sump baffles question..
- Thread starter toddmh
- Start date
briangsxr1000
New member
if you use silicone to attach it it may pull off from water pressure. I use glass to make the baffles.
I might as well buy yours..can you mesure the 3 chamber footprints for me? I will need to know that before I buy..
ReeferCatFish
Member
Hi toddmh!!
I looked into this when I built my sump last summer. I had a 55 gallon tank, and wanted to add baffles to create something of a "melev inspired" sump. The short answer to your question is simple; silicon does not adhere to acrylic, acyclic solvents do not adhere to glass. Therefore, do not mix and match the two materials.
That said, in practice you can get away with using acrylic baffles in your glass sump tank. The way this is usually accomplished is to use a healthy bead of silicon on both sides of the acrylic baffle. The silicon will adhere well to the glass, and will effectively hold the baffle in place almost like a slot. This approach was said to work well for others, but I personally felt this was less than ideal.
Even if you already have the acrylic material to use, I'm going to strongly encourage you to use glass baffles. Through the good folks here on URS I was able to locate a glass shop close to me here in Rochester, and I had my baffles professionally cut. It couldn't have been easier, and my sump is truly bulletproof; I'm very happy about how it turned out.
Although you could possibly get away with the thinner, 1/8" window-thickness glass found at "The Big Box" home improvement stores, I choose to use 1/4" glass. I measured the outside width of the sump tank glass, I subtracted twice the width of the tank glass, and I subtracted an extra 1/8" to 1/4" or so, to allow the glass baffle to fit the width of the inside of the tank without an excessive gap on either side. The hight of the baffle is of course dictated by your sump plans. I gave my dimensions to the glass shop, who were very nice to work with, the next day I picked up my perfectly cut baffles with nice, polished edges, which fit perfectly in my sump tank. Using the quarter inch glass, my baffles were about $10 each, and I used four in my sump, your plans maybe different.
Securing the baffles with silicon proved to be very easy. Here's a few tips I found helpful when I built my sump:
I really think if you go with glass you'll be happier in the long run, but please post your results either way. I hope this helps and good luck!!
-RCF
I looked into this when I built my sump last summer. I had a 55 gallon tank, and wanted to add baffles to create something of a "melev inspired" sump. The short answer to your question is simple; silicon does not adhere to acrylic, acyclic solvents do not adhere to glass. Therefore, do not mix and match the two materials.
That said, in practice you can get away with using acrylic baffles in your glass sump tank. The way this is usually accomplished is to use a healthy bead of silicon on both sides of the acrylic baffle. The silicon will adhere well to the glass, and will effectively hold the baffle in place almost like a slot. This approach was said to work well for others, but I personally felt this was less than ideal.
Even if you already have the acrylic material to use, I'm going to strongly encourage you to use glass baffles. Through the good folks here on URS I was able to locate a glass shop close to me here in Rochester, and I had my baffles professionally cut. It couldn't have been easier, and my sump is truly bulletproof; I'm very happy about how it turned out.
Although you could possibly get away with the thinner, 1/8" window-thickness glass found at "The Big Box" home improvement stores, I choose to use 1/4" glass. I measured the outside width of the sump tank glass, I subtracted twice the width of the tank glass, and I subtracted an extra 1/8" to 1/4" or so, to allow the glass baffle to fit the width of the inside of the tank without an excessive gap on either side. The hight of the baffle is of course dictated by your sump plans. I gave my dimensions to the glass shop, who were very nice to work with, the next day I picked up my perfectly cut baffles with nice, polished edges, which fit perfectly in my sump tank. Using the quarter inch glass, my baffles were about $10 each, and I used four in my sump, your plans maybe different.
Securing the baffles with silicon proved to be very easy. Here's a few tips I found helpful when I built my sump:
- Use a magic marker on the outside of the glass sump tank to help line up the baffle perfectly; the marker wipes off easily with acetone (nail polish remover).
- You can use a couple shots of super glue to firmly hold the glass baffle in place while you place your bead of silicon. Just use a drop or two in a couple key places.
- Try that blue painter's masking tape to help make nice, clean looking seams. Place the tape down on the sump glass about 3/8" on either side of the baffle before you silicon. Peel the tape off well before the silicon starts to set up. This should make a nice looking edge.
- Spend the $3 on the special rubber applicator/smoother tool thing they sell at hardware stores to smooth out tub and tile grouting and the like. I'm not sure exactly what they call it, but it's really all of about $3, and well worth it; it makes near perfect silicon seams.
- Whether you use your finger, or the afore mentioned applicator tool, dip it in a little water first. The water makes smoothing out the silicon seam much easier.
- You CAN use the cheap, 100% silicon sealer #1 sold at the hardware store, you CAN NOT use the silicon sealer #2, which has an anti-fungal component, and is not aquarium safe.
I really think if you go with glass you'll be happier in the long run, but please post your results either way. I hope this helps and good luck!!
-RCF
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mr.maroonsalty
New member
Instead of glass shop 1/4", I laminate pieces of window glass together with silicon.
cardiffgiant
Active member
I used 1/4" glass in my previous sump. I've got 1/8" in my current one. Both have worked equally well for my purposes.
FWIW, At one point I did buy a 30 long glass sump that had plexiglass baffles siliconed into it. I didn't like where they were placed and it took me forever to cut those things out.
FWIW, At one point I did buy a 30 long glass sump that had plexiglass baffles siliconed into it. I didn't like where they were placed and it took me forever to cut those things out.
briangsxr1000
New member
skimmer area-12x18
fuge-12x18
pump-9x18
fuge-12x18
pump-9x18
ReeferCatFish
Member
Great info RCR...Thanks much
No problem, I hope it was a help!!
You know, one more thing about using the silicon sealer, for those that go this way, is definitely clean the glass of the sump tank and the baffle with acetone (nail polish remover) before applying the silicon. Acetone is an organic solvent and it will remove any oils or resins that may impede the bonding of the silicon to the glass. This is particularly helpful if you're dealing with a used tank as a sump tank.
Good luck with your project!!
-RFC
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