This is an updated picture with the last baffle removed. Do you recommend removing that final baffle as well ?
Can you also direct to
dr exum
's thread you mentioned above? Can't seem to find it.
View attachment 1399847
With the last baffle removed, you'll be fine too - provided you know a few things. First, if the downflow is blocked, the sump will pump up the water going back to the last divider at the front of the bacteria box. You're bacteria box could be left in open air to dry out at that point, possibly rendering the tank to cycle again to one degree or another.
The flow difference is really no different either, moving a baffle back and forth around a tank really doesn't change the flow going over the baffle in the end. The flow is determined by how much water comes down and how much flow is absorbed along the journey through materials.... I run a sock as my main filter, then K2, a high flow sponge, then my bacteria box which doesn't impede flow much since water flows in the box but isn't forced through the material, then over the last baffle to the pump.
By adding the baffle after the bacteria box he'll protect the bacteria box from drying out, it'll pump less to the display tank for more overflow protection up top, and there won't be a significant change in flow rate for this situation. I'm running a 40g sump on my 150g since my 150g is short and tall (48Lx31Tx24D). His diagram shows a 6' sump tank running, and where the baffle is about halfway if backed up to the bacteria box, that's about 50g of water that could potentially go up to the display tank if the downflow gets blocked. I see no issue with this IF the emergency drains can handle it, but you're still risking the bacteria box cultures.