LFS made me a sump. But I just don't understand.

[waterbourn]

I gave my local fish store a 20 gallon tank to make into a sump with a refugium. They said no problem. I have attached a diagram of what it looks like, but now I am really confused. I have it running now, and it does not seem quite right to me. The water enters the sump into a small compartment which I am going to put bioballs in. The water then exits the bottom of the compartment right beside the skimmer. Then there is only a 3 inch high baffle so the water is already way higher than this. The last baffle is 6 inches high and i have the water so it is at least trickling over this baffle into the return pump area. I want to turn the middle portion into a refugium, but the first baffle is not doing anything. Does anyone know what the LFS was trying to do. I trusted them to put in the baffles as they saw fit, but now I don't know what they were trying to do.

 

[phixer]

Ok without getting lost in translation I would recommend a quick search on this site of other sump diagrams, there are many. Sometimes a picture is worth a 1000 words and might answer your question faster.

 

[waterbourn]

I have seen other diagrams on this site, and mine is actually set up the same as many of the diagrams. But mine just has these low baffles. I don't understand why the first baffle is only 3 inches tall.

 

[maeistero]

i think you got scammed here. if you research you will find that most in-sump skimmers are actually put on a pedestal to raise the water height in the sump. this allows for a much larger water volume so your overall parameters don't change as fast. it looks to me like you're going to have a big old tank with 4inches of water in it. what's the reasoning in that. it also looks like they neglected the necessary baffles to get rid of any air bubbles. depending on your skimmer of course... it also depends a lot of time on how tall your skimmer is if you want it under the tank. are you burying your skimmer? and how do you keep your fuge from sucking over into the return?
imho whoever built this for you had no clue. unfortunately i've been to more lfs than i care to remember like this and i can't get a small business loan to start my own.

 

[phixer]

Did you ask them why, seems to me they should be the other way around. Im thinking the 3" baffle is simlply there to contain the contents of the refugium and to prevent it from being washed around by the incoming water flow. The 3" baffle might just be there to break the current. Personally Id ask the store why they made it this way. Id remove this baffle and install a taller one.

 

[waterbourn]

Well thanks guys for your input. I will answer a couple of your questions.
My skimmer is the coralife super skimmer and I already have it in the sump. It is actually doing great and does not produce any air bubbles.
However I am still confused with the baffles. I think you may be right that the 3 inch baffle just keeps the mud/sand in the fuge. However today I have had to add water so that the water level is even above the 6 inch baffle (basically it is just a 1/2 full 20 gallon aquarium with baffles that are under water) If I have the water just trickling over the last baffle, then, when i get home from work, the water level in return pump section has gotten dangerously low (on the verge of being lower than the return pump). The space to the right of the 6 inch baffle stays high.
so my question is .... if i have the water level above the baffles, will the baffles work well enough to keep the refugium contents from getting sucked up from the skimmer and return pump. Does the mud/sand stay pretty settled once it is in there. Will the algae stay in place also?
I know the LFS did not give the best setup, but it was a pain in the butt getting this thing set up and I just don't think I can take it out again to put new baffles in.

 

[maeistero]

well i'm no expert by any means, but i've never seen one set up quite like yours or even recommended by anyone. i guess that yes it will hold some sand and rubble won't get sucked over your baffle. i would rather have the capability to have some chaeto in there and be able to throw problem animals down below if i need to. it seems like a huge waste of space not having the baffle higher.
i don't think the algae will be a problem for your pump or the rock. if you happen to stir anything you'll be better off to shut down the pump for awhile. lack of plants and all your empty tank space baffle me.

the way it was set up i'd almost say it's sort of a wet/dry slash fuge/sump type experiment. really i've been researching for a couple years designing mine for my 135 and 180 and i hope i would've seen something like this by now.

 

[drewsta]

this is the way mine looks

. It had bio balls which I took out and also I fixed the micro bubbles by retro fitting a sponge on the end but this pic was taken on day 1 of my tank set up. Hope this helps