Sump Baffles

[sgallagher7]

In a 3 part sump i.e. skimmer----->refugium-----> return, where would the best placement for the over under over baffles be? My assumption would be at the closest point of bubble production, that being the skimmer, yet I have seen diagrams of the 3 baffles near the return. Im building my sump, and want to make sure I do it right the first time.

 

[magdelan]

Just a quick note...if you have or are planning on having a manderin, put your skimmer AFTER your refugium. This way, your pods can propagate in your refugium and then be sent up to your main system.

 

[celano]

We recently bought a used 75g that came with a 20g long sump that I decided to turn into a fuge. I followed Melev's 20g long design Located here I did modify the baffle inbetween the fuge and the return pump though(on the left side). Instead of egg crates I used a piece of acrylic with 1" holes drilled across the top that way if for some unkown reason the drain line gets clogged the return pump will only return 1 maybe 2 gallons at most back to the tank before buring up.
I havnt had to many problems with micro bubbles yet, but the tanks only been up and running for about 4 days.

 

[sgallagher7]

Thanks. Thats what I thought. Baffles after the skimmer. I figured that between the baffles and then the refugium, there should be no bubbles found. Im using a 30 long for my sump. I also have a 75 display tank.

 

[STsONpERs]

I had mine made with the skimmer return and the refugium, i am just spliting my return and having one go in the skimmer and one go half in the skimmer and half in the refugium.

 

[slrademacher]

I've got a 20L I'm turning into a sump/fuge. How large should the return area be? It seems to me that you want the return area with the pump to be relatively large because it will bear the most impact from evaporation. I think the water level drops there quickest because the baffles leading to the return keep those water levels in the other compartments constant so when the overall water volume drops in the sump, it's the level in the return that ends up going down. I suppose an ATO into the return area can help that some. Or am I wrong?