10g -15Hg for sump

[SMS76]

Is 10G or may be if i can fit 15H, too small for sump? I am leaning towards 37G setup and i think these are the only tanks i can make it fit. I am thinking about using Mag 9 for return and i am going to have 1" bulkhead for drain. I can throttle down mag 9 if i have to but just wanted to get you guys opinion on this.

Also do i need baffles? Can i seprate small part of sump and make refugium? ANy ideas or links would be helpful as well.
Thanks

[Carlos]

The trick of the sump is that it has to be large enough that if you lose power, the sump should be able to handle the excess water from the tank WITHOUT overflowing. This should happen AFTER you have all equipment in the sump as you want to take into cosideration water displacement.

Carlos

[SMS76]

Do i still need baffles for this size sump

[skipm]

Baffles are mainly to stop air bubbles from reaching your pump and being returned to your tank. If you don't have problems with airbubbles then you can get by without baffles. My first sump was a 10 gallon and I used a baffles to keep the water level at the top of the tank for the first few inches of sump so I could use a hang on skimmer, I placed the baffle on the same end as the water came in from the tank and allowed the water to overflow the baffle to the rest of the sump. HTH, Skip

PS I am thinking about doing the same thing again for a 20H I am going to set up with a 15H for a sump. I need the extra water because I plan on lighting it with a 250 watt HQI MH I already have.

[SMS76]

Skip, good idea and thanks for reply.

[Kogo]

here is my 10g sump. i kept it as simple as possible (materials on hand) and use it as a refugium. its lit with two screw in PC's in a standard inc. fixture and an 18w NO Flo. in another.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/kogo/DSC00778.jpg

i also use a HOB skimmer and 25w submersible heater. i marked the max fill line toward the top that will acomadate the drainage from the main 10g durring power failure, but i keep it much lower so i can surface skim and when the power returns i wont over fill the main tank once the siphon in the overflow is lost.