How to clean a sump

[ItouchedThebutt]

Not sure if this thread area is the right place for this question as it’s probably a stupid one. But how does one clean the detritus out of their sump when it’s so low a siphon does not work..?

 

[KrisReef]

Shop vacuum after siphon bottoms out. Then add replacement water.

 

[Red_Beard]

I usually don't, maybe once every year or two. I 3d printed a crevasse tool like on a vaccuum that fits a maxi jet pump and suck it out, but the bucket style shop vac is definitely the way to go when you do though

 

[Pntbll687]

I use this. Only get 4g at a time in each bucket, but it works great! Going on three years, and never rinsed it out. Fits on lowes, home depot, and instant ocean buckets (those are the ones I have).

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bucket-...fO0AzZNBVwZzPd1BmvUaAtmPEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[KrisReef]

Buckethead!

 

[ItouchedThebutt]

I use this. Only get 4g at a time in each bucket, but it works great! Going on three years, and never rinsed it out. Fits on lowes, home depot, and instant ocean buckets (those are the ones I have).

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bucket-...fO0AzZNBVwZzPd1BmvUaAtmPEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

This would actually work great considering my water changes are 5 gallon buckets. Mine is real dirty considering I have a failed fuge that I’ve let sit to long. That being said, what is a good protein skimmer that you would recommend? I have a Red Sea 170 and sump with it. I like the Red Sea DV skimmer I just don’t know if I can justify almost 500$ for it..

 

[mjszos]

You seem to have a good answer to your question, but I'd also suggest dropping a cheap power head or 2 in your sump... I neglected my sump for a while and it got nasty, stirring it up and leaving a power head in the overflow chamber made a marked difference on the cleanliness of it.

 

[exnisstech]

We're supposed to clean our sumps lol The only time I cleaned a sump was when I broke the tank down and I scraped all the mulm and critters that had accumulated over the years and dumped it all in my new sump. I have so much life in my sumps I don't want to destroy that habitat.

 

[TX_REEF]

I wouldn't add any powerheads in your sump, extra equipment for not much reason. Just give it a vaccuum a couple times a year, I recommend this bucket head vac that attaches directly to a 5-gal bucket that you can dump down the toilet. Do the vacuuming with a regular water change to replace the lost water.

Wet Dry Vac Powerhead: https://amzn.to/49EFPA7​

 

[LPS Bum]

I use this. Only get 4g at a time in each bucket, but it works great! Going on three years, and never rinsed it out. Fits on lowes, home depot, and instant ocean buckets (those are the ones I have).

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bucket-...fO0AzZNBVwZzPd1BmvUaAtmPEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I use the same thing. Works great.

Only complaint is that it fills up a bucket too quickly.

 

[mjszos]

I wouldn't add any powerheads in your sump, extra equipment for not much reason. Just give it a vaccuum a couple times a year, I recommend this bucket head vac that attaches directly to a 5-gal bucket that you can dump down the toilet. Do the vacuuming with a regular water change to replace the lost water.

Wet Dry Vac Powerhead: https://amzn.to/49EFPA7​

Different solutions to the same problem, but I do agree with you that the bucket vac is a great option. The powerhead simply prevents detritus from building up to the point where (at least in my case), vacuuming it is necessary.

If there's a biological reason to not add extra flow to the sump I'm curious of any issues this may be causing, but for the same price as a dedicated bucket vac I can grab a cheap powerhead and address the symptoms rather than look for a cure.

 

[TX_REEF]

Different solutions to the same problem, but I do agree with you that the bucket vac is a great option. The powerhead simply prevents detritus from building up to the point where (at least in my case), vacuuming it is necessary.

If there's a biological reason to not add extra flow to the sump I'm curious of any issues this may be causing, but for the same price as a dedicated bucket vac I can grab a cheap powerhead and address the symptoms rather than look for a cure.

Either way the detritus has to be removed, unless you are not using mechanical filtration prior to the return pump and just suspending everything back into the display water column, then I definitely get your point.

 

[mjszos]

Either way the detritus has to be removed, unless you are not using mechanical filtration prior to the return pump and just suspending everything back into the display water column, then I definitely get your point.

It became significantly less of a problem after the introduction of a fleece roller, but ultimately the goal was to just keep anything that comes from the overflow suspended to continue being recirculated and pulled out by the roller and skimmer. Seemed like a decent enough solution that wouldn't disturb the microfauna via manual removal methods.

 

[Lavey29]

We're supposed to clean our sumps lol The only time I cleaned a sump was when I broke the tank down and I scraped all the mulm and critters that had accumulated over the years and dumped it all in my new sump. I have so much life in my sumps I don't want to destroy that habitat.

Mine looks like a swamp

 

[Ef4life]

I have a small pump I routed back to the filter sock to suck up detritus in the sump on one system

 

[Sdoutreefer]

I wouldn't add any powerheads in your sump, extra equipment for not much reason. Just give it a vaccuum a couple times a year, I recommend this bucket head vac that attaches directly to a 5-gal bucket that you can dump down the toilet. Do the vacuuming with a regular water change to replace the lost water.

Wet Dry Vac Powerhead: https://amzn.to/49EFPA7​

Why do you recommend to NOT add a powerhead to the sump?

I have been noodling on adding one to my system, so just curious what your stance is.

 

[Lavey29]

Why do you recommend to NOT add a powerhead to the sump?

I have been noodling on adding one to my system, so just curious what your stance is.

Because you need dwell time in the sump for the water to filter properly. This is why they recommend 3x to 5x turnover only through the sumo via your return pump.

 

[TX_REEF]

Why do you recommend to NOT add a powerhead to the sump?

I have been noodling on adding one to my system, so just curious what your stance is.

I just don't like to have extra things to plug in/clean/worry about clogging

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Because you need dwell time in the sump for the water to filter properly. This is why they recommend 3x to 5x turnover only through the sumo via your return pump.

That makes perfect sense! Thanks :)

 

[Knucker]

This would actually work great considering my water changes are 5 gallon buckets. Mine is real dirty considering I have a failed fuge that I’ve let sit to long. That being said, what is a good protein skimmer that you would recommend? I have a Red Sea 170 and sump with it. I like the Red Sea DV skimmer I just don’t know if I can justify almost 500$ for it..

If you have algae in a fuge it didn't fail.