Sump Design help please?

[scuba dude]

Can anyone tell me if this would work for a sump set-up.

It is going to be made from a 20 gallon long tank and will be supplying a 55 gallon tank.
My biggest question is really the height of the baffles and the spacing at the top and the bottom of the baffles to direct water through the sump. I have included the rough dimensions at the top and bottom of each baffle and that is where I am sort of confused. I have looked at many different designs and the more I look the more I am starting to confuse myself.

I am not really concerned of the spacing between the baffles and the overall length of the 3 chambers at this point . I also have the ability to cut slots in the third baffle near the top and extend the height if this might benefit in keeping anything from getting out of the second chamber in case I use it as a refigum.

Any help would be great. Thanks.

 

[T1KARMANN]

That will work

If is fresh water and you have a drain near by drill a drain hole at the return end and run a constant drip to the main tank this means no water changes needed

I don't use filter socks a use jap mat int the first and second compartments with filter floss on top of the last bit of jap mat

My sump is also filled high so my sump has no falling water over the compartments so my sump is like your design but it runs like a giant canister filter

I have just stripped my sump down and cleaned it out which I do once per year so I will get you pics in the morning

 

[scuba dude]

Thanks , if you can get a picture that would be great , I still want to order my protein skimmer and return pump before I put it together so I can make sure that they fit like I want them to.
It will be going on a saltwater tank and maybe eventually I will set up an ATO system if need be.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[T1KARMANN]

This is my sump I run it full of water because with the drain overflow you don't need to worry if the power goes out

I run it full like a canister filter as I had good results with canisters on my old 350g but I would have needed to many canisters on my 1000g












This sump is 6x2x2 with 3 x pumps

One 30,000 lph pump to run the far end with a splitter

One 10,000 lph to run 4 x 25w uv

And one 15,000 lph to run this sand filter

It works great

The tank also pumps in 200 gal per day of new 50% RO and 50% hma water

 

[scuba dude]

Thank you.