different water levels in different baffle sections of a sump

[lost_at_sea]

Hey All - bit of a fluid dynamics question for all you out there...

Is it possible to keep to different levels of water in 2 different compartments within the same sump that are connected via baffles.

I'm almost 99% sure the answer is no, but wanted to throw it out there just the same.

Something along the lines of this?

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[Funkmotor]

Of course you can do this.  People do this all the time.  Your standard sump design has areas where the water level is kept constant, and an area where the water level is allowed to fall - before getting topped off again.

The lines in the tank are the baffles.  The 3 pieces on the right form a bubble trap...making the water flow down and then up to get out to the return section helps eliminate bubbles.  You want those pieces of glass to be about an inch apart.

The glass piece on the left is for a refugium.  You'd either take some water from your return line (valve and another pipe on the return) or some other way.  Or not at all.  I just put it in for completeness.

The section in the middle is where the water level will fall - until your ATO hopefully starts and tops it off again.


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[lost_at_sea]

Thanks that does make some sense, i was always under the impression that any water connected would level off to the same level.

For my purposes I want to keep my overflow section at around 6' to be optimal for my skimmer however since it's a 'tall' sump i'd like to optimize volume for the refugium and return sections.

Would a design liek this work ? in essence the initial baffle level will set the water height for the first section?



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[lost_at_sea]

After posting that I realize your solution didn't include baffels on both sides... and now I understand why you push the refug over to a self contained unit on teh one side of the sump.

I still don't think you can have the 2 sections connected through baffles operating at different water depths.. wouldn't they equalize?  However I do see how you could create a refugium in the third compartment  that was simply fed with a pipe and manually overflows into the central return compartment.

[Funkmotor]

As the water comes into the rightmost section, that is always going to be high, and overflowing into the middle.  The water is kept high by virtue of the 2 baffles that make contact with the bottom of the sump...there might as well be one piece of glass there like there is on the left, but I put 3 for the bubble trap...as you should do.

The only way to move water UP is to pump it.

[C-Dog]

in ur diagram the water level will flatten out.... ur highest point is always the water flowing into the sump and ur lower point is always where ur return is which is where u would top off.

take a look at mine.... the water level of each compartment is determined by the baffle the water is flowing towards as long as its sealed to the bottom of the tank.

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[mikerobart]

The water level in my skimmer section was too high as well, and if you want to do it the easy way there is always placing your skimmer on a stand, provided you have the height required in the stand.