pump is in the sump in the middle and my UV/Chiller pump is in the middle section.

Steve

vanreefer · #10 06-06-2005, 08:16 AM

Hey,

My 3' sump (36x18x18)will house a g4x with a footprint of 13x14 at one end

LR with macro in the middle

and the return at the oposite end
My question is should I (ideally) make 2 sets of baffles at each end (isolating the skimmer where the overflow drains to, and the return pump) or would it be just as effective to only have it at the return end.

This will be a Reef_rafesque sump (Low flow) ~ 600 GPH and will run ~10" of water

Thanks for your advice