sump design

Baseman422 · Dec 7, 2012

this is the design for my 10 gallon sump. First chamber will flow into filter sock and the skimmer the second chamber is the fuge and the third the return. this is for my 20 gallon tall soon to be reef/clown fish habitat.

any thoughts before I glue down the baffles?

Bootstrap · Dec 7, 2012

Could expand the fuge

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Mr. D · Dec 7, 2012

Careful with those baffles. I've heard it's dangerous to put baffles bc of the tank busting.

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jomatty · Dec 7, 2012

What do you mean by putting baffles can make the tank bust? Almost all sumps ive seen have baffles, and most are repurposed tanks. Am I reading that wrong or is there something to look out for when putting baffles in a sump?

Ltoutjian · Dec 7, 2012

You could make the chamber with the return sump a little smaller for the fuge. And as far as baffles none of my sumps have had any problems with them

Bootstrap · Dec 7, 2012

Mr. D said:
Careful with those baffles. I've heard it's dangerous to put baffles bc of the tank busting.

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What?

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Baseman422 · Dec 7, 2012

I would like to make the fuge bigger I was just worried about the return chamber being too small. I think I will give it a try though.

Mr. D · Dec 7, 2012

Where I live, Knoxville, TN...a few members of the Local reef club have warned me that a 10 or shallow glass tank in general can possibly bust outward with baffles. I'm assuming this would be from water pressure bending less thick acrylic baffles. Since the baffles should be glued thoroughly on the edges, the entire piece of acrylic would then be pushing on the sides of the aquarium when filled with water, causing the tank to maybe bust.

That would make sense, but I haven't had personal experience with this. This info comes from others who have built these sumps in the past and have experienced it.

I would say with appropriately thick baffles there wouldn't be a problem.

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Bootstrap · Dec 8, 2012

Ahh.. Yeah I used glass

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Baseman422 · Dec 8, 2012

This is an acrylic tank with acrylic baffles, the tank and baffles are both 1/8th thick. Do you think there could still be a problem?

Mr. D · Dec 8, 2012

I doubt it if its all acrylic.

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jomatty · Dec 8, 2012

I think you will be just fine. The tank will not be completely full so I cannot believe that the baffles will put more pressure than a full tank. Also what you are describing seems to be standard.

Eric B · Dec 8, 2012

The tank in you picture is a glass tank......You can use acrylic for the baffles with no problem at all just cut the acrylic 1/8" to 3/16" shorter in width than the glass tank to take care of any expansion by the acrylic. The only problems I have ever heard on a glass tank cracking from acrylic baffles is when they are cut to the exact width and then siliconed in place.

I myself always use glass baffles on a glass tank and acrylic on acrylic but have seen many glass tanks with acrylic baffles used successfully for many years with no problems.

Mr. D · Dec 8, 2012

Eric B said:
The tank in you picture is a glass tank......You can use acrylic for the baffles with no problem at all just cut the acrylic 1/8" to 3/16" shorter in width than the glass tank to take care of any expansion by the acrylic. The only problems I have ever heard on a glass tank cracking from acrylic baffles is when they are cut to the exact width and then siliconed in place.

I myself always use glass baffles on a glass tank and acrylic on acrylic but have seen many glass tanks with acrylic baffles used successfully for many years with no problems.

Thanks for that. Better explanation than I was trying to give. Lol.

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Bootstrap · Dec 8, 2012

Why not just use glass baffles. Eventually the acrylic and silicone bond will fail. Now it maybe years but why not just go for the sure thing first I just had my glass cutting it was 15 dollars.

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