Sum baffle thickness???

Saltydrip · 01/16/2012, 03:30 PM

I think I'm going to be ordering my sump baffles tomorrow. What is an adiquit thickness?? I was thinking 1/4". It's going in a 29g so it's not too big. The fuge portion will be holding aprox 20g of water so that's about 160lbs against it. Is 1/4" enough??? I can't get tempered in the size I need. The min on tempered is 3sq/ft

theFarmer · 01/16/2012, 03:31 PM

avoid getting tempered, especially since you might need to make modifications to your baffles. 1/8-1/4" is more than enough, the flow inside the sump is not extreme, so the baffles are not going to be under immense movement.

bellis31 · 01/16/2012, 03:32 PM

1/4 inch glass is perfect... I used this thickness for my 29G sump also... I also had the edges polished smooth so they are not sharp.

Saltydrip · 01/16/2012, 05:58 PM

I got a price for the biggest piece and she said $8 with sanded edges... Sweet
Looks like I can do this for around $30!!! Then the pump. The overflow. The lines.... And so on. More like $230!! Lol

theFarmer · 01/16/2012, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bellis31

1/4 inch glass is perfect... I used this thickness for my 29G sump also... I also had the edges polished smooth so they are not sharp.

+1 polish edges! waterkeeper has an entire "how to sump build" article and i definitely recall him recommending polished edges to avoid cutting yourself. the sump will be the place you're going to tweak around and place stuff in/out of the most, makes sense to keep safe.

and btw, i was wrong. waterkeeper also recommended minimum 1/4" inch for baffles. personally, i'm going for 1/8" just because my sump is 9gallons.. and i need all the volume i can get. but if you have a 20G refugium.. go 1/4" for sure! GL!

mattman · 01/16/2012, 07:06 PM

I have 1/4" acrylic in my 29g sump. It does great.

Saltydrip · 01/16/2012, 08:46 PM

I have 1/4 and 3/8 lexan but I'm finding it's not stiff enough. It wants to flex too much. Acrylic is seems considerably stronger than lexan. I thaught glass would be pricey. Seeing how it's only $30ish I'll just have them do the cutting. If it saves me the hour or 2 it's worth the $30 easy!!

sleepydoc · 01/16/2012, 09:22 PM

Definitely get 1/4" over 1/8" - 1/8" is too easy to crack when putting skimmers, rocks, etc in. Make sure to have it cut a little narrower (~1/8") than the inside of your tank. the silicone will hold it in place if there's a bit of extra room and you don't have to worry about things cracking if it's too tight and wedged in.

Saltydrip · 01/16/2012, 09:28 PM

I wa planning on gettin 1/4in glass and getting it cut 1/16 small, 1/8 seems like a lot. 1/16 pr side seems excessive. If it was acrylic I would go smaller seeing how it expands more with temp. Glass expands about 1/3 less than acrylic.

01/16/2012, 03:30 PM	#1
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Sum baffle thickness??? I think I'm going to be ordering my sump baffles tomorrow. What is an adiquit thickness?? I was thinking 1/4". It's going in a 29g so it's not too big. The fuge portion will be holding aprox 20g of water so that's about 160lbs against it. Is 1/4" enough??? I can't get tempered in the size I need. The min on tempered is 3sq/ft __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/16/2012, 03:32 PM	#3
bellis31 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sacramento, Ca Posts: 1,021	1/4 inch glass is perfect... I used this thickness for my 29G sump also... I also had the edges polished smooth so they are not sharp. __________________ 80g Custom + 29g Sump BM Curve 5 Skimmer - Eheim 1262 Return Pump 2 Vortech MP10wes + 2 Vortech MP40wes 2 Radion G3's + Apex Jr Controller + WXM

01/16/2012, 05:58 PM	#4
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	I got a price for the biggest piece and she said $8 with sanded edges... Sweet Looks like I can do this for around $30!!! Then the pump. The overflow. The lines.... And so on. More like $230!! Lol __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/16/2012, 08:46 PM	#7
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	I have 1/4 and 3/8 lexan but I'm finding it's not stiff enough. It wants to flex too much. Acrylic is seems considerably stronger than lexan. I thaught glass would be pricey. Seeing how it's only $30ish I'll just have them do the cutting. If it saves me the hour or 2 it's worth the $30 easy!! __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/16/2012, 09:28 PM	#9
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	I wa planning on gettin 1/4in glass and getting it cut 1/16 small, 1/8 seems like a lot. 1/16 pr side seems excessive. If it was acrylic I would go smaller seeing how it expands more with temp. Glass expands about 1/3 less than acrylic. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/16/2012, 03:31 PM	#2
theFarmer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: NJ/NY Posts: 62	avoid getting tempered, especially since you might need to make modifications to your baffles. 1/8-1/4" is more than enough, the flow inside the sump is not extreme, so the baffles are not going to be under immense movement.

01/16/2012, 07:06 PM	#6
mattman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Kennesaw, GA Posts: 58	I have 1/4" acrylic in my 29g sump. It does great.

01/16/2012, 09:22 PM	#8
sleepydoc Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 3,907	Definitely get 1/4" over 1/8" - 1/8" is too easy to crack when putting skimmers, rocks, etc in. Make sure to have it cut a little narrower (~1/8") than the inside of your tank. the silicone will hold it in place if there's a bit of extra room and you don't have to worry about things cracking if it's too tight and wedged in.