What do you use for sump baffles and compartment dividers? Glass can be attached to a glass tank with silicone, but it's hard to cut. Acrylic is easy to work with (like cutting teeth into a panel but cannot be glued to glass. Arr there any other materials I can use in a glass sump?
Glueing Sump Baffles
- Thread starter rdnyva
- Start date
I did the glass baffles in the glass tank thing for my sump/fuge. All I did was measure the size I wanted the baffles, went to my local True Value hardware store and had them cut them for me. Cost $1.99 per baffle. Very easy, considering I didn't have to try and cut any glass! 
dweakl01
In Memoriam
I bought 4 certificate frames from my local Dollar Store, measured the size I needed and cut them in like 3 minutes each with a Dremel with a diamond cutting wheel. Be sure to wear goggles, you may damage your peepers if you don't. The glass was like 1/8" thick and cut like butter. $4...done.
MCWarhammer
Premium Member
What thickness is recommended for baffles?
And I would imagine when you're glueing baffles in, youd want to silicone both sides? How do you do this if you are glueing three next to eachother at 1/2 inch a part for a bubble trap?
And I would imagine when you're glueing baffles in, youd want to silicone both sides? How do you do this if you are glueing three next to eachother at 1/2 inch a part for a bubble trap?
That's a good question. Esepcially since silcone does not stick to acrylic real well. You want to make a tight seal but there's not much room to get in there. I'm pretty sure glass will be fine if silconed on only one side, but not acrylic. FWIW I'm thinking 1/8 inch glass.
a4twenty
Premium Member
acrylic baffles will work fine. the silicone won't stick to the acrylic permanantely, but it will stick to the glass and form a stop. aslong as it doesn't matter if it possibly leaks. i would also go with 1/4" ( or better ), 1/8" is pretty flimsy in both glass and acrylic.
oh yeah and go further than 1/2" appart for the baffles there's going to be a fair amount of flow through there ( if it's for your 90g ) i did mine 1 1/2" and think i'll do 2" on my next one
MCWarhammer
Premium Member
mines a 20 display with a 20 sump, so i dont have a lot of room, thats why i was thinking 1/2 inch, but if I shouldgo bigger, I can.
MCWarhammer
Premium Member
What thickness was the glasss you got from TruValue? I asked for 1/4, but its 1/8th.. Did he forget, or is that all they carry? I gotta check back with them on Monday.
nukemdanno
New member
I used acrylic 1/4". Used a dry erase marker one the outside of the tank. Put down a bead of silicone, butt the pane up against it, then laid down another bead of silicone. Hold for about 30 seconds and let dry for 30min beofre moving on to the next pane. Had a few margaritas in between...got a little sloppy. Wouldn't recommend the cocktails if you want a nice job.....
mdavis203
New member
For baffle thickness and glueing, it really depends on what the baffle is being used for. If it's a bubble trap baffle, and there's water on both sides, there is very little pressure differential across the baffle (unless you just have a boat load of flow), and a 1/8" with just enough sealant to hold it in place and keep water from bypassing the baffle will be fine. If you have a baffle holding a level with a near-empty return compartment on the other side, the thickness and bond strength will be more important.
Good point md. OK before I go buy the glass I wanted to know if this tweak was worth the trouble. My water depth in the sump will be 6 1/2 inches, so my first and last baffle will be 6 1/2 inches from the bottom of the tank to the water line. If I had the first baffle cut slightly shorter, say 6 1/4 inches, would that make an impact on dissipation of microbubbles. My thinking is that if the water line is 6.5 inches and the water did not have to go "over" the first baffle, just down and under the second one, more bubble would have a chance to rise out. Hope I explained this properly.
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