Muddy overflows

Miami Reef · Feb 11, 2024

I was recently faced with a plumbing problem in my tank which resulted in me checking out the overflows for the first time in 2 years of the tank running.

There’s quite a bit of MUD down there. It settled on the bottom a few inches high.

I siphoned part of it out during my water change, but couldn’t get it all out because the water in the overflow ran out. I think a wet vac could have been amazing, but my tank is high and the overflows are in the back in a narrow spot. I’d need a longer vacuum tube extender.

Does anyone else develop mud in their sump? Do you care to remove it?

It was very satisfying to remove it. The brute can was DIRTY.

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · Feb 12, 2024

I've had a bunch of "mud" in the overflows of tanks (and in the sumps). It's usually just mulm and doesn't really have any impact on the system.

JC1977 · Feb 12, 2024

When I shut down my 180 I found the “mud” you’re talking about. I wondered how much it had or had not affected water quality. I’m with you though on my 360 it would be really difficult to siphon or get my shop vac back into the overflows.

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · Feb 12, 2024

Miami Reef said:
I was recently faced with a plumbing problem in my tank which resulted in me checking out the overflows for the first time in 2 years of the tank running.

There’s quite a bit of MUD down there. It settled on the bottom a few inches high.

I siphoned part of it out during my water change, but couldn’t get it all out because the water in the overflow ran out. I think a wet vac could have been amazing, but my tank is high and the overflows are in the back in a narrow spot. I’d need a longer vacuum tube extender.

Does anyone else develop mud in their sump? Do you care to remove it?

It was very satisfying to remove it. The brute can was DIRTY.

Often the "mud" is a good home for copepods...