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12-22-2007, 08:24 PM
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#1
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Cincinnati,OH
Posts: 418
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Sump questions.......
How tall and how wide should baffles be for a 55gal tank?
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12-22-2007, 08:32 PM
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#2
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The Ninja MOD
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Planet P.....Why Me?
Posts: 12,306
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The 55 is the sump? My idea of a good sump is a place where the detritus will settle as opposed to settling in the main tank. The closer the baffles the faster the water will move between them. This will drap bubbles alon to the return section and not allow detritus to settle out for siphoning. I am useing a 55 for a sump on my 150. The baffles are 2.5 inches apart and the middle baffle is 2.5 inches off of the bottom. I have an external pump for return rated at 825 gph but after head loss its closer to 600gph. Also there is a long stretch from where the tank drains into one end of the sump to the other this allows more settling time.
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After 2 years I finally have water in it! (no, really)!
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12-22-2007, 08:53 PM
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#3
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spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 7,004
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Yeah, the baffles on the sump I just built are between 2.25 and 2.5" each. I made mine pretty high, but it really depends on what equipment you've got down there. Most sumps look for between 7-9" of water height, so just go from there.
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12-22-2007, 09:07 PM
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#4
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Cincinnati,OH
Posts: 418
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Yes the 55 is the sump
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12-22-2007, 10:56 PM
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#5
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Shark
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Ontario, CA
Posts: 1,028
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I have mine 1" apart and the middle one 1" from the bottom.
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12-22-2007, 11:00 PM
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#6
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The Ninja MOD
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Planet P.....Why Me?
Posts: 12,306
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seasalt dreams
I have mine 1" apart and the middle one 1" from the bottom.
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That is narow except for a very low flow through rate. When moving water is constriced is gains velocity, this will drag bubbles and detritus along. Spacing at 2.5 inches is alot but it serves a purpose and allows for future changes to be made without having to make changes to the sump.
__________________
After 2 years I finally have water in it! (no, really)!
Where is Planet P?
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12-22-2007, 11:10 PM
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#7
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Shark
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Ontario, CA
Posts: 1,028
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It works very well for me, my sump is very large for the flow rate I guess, making it very low. I have no bubbles what soever and tons of detrius collects at the bottom of my baffles. My only problem is, getting in there to clean it out! |
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12-22-2007, 11:13 PM
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#8
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The Ninja MOD
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Planet P.....Why Me?
Posts: 12,306
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seasalt dreams
It works very well for me, my sump is very large for the flow rate I guess, making it very low. I have no bubbles what soever and tons of detrius collects at the bottom of my baffles. My only problem is, getting in there to clean it out!
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An advantage of wider spacing is the ability to siphon or use a wet/dry vac in betwen the baffle. I would say on a 55 sump 2 to 2.5 would be great speration. Its a narrow tank so the velocity through the baffles would be slowed with the spacing.JMO 
__________________
After 2 years I finally have water in it! (no, really)!
Where is Planet P?
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12-22-2007, 11:35 PM
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#9
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Shark
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Ontario, CA
Posts: 1,028
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Actually I have been toying with the idea of removing the first baffle to make it easier to clean it out. I really dont think its doing much anyways, I have no bubbles.
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12-23-2007, 09:36 AM
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#10
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I've got the REEF rash!
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 24,549
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As wide as the tank and half as high as the tank.
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12-23-2007, 09:47 AM
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#11
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Enjoy it now
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Posts: 4,087
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I think I've decided not to use baffles for my next sump.
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12-23-2007, 10:20 AM
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#12
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spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 7,004
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DarthOcellaris
I think I've decided not to use baffles for my next sump.
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And why's that? You like the micro-bubbles?
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12-23-2007, 11:52 AM
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#13
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Enjoy it now
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Posts: 4,087
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crvz
And why's that? You like the micro-bubbles?
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from some reading ( mainly from Geoff's posts ), as long as the distance is far enough, baffles arent necessary.
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12-23-2007, 11:59 AM
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#14
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The Ninja MOD
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Planet P.....Why Me?
Posts: 12,306
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DarthOcellaris
from some reading ( mainly from Geoff's posts ), as long as the distance is far enough, baffles arent necessary.
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The flow also needs to be very slow.
To go to the posters original question, if at all possible see how much water would drain from the tank in a power outage to insure you have enough space in the sump to avoid a flood.
__________________
After 2 years I finally have water in it! (no, really)!
Where is Planet P?
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12-23-2007, 12:40 PM
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#15
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Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Southern Oregon, Way West of Dimples ;)
Posts: 21,709
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Quote:
Originally Posted by motorslave
The flow also needs to be very slow.
To go to the posters original question, if at all possible see how much water would drain from the tank in a power outage to insure you have enough space in the sump to avoid a flood.
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Thats a very important factor, room for drain down, also make sure you have enough depth for the skimmer to work well 
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меня зовут Chris 
