Pressure Locking Sump Baffles Question      7/19/14
Hi WWM Team,
<Paul>
First off I want to start by saying thank you so much for the website you guys put up / manage. Time and time again I've had many of my fresh and saltwater questions answered by your various articles and q&a.
<Ah good>
This is my first time contacting you guys but I had a quick question regarding an old article found here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_3/cav3i1/Baffles/bafflesart.htm
My question is, would you guys be able to provide the brand/type of EPDM weather stripping used in this guide?
<Mmm; unfortunately I cannot. And the young fellow who penned this piece is no longer associated>
I found one by M-D Building Products at Home Depot/Lowes but the thickness is 5/16" of an inch whereas the article recommends a 1/8" on each sides of the baffles. I think this may still work due to the M style channel design of the weather stripping but if you guys could possibly confirm or get a hold of the author of the article to confirm that would be greatly appreciated! I did compare photos of the roll and they do seem like the same product the thickness is what's throwing me off.
Thanks Again
Paul
<Well... IF all the material is EPDM it should be fine... If in doubt at all I would do a few weeks bioassay with some smallish fishes and invertebrates, to assure the material is non-toxic. Bob Fenner>
Re: Pressure Locking Sump Baffles Question      7/19/14
Thank you guys for the very fast response, I figured it was a long shot getting a hold of the original author. I will do a bit more research, it seems other saltwater enthusiast have used all the various EPDM weather
stripping even the window/door ones without any catastrophes so I think I will be safe as well. In the unlikely case that I do run into issues I'll be certain to let you guys know so you can add it to the article to save other hobbyist the headache.
<Cheers and thank you. BobF>

Pressure Locking Sump Baffles 4/7/08
Hello Crew,
<Hello Ian.>
I am ever so grateful for the site, it is always the first resource I turn to.
<Great to hear!>
I would like to see if any of you had gotten feedback or had tried Josh McMillen's pressure locking sump baffle DIY project. I recently attempted,
and found it near impossible to "tap" the baffles inplace without displacing the EPDM. Argh! Would love to hear about other experiences that may cast light on my predicament. Thanks for everything!
-Ian
<First of all, I love this method and refer people to it quite frequently. I encourage anyone that is the slightest bit mechanically inclined to DIY a sump and this is by far the easiest and most cost effective method for a nice, finished looking sump. The EPDM being displaced can be a problem. Make sure the edge you are adhering the foam to is clean. Sometimes there can be oils from your hands or even residue from the saw blade used to cut the acrylic. A quick wipe down with denatured alcohol will solve this and help the EPDM stick to the acrylic. Next, be sure to lubricate between the EPDM and the glass to keep it from sticking and ripping off the foam. A little water will do the trick, if you have some water based lubricant you can use this also. It will wash off easily enough once you are done. If none of the above works you may have the acrylic cut too tight and need to narrow it a bit at a time until you get just the right fit. I have included the link below for the benefit of those that have not seen it. Welcome, I hope this helps you with your issue, Scott V.>

EPDM used in the Article by Joshua McMillen 2/23/08
Hello from Michigan.
<Hello from wet California.>
Where can I find EPDM from Joshua’s article regarding baffles. I have looked around the net but I want to be sure I am getting the right stuff. Internet sale would be great. By the way thank you Scott V for the very fast response to my baffle question!!!
<You’re very welcome. The EPDM can be found at just about any local hardware store. If you wish to buy online, Mcmaster.com has it for a little over $12 for a 50 foot roll. Part no. 93725K72. Have fun, Scott V.>

Baffle Adhesion 12/31/07
Hey guys,
<And gals, hello Bill.>
Yes I have looked around on your site and everywhere but there are just too many different answers to this. I thought I had it figured out till now. My question is simply. I have a 20g glass aquarium that I am making into a sump. Simple question is what glue do you use??? If it is a glass aquarium then use glass baffles not acrylic as it will expand and can possibly break your tank.
<I wouldn’t worry about breaking the tank, just bonding the acrylic to glass if you plan to have water levels vary much from compartment to compartment.>
Is this true and also silicone will not adhere to the acrylic baffles to glass.
<It will for the simple purpose of a baffle, not a tank divider.>
Use glass for glass and acrylic for acrylic. Use silicone for glass and Weld-on for acrylic.
<For the strongest in each respective material, yes.>
Someone else said that the use of Marine Goop was better than 100% silicone for glass.
<No.>
Simply question and so many different answers. I just want to do it right the first time.
Thanks
Bill
<If you are looking to silicone in acrylic baffles in the glass tank just as a bubble trap, you will be fine. If you want to divide the tank and have a separate refugium that will have a significantly higher water level than the rest of the sump, use glass and silicone. There is an option of moveable baffles in the link below. Welcome, have fun with the project, Scott V.>
http://wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_3/cav3i1/Baffles/baffles.htm

Pressure Locking Baffles For Sump Idea 7/6/07
Dear WWM:
Excellent article from Joshua on his method for sump construction.
Question - I found "EPDM Foam Rubber Weather Stripping for Doors & Windows". Is this the same stuff as "EPDM Marine & Outdoor Foam Rubber" mentioned in the article?
<Mmmm, possibly not...>
Don't know if the EPDM I found could be harmful as compared to the article's suggestion.
Thank you!
John
<A good idea to contact the manufacturer and ask... the EPDM itself should be safe/chemically inert, but there may be other materials involved (adhesives, coatings...) that you want to avoid. Bob Fenner>

Acrylic Thickness for Pressure-Lock Baffles - 03/31/07
Hello Crew,
<<Jeremy>>
I have a question about this article.      
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_3/cav3i1/Baffles/baffles.htm
Does the Lucite or acrylic have to be 1/4-inch thick?
<<Hmmm...>>
Could thinner acrylic work or would the weather stripping not hold?
<<I think the bigger issue is whether or not the thinner acrylic will "bow" too much under the pressure of the friction fit involved with this method.  If the acrylic does not prove to be too flimsy, the weather-stripping will probably hold long enough to put the baffles in place.  It is worth trying anyway...in my opinion>>
Thanks,
Jeremy
<<Happy to share.  EricR>>

Adhesive On EPDM Foam Rubber - 04/17/2006
Hello Crew!
<Hello Andy!>
Thanks for such an awesome resource. My question pertains to an article I read on your website regarding DIY sumps, particularly the way the baffles were set in the sump. Here's the link for reference:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_3/cav3i1/Baffles/baffles.htm
<Hey, I wrote that!>
I just wanted to double check on the EPDM foam rubber weather stripping used in the article. Is the adhesive on the foam safe for all types of marine life such as corals and other inverts?
<Yep! The same stuff they put on the foam padding to keep pumps from vibrating against your sump.>
If so, I will definitely be using this method, but I was just curious if there had been any discussion on the subject.
<Hmm...no discussions I know of...except this one! Thank you for reading my article, hope you found it useful.>
Thanks,
Andy
<Quite welcome. - Josh>

Glass Pressure-Locking Sump Baffles?   4/4/07
Is Josh in the house? Questions on Glass Baffles...
Hi,
<Hello Laura.>
I read your article regarding the Pressure Locking Sump Baffles and found it very interesting!  
<Laura this article was actually written by another crew-member; Josh McMillen (yes...there are more than one of us). Unfortunately Josh is not a participating member at the moment so he could not answer you personally. I'll be able to answer your questions though and I will attempt to track Josh down to see if he wants to/can add anything.>
I just have a couple quick, questions though.
<No problem.>
Will this
work if I am using a glass tank and glass baffles, or will the glass baffles
be too heavy for this to hold?
<You could use glass baffles, however for your average hobbyist, sheets of acrylic are probably easier to attain and cut.  Most glass offered to your average hobbyist is tempered and difficult to impossible to cut. My inclination is that Josh recommended acrylic because it makes for a much easier DIY project.  The only way you would easily be able to get the properly sized glass (unless you are familiar with glass/works) is from a glass shop...which would defeat the purpose of a DIY project for most.>
Also, will this method work for a high water
flow such as 1000gph?
<If done properly; yes, there are many aquariums in which 1000gph is not very high at all.>
Thanks so much for your help, and this wonderful
article!
<Again not my article...but I will attempt to CC the author.>
Laura
<Adam J.>