Can someone help me with sump design?

[skeeter_ca]

If the refugium is in the middle once it grows out it acts like a bubble trap.

 

[Realest20]

so my design only leave me with a capacity of 9.5 inch deep water only giving me 21 gallon water in the 40 gallon tank (tank is 18" tall, missed it in my drawing). How can I increase this without drowning my protein skimmer? create a stand for skimmer to sit on?

 

[thegrun]

so my design only leave me with a capacity of 9.5 inch deep water only giving me 21 gallon water in the 40 gallon tank (tank is 18" tall, missed it in my drawing). How can I increase this without drowning my protein skimmer? create a stand for skimmer to sit on?

Exactly, put it on a stand. And as posted above I would eliminate the bubble trap between the skimmer and refugium. You probably don't need the one between the refugium and the return, but certainly you are wasting space with one between the skimmer and refugium. Be sure your return section is large enough to handle all the drain down water that will flow back into the return section when the return pump is off.

 

[Realest20]

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Which baffle design should I go with? Or maybe something else? I have black baffles to go on either side of the fuge to help prevent light casing and growing algea in skimmer and return sections. I am not sure which way will be better for managing water height. Any input folks?

 

[shifty51008]

Both will work the same for water height. But i would go with the right side, the under over under imo works better for no micro bubbles in the return section

 

[Sk8r]

Most important thing is an over-under arrangement before the last (return pump/skimmer pump) chamber to keep moss (and stray fish) from the fuge traveling back there to get into the pump intake.