Ok, total HJack
I’ll be doing the 55 fuge conversion project soon enough. Should I do baffles, separate chambers, ect.? Or leave it like it is and load it up with LR and macro?
Depends on what you want to do. if you’r emaking a fuge then you really need to have separate chambers which will provide an area to grow macr and pods and keep the return pump from getting clogged up with cheato. If you just want a huge sump and no macr algae or sand then you really don’t need to worry about baffles.
I split this so that it would not be a total HJack
I tried baffles because everyone talked about removing micro bubbles. I learned a couple things by using baffles.
[ul][li]Almost all micro bubbles are not caused in the sump but in the plumbing either through leaks of pumps and pvc having some residual oils and not being worn in yet.[/li]
[li]Baffles reduce flow through the sump which create dead pockets that must be cleaned out[/li]
[li]more live rock and sand will do more benefit then any amount of properly placed baffles[/li]
[li]Most that swear by baffles either have them and have tried no other way and/or have read countless articles or forum posts on why they are needed[/li][/ul]
I am not saying baffles will not work as countless people will chime in otherwise but I think their success is based on the many other things the reefer does perfect rather then the baffles. Benethic zones or semi-cryptic zones would be better created with rock then baffles.
Not related but interesting
Cool article on zones between the beach and the reef also talks about coral placement
http://ambergriscaye.com/reefbriefs/briefs5.html
I was thinking maybe just a baffle or separate ‘chamber’ for the return line to avoid the macro in the pump issue.
What if I just did macro >> LR >> return pump and the macro should mostly stay put and if not it will get caught in the rocks.
Also, skimmer in the first area the water from the tank runs to or the last? I would think ‘last’ would give a higher likely hood of bubbles coming over through the return pump.
Skimmer should go first to get the dirtiest water, IMO. Then rocks and/or macro. The return pump.
Make the 2nd and 3rd chambers as large as possible as the larger the fuge the better and the larger the return section the less chance of having to top off everyday or the pump running dry as this is the chamber that you will see the evaporation from.
come on now its a 55 gallon on a 75. i think u cant go wrong eather way. i think skimmer rock macro return. i have never done a fuge keep this in mind. the 55 fuge will be sweet. are u gunna use a sock on the in line?
when i first set up my tank i didnt have baffles in the fuge…after the little crash…i revamped the fuge with baffles…first off, its more aesthetically pleasing to have everything “organized” by using baffles…also, you can avoid issues with things being sucked into the pump…i honestly think i had more dead spots without baffles…I actually had to put a koralia 1 in my 20 gal. long fuge to make up for not having proper flow…
with a chamber holding macro you can also specifically light the chamber, rather than lighting the entire length of the fuge…thats one thing i like now also…plus the skimmer having its own spot…
if u plan on doing the over-under-over method for the first chamer…i would make the first baffle about an inch higher than the third IMO…
I always go skimmer, fuge then return on all my sumps. Here is my 50b sump on my 120g. HTH.
