Pumps getting clogged with chaeto

[MUTiger]

I have a Red Sea Reefer 250 with a V3 sump. I removed the filter sock holder and have a Red Sea Reefmat roller in chamber 1. In the next chamber I have a Chaeto refugium. After the refugium in the largest chamber I have my protein skimmer and a pump for a media reactor. The last chamber is for the return pump.

My problem: Because the skimmer and media reactor pumps are after the Chaeto refugium, the pumps are frequently getting clogged with chaeto that makes it into that chamber. The pumps stop working well and I have to frequently clean them. A pain in the rear.

Anyone have a solution to prevent the pumps from clogging?

 

[Sam7]

I have a Red Sea Reefer 250 with a V3 sump. I removed the filter sock holder and have a Red Sea Reefmat roller in chamber 1. In the next chamber I have a Chaeto refugium. After the refugium in the largest chamber I have my protein skimmer and a pump for a media reactor. The last chamber is for the return pump.

My problem: Because the skimmer and media reactor pumps are after the Chaeto refugium, the pumps are frequently getting clogged with chaeto that makes it into that chamber. The pumps stop working well and I have to frequently clean them. A pain in the rear.

Anyone have a solution to prevent the pumps from clogging?

Maybe have to rethink if cheato is even worth it or doing anything to even justify using it. I know people all talk how great it is but show me the data.

 

[MUTiger]

Maybe have to rethink if cheato is even worth it or doing anything to even justify using it. I know people all talk how great it is but show me the data.

That was one idea I had; getting rid of the cheato.

 

[Sam7]

That was one idea I had; getting rid of the cheato.

i tried it few times myself over the years and i had similar troubles as you. If it wasnt clogging pumps it was harboring aiptasia or other unwanted waste or critters

 

[Idech]

I have a plastic protector on my pump (it came with it) so when there is chaeto on it I just remove it. Also, when my chaeto has grown enough, it does not separate anymore.

 

[Sam7]

i mean you could try some mesh or a box around the punp with like egg crate and some mesh but sooner or later same issue

 

[Sam7]

something to create more space from pump but you might not be home if it were to clog

 

[MUTiger]

The problem with something around the pumps is that the Red Sea Reefer 250 cabinet is relatively small and the V3 sump is also rather small. The pumps are in the back chamber and hard to get to so doing anything with them, even wiping off some type of mesh/egg crate/ plastic protector, would not be easy without pulling the pumps out of the sump.

The cheato may be sacrificed.

 

[mfinn]

Have you looked at a cheato reactor? I haven't seen any performance tests or reviews on them. I know they were the thing a few years ago.

 

[Subsea]

I have a Red Sea Reefer 250 with a V3 sump. I removed the filter sock holder and have a Red Sea Reefmat roller in chamber 1. In the next chamber I have a Chaeto refugium. After the refugium in the largest chamber I have my protein skimmer and a pump for a media reactor. The last chamber is for the return pump.

My problem: Because the skimmer and media reactor pumps are after the Chaeto refugium, the pumps are frequently getting clogged with chaeto that makes it into that chamber. The pumps stop working well and I have to frequently clean them. A pain in the rear.

Anyone have a solution to prevent the pumps from clogging?

OP,
Remove chaetomorphy and add live rock inoculated with pods. As a cryptic refugium, you will have zero maintenance.

 

[MUTiger]

OP,
Remove chaetomorphy and add live rock inoculated with pods. As a cryptic refugium, you will have zero maintenance.

Any particular type or brand of pods? Instead of live rock, can I use some type of bio media?

 

[Subsea]

Any particular type or brand of pods? Instead of live rock, can I use some type of bio media?

I get my pods from diver collected live rock.

With respect to a cryptic refugium, I use live rock to inoculate cryptic sponges which deal with DOC & POC.

If you want a pod refugium, you could use egg rate for surface area. If you need more bio filtration then get bio media.

 

[MUTiger]

I get my pods from diver collected live rock.

With respect to a cryptic refugium, I use live rock to inoculate cryptic sponges which deal with DOC & POC.

If you want a pod refugium, you could use egg rate for surface area. If you need more bio filtration then get bio media.

You lost me. DOC? POC?

Reef Nutrition Tigger pods work?

How about sea lettuce in the refugium instead of chaeto? The lettuce is bigger and may not escape the refugium chamber.

 

[GoAskAlice]

I started out with chaeto in my refugium and after the third time I had to pull out the skimmer and take it apart to clean chaeto out of the pump I drained the sump to clean every last piece of chaeto out. I now use that chamber as a fuge to grow pods. It contains leftover rock from the display and rock rubble (no macro algae) and in my setup the flow in the fuge is very low. This is where I dump the pods I order and also dose phytoplankton.

 

[Subsea]

You lost me. DOC? POC?

Reef Nutrition Tigger pods work?

How about sea lettuce in the refugium instead of chaeto? The lettuce is bigger and may not escape the refugium chamber.

Good luck on sea lettuce. Dump the lights and grow pods.

DOC is dDissolved Organic Carbon, which is a byproduct of photosynthesis.

POC is particulate organic carbon and consist of the microbial loop.

2

The microbial loop is a process in aquatic ecosystems where bacteria consume dissolved organic matter (DOM), and are then consumed by small organisms like microzooplankton. This reintroduces energy and nutrients back into the food web, supporting higher trophic levels like fish and marine mammals. It is a crucial part of the food web, involving bacteria, archaea, flagellates, microzooplankton, and viruses, and is vital for nutrient cycling and energy flow in marine and freshwater environments

 

[RobertK]

Some sumps, for example the Trigger Triton model sump, have an "algae blocker", an extra little baffle that supposedly prevents certain types of algae from getting into the next compartment. But I don't know if that really works or if it would help with chaeto. Does anyone know? Maybe OP could rig something like that up if it might be helpful.