Sump baffles HELP!

NanaReefer · Mar 27, 2014

Can someone please tell me the proper measurements for baffles for my 20g sump? I think I need to change something cause what I was told to order doesn't look right.

1x 7" x 11 7/8"
1x 10 x 11 7/8"
2x 8 x 11 7/8

Why does the 10" one seem wrong to me?

trido · Mar 27, 2014

It all depends on what you trying to accomplish with the baffles. If you hold the first baffle 3.5" inches off the bottom then the 10" to the bottom the water will go under the first 7" and then over the second 10" baffle. Just to be clear you should try to mock up a picture of what you want your finished product to look like. I've built quite a few DIY glass sumps and I'm sure you can make it work just fine with the baffle pieces you already have cut.

On that note. Im off to bed. I'll check in with this thread in the morning to see if all the other knowledgable reefers have it figured out with you.

dbg · Mar 27, 2014

Here is my 20L sump tank along w/ some pics of the build.

The first picture shows the completed sump - from left to right: 1st chamber- for sump intake and protein skimmer; 2nd chamber (the small chamber with partitions)- bubble trap; 3rd chamber- area for refugium; 4th chamber (with short partition)- area for return pump to display tank.

I used 1/4 inch thick glass cut from a glass shop... for the bubble trap - from left to right: 9x11 15/16, 10x11 15/16, 9x11 15/16, and 3x11 15/16. The 11 15/16 wide pieces fit into the tank perfectly with a little bit of caressing. Then I used silicone sealant to keep them in place.

dbg · Mar 27, 2014

I've built quite a few DIY glass sumps and I'm sure you can make it work just fine with the baffle pieces you already have cut.

Trido.. just checked out your tank, it is awesome!!!

Also, NanaReefer, if you go to my album you will be able to see how I put my sump under my stand.

NanaReefer · Mar 27, 2014

@dbg-thanks for sharing but I'm looking for something showing a fuge in the center. Yours is a very unique concept though

Here's the mockup that was drawn for me. Oh and he had me order 3/4" glass which seems a little thick, no?

Jlobes · Mar 27, 2014

3/4" glass for the baffles?!? That's way excessive/unnecessary. You'd be fine with 1/4"

Singlefin · Mar 27, 2014

3/4" is ridiculous. 1/4" is plenty. I ordered all my baffles the same size. I just raised or lowered to the level I needed. Two baffles sit higher than the waterline which works because the water forced out of the skimmer is stopped by the higher baffles. You don't want it snug against the glass. You need a little gap for silicone to fill in.

Singlefin · Mar 27, 2014

The main thing you want correct is the height of the baffles. Needs to be deep enough to accommodate your skimmer. It's easier to make it deep and raise your skimmer 2" than to have it in too shallow of water. Also make the compartments bigger than you need. Especially your return pump and skimmer section. Just in case of future upgrades.

NanaReefer · Mar 27, 2014

I already changed to 1/4" I knew 3/4" was way to thick-lol.
No worries about a skimmer compartment. I'm going to be using my RO BH-1000 HOB on my DT. Yeah I know what's the point of a sump without an internal skimmer. But it's what I have and I'm not buying another skimmer-lol.

Thanks for the help guys!

AZDesertRat · Mar 27, 2014

My sump is a 30G All Glass aquarium with 1/4" acrylic baffles in an over-under-over configuration. I preferred the acrylic as it was easy to cut and trim with a router. I also have a refugium on the far right which flows back into the main center section. I did not want the refugium in the middle as it likes lower overall flow than the rest of the sump. The fuge is fed via a tee in the overflow with a ball valve so a portion of the overflow is directed to the fuge then it oveflows the tall notched baffle back into the main center section where the skimmer resides, then through the baffles to the return section which needs to be as big as possible or you end up topping off every day due to evaporation. I can drop 6 gallons before I have to top off but installed a ATO to take the work out of it.
These photos are over 10 years old and the plumbing has improved as have the pump and skimmer but the sump is the same as it was 10 years ago.