Question on baffles

[billgillette]

I have a 55 g tank I'm going to use as a fug, one side will be skimmer, middle will be sand bed with macro algae, and other side will be return and heaters that's what I know for sure right now. I got 6 pieces of 1/4in glass to make baffles the tank is 24in tall so I decided to go with 14in high pieces of glass. I know the middle baffle will go up 1/2 -1in above bottom of tank. But is it a problem that the first and third baffles are the same height? And the middle being 1/2-1in higher?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Might want to rethink the middle baffles if your going to have sand and macros in the middle, if the panes are off the bottom, the sand will fill in that gap, or could, I should say. You want them the other way if you plan on having sand in the middle. You want those sections going up, not leaving the gap there.
How does a sump work? | Melev's Reef

 

[billgillette]

This is what I'm thinking on paper

 

[billgillette]

Your saying the sand will go down into the baffle between the pieces of glass

 

[Fin]

This is a sump that I built that is sort of in the configuration that you are wanting to do. I used 4 glass baffles to divide the sump up into three sections. Drain / skimmer, refugium and return.

Baffle #1 (first on the left) is about ½" off of the bottom. Baffles #2 & #3 (containing the refugium) are both on the bottom. Baffle #4 is the same as baffle #1. The water enters the return section from underneath the last baffle. Maybe this will give you some ideas.

 

[billgillette]

Yes that's what I'm looking for but was told by pet shop I should do 3 baffles on each side that 3 would be better.

 

[Reefing Madness]

No need for the 3 baffles. That pick tells it all, there ya go. I midunderstood what you were doing.

 

[billgillette]

Ok so when I put them in will it be a problem that the one that is raised up (which would be 14 1/2) and the next would be 14. I guess I'm asking that they are only 1/2in in height difference if that is ok

 

[Reefing Madness]

In your 55g, that should not be a problem. Your tank is 18" tall right?

 

[billgillette]

Its 21 in tall

 

[Reefing Madness]

No worries then, you've got plenty of room there.

 

[billgillette]

Awesome thanks for all your help!