Sump Baffle Height Question

[Biglurr54]

I am redesigning my sump to change over to the Triton method. I have a 60 cube DT and a 20 gallon Sump. I am using the stock corner overflow on the DT. I am going to have the dt drain into a 9x12 ½x 15H chamber. This is will be the Fuge. It will be approximately 7.5 gallon which is 12% dt volume. The water will then flow over a baffle set at 15 inches to maintain the fuge level. The water will then go into the Skimmer section which will be 3 inches lower. The skimmer will sit on a 4 inch stand to put it at 8inches of water. This chamber will be 8x12 ½x 12H. The water will pass through an under over under bubble trap set to maintain 12 inches of water in the skimmer chamber. The water will then fall 4 inches into the return chamber. This chamber will be maintained at 8 inches. This will hopefully be enough room in the sump in case of power failure. I am planning on 600GPH though the sump to meet the 10x turn over rate for Triton.


My concern with this set up is that the water travelling over the baffles will create a waterfall sound. The water will be falling 3-4 inches. Will this dramatic drop create bubbles and noise? Anyone have large drops in sump chambers like this? I am considering tiling the “over” baffles to provide a slide for the water to follow to prevent bubbles and noise at the entry point of the water.

 

[mcarroll]

change over to the Triton method

Can you put into a nutshell what that means?

My concern with this set up is that the water travelling over the baffles will create a waterfall sound.

I'd be surprised if it didn't do exactly this. 2x to 4x flow is plenty to make your sump work fine and flow in that range is also usually 100% silent.

A) I wouldn't run my sump with flow that high. I might change my answer depending what you put in that "nutshell" I mentioned, but I think I'd try this new "system" without making this change to begin with.
B) If I did try 10x flow, I wouldn't screw around with any baffles in the sump that weren't totally necessary – an open sump is ideal for lots of reasons. That means just worry about the refugium wall and none of the others.

I don't run a refugium, so you'll have to deal with that difference no matter what (at least while you keep the refugium), but other than that I'd run a sump just like I do – open, without baffles, where the level for the skimmer is held by the ATO switch.

I built a PVC bubble trap for the drain flow. That and my skimmer are really the only major things in my sump. The ATO switch is fixed to the bubble trap, and I do use a Seio 1000 to keep the sump stirred up and clean. (And it stays 100% clean.)

2¢

 

[Biglurr54]

Triton method is a method of keeping reef tanks by testing elements and dosing a r part solution. It eliminates water changes. The idea is test for what is being used up and add them instead of changing 20%. It it a difficult pill to swallow if you have been in reef keeping for a long time but it has a good track record over seas. Do some googling in your spare time. Once you research into it I'd be willing to bet you will want to redesign your sump!

I need 10x flow per triton method.

 

[mcarroll]

Once you research into it I'd be willing to bet you will want to redesign your sump!

No chance – I'm not searching for a method. (Yes I grow stony corals like crazy. No I don't do water changes.)

My method is called "old school" if it's called anything at all and it even works with the most basic setups. In fact, I think it works with all setups!

Getting back to your changes....

I doubt you'd notice a difference between normal sump flow rates and 10x if that's the whole story on the Triton method.

IMO, make the rest of the changes to get that method going and save the sump changes for last......they really and truly should not matter, but they will really and truly cost you a lot more than a normal setup. (Cost does not correlate with success, but it does correlate with fun!)

Plus, it's good to phase in changes so you can see the effects better to learn how this "method" really works.....do all the changes at once and you have no idea. So at least IMO there's good reason to at least put off the sump change....if we were betting, I'd say you'll never have to change your sump over.

2¢

P.S. Are you trying this due to troubles growing corals or just to avoid water changes? I know this is off-topic, so feel free to PM me!!

 

[Biglurr54]

I'm doing the change over because my algae scrubber isn't keeping up. I have the clean it every 3-4 days. I also have a poorly designed sump at the moment. I have to take a lot apart to remove the skimmer.

The change to triton is to get a more simple system. Cost isn't a factor. The only cost will be silicone and glass baffles. Everything else is already in use. My plan is to change the sump to a new design. Then wait a month or two. Then begin the dosing regime.

 

[mcarroll]

Simple then, just flip the plan around and start the dosing regime first....that's the main part anyway from the sound of it.

I heartily recommend considering the open sump idea for simplicity if/when you do make changes. You'll smile every time you "have to" work in the sump because there'll be so much room to maneuver...and it will be quiet. (Quiet will be much more of a challenge at 10x.)

BTW not that it matters, but the cost I was talking about is in the XL pump and/or plumbing required for the 10X flow – it's not in the sump mods. I should have clarified what I meant. )

 

[Idoc]

You will definitely get noise with the water falling 4"... mine falls 1" and is very quiet, but when the return chamber evaporates down a bit and the water falls 2" bubbles start forming and at 3" noise starts. I need to get my ATO set up and running, lol.