Continuous vacuum

[Yahtzee170]

I've been removing algae from my Red Sea Reefer by siphoning from the tank into the filter sock in the sump. Doing this lets me vacuum for as long as I'd like without doing water changes.

My other tank lacks a sump but I'm wondering if it's possible to do something similar using a pump.

My idea would be to create a closed system with an in line pump, ideally that can be operated out of the water. Maybe something like this Cobalt inline pump and add a filter prior to the pump intake something like this Inline filter but preferably with mesh rather than a stainless steel strainer.

Another option would be to use a canister filter like this Zoo med canister, although I'm not sure the pump would create enough suction.

Has anyone had success with something like this? Open to any suggestions

 

[theatrus]

I've been removing algae from my Red Sea Reefer by siphoning from the tank into the filter sock in the sump. Doing this lets me vacuum for as long as I'd like without doing water changes.

My other tank lacks a sump but I'm wondering if it's possible to do something similar using a pump.

My idea would be to create a closed system with an in line pump, ideally that can be operated out of the water. Maybe something like this Cobalt inline pump and add a filter prior to the pump intake something like this Inline filter but preferably with mesh rather than a stainless steel strainer.

Another option would be to use a canister filter like this Zoo med canister, although I'm not sure the pump would create enough suction.

Has anyone had success with something like this? Open to any suggestions

None of the pumps really create suction (centrifugal water pumps don't), and a pump intake can clog easily. I'd recommend just using the canister filter as an in-place large debris pickup, as it has enough filter surface area to not clog up constantly.

 

[azreefkeeper]

Fast-forward 5+ months and I'm looking to do something similar both to get larger detritus out of the DT but also to occasionally clean the refugium and a chamber with some broken up aragonite rocks that are used to add surface area for bacteria. Yahtzee170, were you ever able to make your setup work? Did you go the canister filter route as theatrus suggested?

I'm really surprised that there is an "aquarium vacuum" on the market (at least not one that I've seen).

 

[Ribo15]

Eheim makes one but it will suck up sand would have to try to be very careful when using it