eisfish
10/17/2006, 08:38 AM
I originally posted this in the newb forum, but didn't get much help. This is a combination of two posts.
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I'm a bit confused about baffle height.
I have a 66g tank (48"x18"x16") that I'll be using for the sump on my 46g display (Sumpzilla!).
I'm using a corner box style overflow, so I assume that the max amount of water that will drain in the case of a power failure is the water above the lowest hole in the tank (plus whatever was in the pipes).
If the tank only held water (no rocks, sand etc.) , the most that could drain out would be about 10g.
So, given that Sumpzilla holds 66g, what would be optimal sump water volume and baffle height?
Just to make things more interesting, I'm thinking of going with a catch basin/return/refugium design Like the one seen here (http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/f/sump_f.html) .
Let's say I use 1/3 of my 66g sump as a refugium. The refugium will have a wall/baffle almost the height on the tank, and be fed by a T off the return pump.
In the case of a power outage, water will flow back from the return pipe and drain the tank to the level of the return.
The overflow is not really the big issue, because it will stop draining once the water in the main tank gets below the level of the top of the overflow box (right?).
Is this the magic formula:
Total possible sump volume - Possible drainage from tank = Sump operating volume
---------------------------------------
I'm a bit confused about baffle height.
I have a 66g tank (48"x18"x16") that I'll be using for the sump on my 46g display (Sumpzilla!).
I'm using a corner box style overflow, so I assume that the max amount of water that will drain in the case of a power failure is the water above the lowest hole in the tank (plus whatever was in the pipes).
If the tank only held water (no rocks, sand etc.) , the most that could drain out would be about 10g.
So, given that Sumpzilla holds 66g, what would be optimal sump water volume and baffle height?
Just to make things more interesting, I'm thinking of going with a catch basin/return/refugium design Like the one seen here (http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/f/sump_f.html) .
Let's say I use 1/3 of my 66g sump as a refugium. The refugium will have a wall/baffle almost the height on the tank, and be fed by a T off the return pump.
In the case of a power outage, water will flow back from the return pipe and drain the tank to the level of the return.
The overflow is not really the big issue, because it will stop draining once the water in the main tank gets below the level of the top of the overflow box (right?).
Is this the magic formula:
Total possible sump volume - Possible drainage from tank = Sump operating volume