20g sumps

[DevilBoy]

Ok,
I have pretty much decided on what size skimmer and sump i want. Or should i say Andy from MRC pretty much made the decision.

but anyways, I will be going with a 20g sump, and the MR1 skimmer. And using the Gen X PCX 30 external pump for the skimmer.

So i have a 20g long sump drilled for a 1.5" bulkhead. This where i am confused again, thanks to Andy, he told me i would have to place 3 baffles strategically in the sump.....This much i do know is that the first baffle has to be placed 12" from the end of the sump for the skimmer. The skimmer footprint is 9"x9". Andy told me to leave an extra 3" for the gate valve and the plumbing. So then i guess the questions are where do the baffles get placed, how many inches between each one, how big should they be cut, and the placement to reduce micro bubbles into my display.

any drawings or actually pictures would really help. since i am the type of guy that needs drawings in order to understand anything

[Geoff]

a 20 long is 24" long correct?

what pump are you using for the return? is it external or submersible?

i would actually do 4 baffles 2 inches apart with 2" gaps for the unders. i would also do an under, over, under, over configuration. i would also start the baffles as far away from the skimmer as possible.

G~

[Sprayin70]

30 inches wide.

[DevilBoy]

yes he is correct 30" long

i am using my T2 and going to buy the T3 for my CL

what do you mean over under over under? im lost

[Geoff]

30" is even better, more room between the skimmer and the first baffle!

since it will be an external pump, than you can even add more room for the skimmer.

the under, over, under, over is the orientation of the baffles in the sump. the first baffle being an under, meaning the water will flow under the baffle. the next being an over, meaning this baffle goes from the bottom of the tank up to an inch below the recommended sump water height for the skimmer. you need to figure out if the recommended water height is a min or a max.

G~

[DevilBoy]

that i dont know, i will have to ask Andy from MRC. So once i get the answer i will let ya know

[DevilBoy]

i am also wondering how hard would it be to turn the center section of the sump between the baffles into a refuge?

[Geoff]

step away from the fuge idea, just step away.

honestly they are not worth the trouble. you will find stuff to put in the extra room on the skimmer side.

G~

[DevilBoy]

Originally Posted by Geoff

step away from the fuge idea, just step away.

honestly they are not worth the trouble. you will find stuff to put in the extra room on the skimmer side.

G~

yes geoff. i will take your word for it. i got a reply from Andy at MRC here is what he said.

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2006 9:57 PM
To: Andy Daiss
Subject: RE: WebSite Contact

Andy i am sorry to bother you again but i would like to know the minium and maxium water height in the sump for the MR 1 to perform at its best so i know where i should place the baffles inside my sump.

Thanks


The best place to have the water level in the sump is between 6-8 inches for the MR-1.

Andy Daiss
www.myreefcreations.com

ok, what would be a good solution on placing the baffles?

[DevilBoy]

this is a very vague sketch i came up with for the sump. i know you are suppose to have something in there like a bubble trap that will dissipate the bubbles before going back to the display. If u think its a good design or if it needs changes let me know. im all ears.

[Geoff]

looks like a good sketch to me!!

i would make the height of the over baffles 6" that way you are at the minimum all of the time. you will not get more than 2" over flow on those baffles in that size tank, so that will work out right in the recommended water height.

you do not need to make the under baffles all the way to the top. it is not a problem if they are, but not needed. they do need to be at least as high as you think the water level in the sump will be. so i would make them no lower than 10". if it is easier to make them to the top than go for it.

i can not decide whether or not making the baffles closer to gether as the get towards the return pump is a good thing or a bad thing. i have not seen that. i think it is not necessary. it may actually keep the bubbles in the water column. my thinking is that as the water flows from left to right it actually picks up speed because the amount of room it flows through is getting smaller, thus increasing the velocity of the water. the faster the water is moving the harder it is for the bubbles to evacuate. if the last baffle distance is equal to the under the baffle distance it might not matter since the water is already at that velocity.

i would actually think about making the baffle distances going the opposite. make the closest baffles closer to the skimmer and further away as you go towards the return pump.

i am just thinking out loud here, i could be completely wrong. hopefully someone else will either agree with my thinking or sink me.

G~

[DevilBoy]

ok then what u are saying is keep the 15" for my first baffle, then 2nd baffle make 5" from the 1st. the 3rd baffle 2" from the 2nd, then the 4th baffle 3" from the 3rd ? am i correct in what you are thinking?

[Geoff]

nope, but close. put the second baffle 2" beyond the first. than 3" for the third and 5" for the 4th.

that way the velocity of the water is slowing, so the finer bubbles are able to make it to the waters surface to be evacuated.

G~

[DevilBoy]

i think i understand what you are talking about. I should have some free time this weekend to re plumb the closed loop, and possibly start putting the baffles in the sump.

[DevilBoy]

how thick of plexiglass do i need for the baffles? i have some 1/8" stuff laying around the house... is that too thin?