baffle option...

Now that I've been given a stand for my tank (just had to help arrange live rock in a 450 gallon FOWLR) I can start seriously thinking about setting up a sump/fuge. I have a feeling I'm going to end up converting a 10 gallon tank into the sump/fuge. The question of the day is: instead of the old over-under-over baffle routine, can I use a single sheet of perforated acrylic to keep the microbubbles in check? I'll try to find a pic of the material I'm thinking of...it's pretty much just an acrylic sheet with dozens and dozens of small holes drilled in it. I'm going to be pressed for space as it is, and this would give me a couple inches of room and take out a couple steps from my first DIY project.
Thanks much for any input...

 

I have pretty much the same setup as you (20 high + 10 gal sump/fuge) and i went with the "over-under-over" baffle but they are spaced very closely to each other, not even half an inch. Here's a pic



Depending on the number of holes and there size it could work IMO. But as you can see im not loosing a lot of space because of the baffles. I tried to maximize the space for the fuge (i have a HOB skimmer so that helped).

Marc.

 

If You bring the pipe from the overflow down to the corner of the sump then add two 90's to make a U turn and then add enough pipe to make a riser standpipe to be just above the normal sump water level then all the air will be released on the top surface of the sump and its really difficult to make bubbles sink back in. I have a 10 gal sump on a 40 gal + flat back hex with a Mag.9 and never had a bubble problem as with the 180 I move 2,300 real measured Gals a hr through a 40 breeder sump and no bubbles and if i do i just put rock rubble into the sump to break them up. Just somthing to think about if space and bubbles are or is a concern for you ..

 

Thanks for the input, guys...
I had planned on having the flow from the tank enter the sump thru a tower filled with live rock and then into the sump, where i'd hopefully stick my remora (possibly prefilter and all)...then thru the baffles/perforated acrylic to the fuge and then over one last baffle to the mag7 i plan on using to return it all. I also have an Eheim 1250 that I got along with the stand, but I don't know how reliable it is. When I finally get my at together and build the sump and move the whole dang tank, i'll be sure to post pics, but until then I'll probably just have questions...
Thanks again...

 

IME a mag 7 is WAY to much for a return pump on such a small system. I've tried it and i had to restrain the flow so much on it that it over heated and the water went up 95 in a a matter of minutes. I now use a hagen 802, its around 400 gph and with the head it does a great job. anyways JMHO.

Marc.

 

Good to know...any advice on the Eheim? Or would Tangsters 180 trick work on the mag7?

 

Yeah, I had been having a beer or 4 when I wrote that last post. The 180 trick is for the inflow, not the outflow. What I was trying to think of was another sump/fuge article I read that mentioned putting a T in the return line that diverted some of the flow back to the sump so the pump wouldn't need to be throttled back so much.

 

The tee with a bleed off valve works really well But if a mag 7 heated up a tank to 95 F in a matter of minuets there was a problem and cutting the out put back just increased the heat.
If you increase the output from pump to tank with a larger pipe you will achieve better flow rates and less heating problems I would never use less then a 3/4 PVC from pump to tank and on the inlet I make my J out of 4/3 or even 1in 90's On this little tank i ran a 7 mag or a Rio 3100 ? But the 9 raised the water from about 77.8 to 78.3.
I have two 175 M/H and 2 VHO's.. and just one 4 inch 115 CFM and 120v fan.. Heater is still needed at night. What I'd do if you used a bleed off tee is to get a display specimen cup like they use in LFS to hold fish and and hang it inside the sump drill the bottom and use the bleed off water to run through carbon and Phosphate stuff and some filter floss when needed .