Compression Baffles

[David Grigor]

For those planning to build a sump from a glass tank. You may find this interesting. I'm about to build one from a 55g tank and will try this method instead of messy silicone......

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_3/cav3i1/Baffles/baffles.htm

[RogersCG]

Thanks David!

I am about to build a sump with a 40 breeder and think I'll try this also. Any idea where to get the Marine/Outdoor EPDM foam rubber weather stripping? Is that something they carry at a hardware store?

[mtfatwork]

hmmm, I wonder how hard this would be to do with my rubbermaid sump? Might be a little difficult to get the cuts right on the rims, but an awsome idea :)

[mtfatwork]

Any idea where to get the Marine/Outdoor EPDM foam rubber weather stripping? Is that something they carry at a hardware store?


I am willing to bet you could find it at Fleet Farm in the boat section.

[YiNYaNg]

Good find

[storrisch]

should also be in the hardware section of any Home Depot where you find the door sweeps.

[Chris Goetz]

Neat idea. I'd have to make extra sure that I didn't rely on the baffles to not leak 100% and plan to have enough room in case any of the baffles leaked.

Chris

[David Grigor]

Since everything is self contained in the sump itself, I'm not at all worried about baffle failure absolute worst case nothing ends up on the floor anyway.

I was just at Menards, they have EPDM weather stripping, it says Door/Windows on it but nothing that specifically said Outdoor/Marine. I'm going to try it anyway, didn't say anything about mold inhibitors or anything on it. $6 for 17feet of it.

[David Grigor]

hmmm, I wonder how hard this would be to do with my rubbermaid sump? Might be a little difficult to get the cuts right on the rims, but an awsome idea :)

If sump side walls flex or bow, I would think the compression wouldn't work.

[mtfatwork]

the walls are way to thick to flex or bow, but it is like one of those horse trough ones and I think the ridges would be a pain to cut to fit properly

[patent]

hmmm, I wonder how hard this would be to do with my rubbermaid sump? Might be a little difficult to get the cuts right on the rims, but an awsome idea :)

I thought about trying it with mine, but the amount of work to get the glass right just seemed prohibitive. I figured you can fill in mistakes a little easier with silicon.

[hypertech]

Using this method, you could use any (waterproof) material you want for the baffles. I'm going to try to remember this because I could get some cheap plastic panels and cut them on my table saw fairly accurately.

[David Grigor]

Well, I have read a bit more reviews on this technique, and long term results are not good. It will be perfectly fine for all the intermediate baffles that have virtually no pressure on them, but the final baffle than can be underpressure due to water evaporation will likely fail sooner rather than later.........

So if I have to silicon in the last baffle probably just as easy to silicone them all.....