No Baffles on Sump, please give opinion.

[sruiz]

Here is a pic of my sump that has no baffles. Its running just how i got it about 2 months ago. The skimmer is sitting on a pvc pipe stand, and only works when the water amount is 33 gallons. I bought it just like this and plan to do some improvements. I would like to make it so that i can hold plenty of water but will do changes if you have any suggestions. Please help and tell me how you have your sump running. OH almost forgot the little sticks next to the macreo algea are mangroves.

[sruiz]

[yellowwatchmen]

Macro will get sucked into the return. Amd you want the waterlevel lower or you will get flooding.

[ernestlives]

I would recommend the baffles...didnt put any on mine, and I am currently trying different ways to get rid of my microbubbles problem...

[JediReefer]

What skimmer? It looks awfully deep in the water column.

I agree, I hope your return pump never fails with the water that high.

[mcneilwh]

Many skimmers don't work consistantly with fluctuating water levels.

I also agree that looks like a flood problem

[sruiz]

ok, so far macreo algea has never got stuck I put it between a live rock . The skimmer is an Aqua R remora, it works good but like mcneiwh says it does not work well with fluctuating water levels.
About the flooding and pump failure. I have already tested and I currenlty do not put more water than my tank can hold. So i have tested and I will not have any problems as long as i keep it under my water mark.
I just want some ideas or pics maybe.
Now that i think about it. Wont it help to put baffles because it will keep that skimmer chamber at a constant level??

[sruiz]

The guy that built it made used all the room in the stand available. Its sitting under a 72 bowfront 48 inches long side to side. I'll have to check my other dimensions when i get home. Im just not too sure on how baffles work and how i can use them to control the water level. But what i hope to get from this is to keep constant water flow, and not have the bottom scum floating everywhere in the tank. Don't get me wrong i actually keep it pretty clean for not having different chambers.

[JediReefer]

I am not sure I am reading this right. When you talk about water your tank can hold are you refering to the display or the sump? If the sump you most certainly will have an overflow occur should the return fail.

Otherwise about how many gallons is the sump and about how many gallons is usually in it.

Adding the baffles will improve the sump greatly. Constant water in the in flow section with the skimmer, refugium, bubble trap. With a larger return pump section you will not have to top off as frequently as well.

[sruiz]

Ok so I meant to say that i have tested my display and sump level when i turn off the electricity. When my electricity goes off my water from the display tank drains to the sump and it will not overfill my sump when the power goes off.
Other than that JediReefer got it right on the money. my main goal is to keep the water level constant in my skimmer section so that it keeps working.

[Justin James]

Very bad idea. Go baffles or go home. Why cut such a small corner and increase so many risks of so many problems???????????????????????? Take the 15 minutes and put the baffles in.

[justinpsmith]

Originally posted by Justin James
Very bad idea. Go baffles or go home. Why cut such a small corner and increase so many risks of so many problems???????????????????????? Take the 15 minutes and put the baffles in.

Hahaha, I guess I should go home??? I have no baffles in my sump/refugium and have no problems at all. What problems are you speaking of? Maybe mine if different because it is two rubbermaid containers plumbed together but I love my set up. Only bubbles I have in my sump come from my skimmer return but they are eaten up by a filter sock that is changed out every three days. My overflow is a herbie style, so it never creates a single bubble either...There is more than one way to create a great system.

[Pmolan]

What is that guy doing underneath your skimmer??

[painkiller1009]

[sirreal63]

Originally posted by Justin James
Very bad idea. Go baffles or go home. Why cut such a small corner and increase so many risks of so many problems???????????????????????? Take the 15 minutes and put the baffles in.

Exactly what risks are there in not having baffles? I had my 125 sump exactly as the OP has the drawing. I have never had any issues from it. It is easier to clean the sump, and simple measures handle the microbubbles and macro in the pump inlet.

Obviously it is a bad idea...which is why this tank looks so horrid.





There are many ways to set up a system, find what works for you and don't be surprised if you don't get it right the first time. Our systems are ever changing and growing as our experience and needs grow and change. If anyone ever tells you something is the wrong way always question it, it may have been wrong for them but may solve your problem perfectly.

[Craig Lambert]

The "risk" of no baffles is really driven by what size return pump you plan to use. No baffles will require a small return pump to avoid microbubbles returning to the tank. Having said that, I think slow movement through the sump is a better way to go anyway. You use less power, skim more efficiently, and the tank is quieter. Others prefer their return pump to provide a good deal of flow in the tank, but without baffles that would be hard to achieve without creating microbubbles.

[sirreal63]

I do agree that large return pumps can be an issue...well...multiple issues. Fast moving water through a sump can carry microbubbles through baffles unless they are spaced wide enough. One problem is a small sump and a high gph pump...it usually ends up in microbubbles in the display. There are still a lot of people that move a lot of water through the sump...I don't and more and more people are turning to closed loops to help. Microbubbles are not a "risk" though.

[sruiz]

Nice Tank Sirreal63, its pretty funny what some people will say on here just to get another post. They can't even tell us why they believe what they think. To tell you the truth i really don't have a problem with the bubles, my rock and skimmer kind of make a wall so basically all water moves through my skimmer to the return side. However i think i will end up putting some baffles and the only reason i will do this is to keep my water level at a point that will keep my skimmer skimming. Maybe my title was a little off but what i was hoping to get was some ideas of how people have their sump set up. Like i said before im just glad that the person that made my sump used all the space in the stand so i have plenty of room.
Any one have some cool setups?? I really just want to keep macreo algea and mangroves, LR skimmer. NOt really sure if i want to add sand.

[specialkb]

i don't have a problem with it, i run my new sump on my 90 baffle free. it's just a 20 high and i take the return tube run in all the way underwater with a 45/90 elbow pointing to the opposite side from the return then have my lr and stuff no micro bubbles.

[m2434]

It's not really necessary to have mega gph through your sump... I think the biggest nuisance is the changing water level and the skimmer. On my nano tank (20g w/ 10g sump), I didn't bother with baffles and don't get any microbubles, running ~500gph. I did get annoyed with the skimmer however. What I ended up doing was buying a cheap $7 acrylic tank roughly 3g) and took some 2" pvc pipes I had laying around. I put the 3g on top of the pvc, to raise it up above the waterline, then put the skimmer and the line from the display in it; the return pump is not in it, but in the sump itself. This way the water flows into the 3g and then overflows into the sump. Great lazy mans baffle

edit - oh and the return pump is under the 3g, away from the macro algae.