DIY sump/refuge...baffle question

[Lindsay1718]

The baffles in between bubble trap? Also, what makes good stand for Skimmer? Styrofoam?

 

[Mrc8858]

I use a Tupperware container flipped over cause it fit perfectly lol but you can use eggcrate easily or for a more finished look you can make it out of acrylic

 

[Lindsay1718]

I don't care about finished I want cheap and safe.

 

[Lindsay1718]

Do I need 2 bubble traps, one on each side of refugium?

 

[h8z2luze]

I only have one but I don't have a fuge in my sump.

 

[Lindsay1718]

Yeah I've seen them both ways I just don't know if it's better to have 2, if it's not a big deal, I'll just put 1.

 

[Mrc8858]

You only need the one before the return.

 

[Lindsay1718]

Good to know, I was gonna put it after skimmer. Thanks. So should I put a couple sponges in between bubble trap baffles?

 

[Mrc8858]

When I put sponges in I usually put them into the first set of baffles to the return chamber bubble trap

 

[Lindsay1718]

Sounds good! Thanks. This is kinda off topic but is that all I need to seed a quarantine tank? It seems like it wouldn't be enough with no live sand or rock?

 

[Mrc8858]

Yes that'll be fine. When you QT it should be a very light Bioload anyways with frequent water changes

 

[mfdrookie516]

Something you need to take in to consideration... when you turn off your return pump, or the power goes out, you need to make sure you have enough room in the sump for all the excess water. While it's great to get as much water in there as possible while it's running, you don't want it overflowing when it's not. Give yourself some extra room to work with. You can calculate it or just test it with an empty sump and mark how much it raises from the height it's running vs the height when it's off.

 

[Lindsay1718]

Something you need to take in to consideration... when you turn off your return pump, or the power goes out, you need to make sure you have enough room in the sump for all the excess water. While it's great to get as much water in there as possible while it's running, you don't want it overflowing when it's not. Give yourself some extra room to work with. You can calculate it or just test it with an empty sump and mark how much it raises from the height it's running vs the height when it's off.

This may sound stupid but, I thought that was what the check valve was for? I am going tommarown to pick up the tank for my sump I might check a 30 BC I think it will fit in my stand, if its not too much more.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Well, a check valve isn't going to stop the water in the tank from coming down the return. There will be several gallons (depending on the tank size... more if it's a larger tank) that will keep overflowing after the pump is shut off. The amount of water that comes back down the return pipe is dependent on how you have the return configured, but you should never trust a check valve, as they tend to fail.

 

[Lindsay1718]

So I was going to get glass cut and I thought about are all baffles same height? The middle bubble trap baffles goes on top, so if I got 8" height for the rest on a 20 L would the middle need to be taller? Thanks.

Lindsay

 

[TRDfan]

I use 1/4" cell cast acrylic. Much less flimsy and easy to cut.

I ended up using the .093 acrylic instead of the .220. figured it was a bit more easier to work with. the refuge came out pretty good IMO for my first time

I just went to lowes and had glass cut. It's pretty thin but I haven't had any issues. It's just Over 1/16"

I saw that lowes had 4" x 4" sheets of glass for like $7 . My ownly concern was that if my measurements wasnt spot on, it would have been hard to work with

 

[h8z2luze]

Lol well I didn't want to tell on myself but I didn't get my measurements right either so my baffles are angled a little bit but it works fine lol

 

[Lindsay1718]

Did anyone have problems with the middle bubble trap baffle? I'm not sure how to get the silicone all the way down it. Any help? Thanks.

 

[Mrc8858]

Did anyone have problems with the middle bubble trap baffle? I'm not sure how to get the silicone all the way down it. Any help? Thanks.

Did u put a baffle on wither side of it already? You should just be going one at a time in a row which should give you plenty of room.

 

[Lindsay1718]

Yes, I put the 1st baffle for bubble trap but now the next on is only an inch apart, I can't get my hand all the way down the side with the 1st baffle. I can do it fine in opposite side just not the side with 1st baffle.