Baffle-less sump

[Chest Rockwell]

Has anyone ever designed a baffle-less sump for their freshwater tanks? I would like to see some ideas.

 

[Chest Rockwell]

So I'm guessing no one has ever done a baffle-less sump for freshwater.

 

[BillD]

Not sure what you are asking. If you want a sump to use as a filter, the baffles help direct water through the various media. If you just want to use it as a refugium, to hold extra water and perhaps some plants, you don't need baffles

 

[Chest Rockwell]

I figured drain pipe goes on one end the return pump on the other. Then just stuff bio media in between. And maybe a coarse foam wall with a thin wall of polyfiber. I figured why not....

 

[t4runnr]

I used a 27 gallon storage tote from Lowes as my fw sump. There is a milk crate in there to hold a plastic storage bin with pull out drawers above the water line. Each drawer has my filter media and there are holes drilled into the drawer bottoms for water to pour from one drawer to the next one below it. So with this set up, the plastic tote is primarily for volume. No baffles.

 

[CleverBs]

I run one of my 30g planted tank. Its just a 5g that I use to hide all my equipment. I just use foam as filter media and it just lays in there and the water runs over it. Pretty simple its just a place for me to put my heater. I also have a power head in it to keep the water moving alot in the sump

 

[Mebbid]

I used a 10g sump without baffles for my reef. I wouldnt do it again. Baffles are a simple and cheap addition which increase the effectiveness of your sump. They also keep things from getting sucked into the return.

 

[CleverBs]

I used a 10g sump without baffles for my reef. I wouldnt do it again. Baffles are a simple and cheap addition which increase the effectiveness of your sump. They also keep things from getting sucked into the return.

The point of baffles in a reef and in a freshwater tank are very different. In a reeftank/saltwater tank the baffles are there in order to A.) Keep the water level constant in chambers for things like Skimmers or Fuges. B.) To Reduce mico bubbles from the skimmer going into the return and into the tank. C.) Allow you to keep an ATO system in the return chamber because it will allow for water adjustment.

IMO Theres only one point for a sump in freshwater and thats to simply remove equipment in the main display. Pipes, Heaters, Temp probes, Removing HOB Filters, In case of a doing a planted tank like myself it removes the drop check for the Co2 and the Co2 diffuser giving you a clean setup. Theres no need for baffles in this application this is just a tank of water to put your junk so you dont have to see it.

 

[Mebbid]

The point of baffles in a reef and in a freshwater tank are very different. In a reeftank/saltwater tank the baffles are there in order to A.) Keep the water level constant in chambers for things like Skimmers or Fuges. B.) To Reduce mico bubbles from the skimmer going into the return and into the tank. C.) Allow you to keep an ATO system in the return chamber because it will allow for water adjustment.

IMO Theres only one point for a sump in freshwater and thats to simply remove equipment in the main display. Pipes, Heaters, Temp probes, Removing HOB Filters, In case of a doing a planted tank like myself it removes the drop check for the Co2 and the Co2 diffuser giving you a clean setup. Theres no need for baffles in this application this is just a tank of water to put your junk so you dont have to see it.

To say that there's no need for baffles in a fresh water sump is an underestimation of their usefulness. In a sump without baffles there are huge dead zones of water This results in decreased efficacy of the equipment in the sump (heater) and decreased usage of the biological filtration. On my reef tank I had no skimmer, ato, or issues with micro bubbles yet my position on it remains firm in that a sump with baffles will outperform a baffle free sump every time.

 

[CleverBs]

To say that there's no need for baffles in a fresh water sump is an underestimation of their usefulness. In a sump without baffles there are huge dead zones of water This results in decreased efficacy of the equipment in the sump (heater) and decreased usage of the biological filtration. On my reef tank I had no skimmer, ato, or issues with micro bubbles yet my position on it remains firm in that a sump with baffles will outperform a baffle free sump every time.

As long as there is adequet water movement in the sump there is no need for it. For example in mine I use a small powerhead that pushes water around there is more movement in there that way then there would be if it was just free flowing through the baffles. Could baffles be useful? yes. Are they needed in a freshwater sump IMO No. Freshwater tanks do not require the equipment that makes baffles required.