Robert,

You should have 1 inch of drop per each foot of sluice .  Water should have a nice V shape when it enters the sluice. You may have to channel the water into the sluice with rocks if the water is slow.  Have a 1/4 inch classifier. Let the sluice clear out  If the water is to fast you will blow everything out the end. I'll see if I can find a video and get back to you later. Got to get going for now.

Scott L.

Each sluice and setup is a bit different. the general rule of thumb is 1 inch per foot and a deep V water flow at the head of the box. me personally it depends on which sluice I am running. with the gold hog stream sluice I run it at about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inch per foot drop, a hair steeper than some. if I am running my martin stream sluice with riffles I run it about 1 inch per foot. if I am running 1 of my 3 angus sluices I run them about flat, as the drop riffle system seems to work better that way for me. the biggest thing to look at is your sluice building up too fast, running water to slow for the material, if is cleaning out too fast, blowing out everything, are you classifying material before you run it? all those things you have to tinker with to find what works best for you and your sluice. just my thoughts on it.

Freddie

US Navy Retired

Great tips, all my sluices take a little tweeking to be just right. keeping it level side to side and watch the first scoop. William spelled it out the best I think. velocity of flow determines how quick it works not how well. If I am facing low flow I classify down, sometimes to 16. I run the bigger stuff first. My fluid bed sluices, when I have enough flow just keep on taking it. The thing is, I have watched a sluice work just fine being completely submerged except for the edge of the flare.  I would hate to try and set up below a dam discharge, better be good gold.