Is the short baffle that makes the pump compartment necessary? It may be a dumb question, but I just siliconed in my baffles and that one just doesn't seem necessary.
? about wet/dry design
- Thread starter naten
- Start date
Without seeing the design I would venture out and say its NOT necessary. My sump is essentially a converted acrylic aquarium with the media suspended up out of the water and a trickle plate to distribute the water over it. The baffle on those designs are for bubble control, I think.
My 2¢
My 2¢
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/RickDitt/Mics/filter/6allcuring.jpg
The baffle to the far right is the one I'm talking about.
The baffle to the far right is the one I'm talking about.
your suspicion is correct... the baffle to the far right is not necessary...
It is best for the last baffle before the pump to have water flowing beneath the baffle, not over it. When water spills over a baffle it will bring water down into the pump's chamber, inevitably causing the pump to take in air bubbles which could possibly cause problems.
Thus with your design... you would be better off not having that baffle in place...
As you referred to this as a "wet/dry", I take it that the large compartment will be filled with bio media of some soft... and there will be a drip tray placed above this to distribute the water over all of the media?
Personally I would fill that chamber with plants and make it a refugium, but using as a wet/dry works too
It is best for the last baffle before the pump to have water flowing beneath the baffle, not over it. When water spills over a baffle it will bring water down into the pump's chamber, inevitably causing the pump to take in air bubbles which could possibly cause problems.
Thus with your design... you would be better off not having that baffle in place...
As you referred to this as a "wet/dry", I take it that the large compartment will be filled with bio media of some soft... and there will be a drip tray placed above this to distribute the water over all of the media?
Personally I would fill that chamber with plants and make it a refugium, but using as a wet/dry works too
Well, that baffle isn't necessary, but what it does is keep your pump from completely draining the sump in the event your drain pipes from the tank get clogged. The pump will only drain that last compartment after the baffle. This can ensure that at least some of the media at the bottom of the biochamber will remain wet/submerged until water flow is restored through the system. If all of the biomedia were to completely dry out, then you would lose all of it. This way its likely to last at least a little bit longer.
But it will also cause you to have bubbles pumped into your tank from the turbulence caused by the water falling over a baffle immediately before your pump(s).
But it will also cause you to have bubbles pumped into your tank from the turbulence caused by the water falling over a baffle immediately before your pump(s).