Reefer maintenance and physical limitations… open to suggestions

[reefshawn]

Admittedly the issue is with me. Here’s the situation… due to personal issues I’m trying to figure out if there’s a way to decrease my aquarium maintenance demands to something very low, or if I need to get out of the hobby.

I have a Red Sea Reefer 250. An issue I have is that detritus builds up in two of the sump compartments. The one where the filter socks are and the one next to it that water flows into. About once a month I have to clean these out pretty thoroughly. I couldn’t figure out how to do it well so I ended up buying a shop vac which helps a lot. There’s some that gets into the compartment with the skimmer and I simply can’t reach it due to back issues. The space under the tank seemed roomy before age started catching up with me.

I am surprised the two filter socks don’t work better than they do. As far as I can tell I have them situated the way they’re supposed to be. They do collect some detritus.

I probably was over feeding a bit when I first started the tank up a few years ago. I have not been replacing my fish as they pass away and now only have corral in the tank. So I haven’t been feeding fish, so it’s just sort of average detritus levels but it’s a literal pain to keep up with.

I guess I am posting this to see if anyone has any ideas on how to make this less labor intense? Is there something I need to look into correcting about the filter sock? Any tricks to cleaning the hard for me to reach sump chambers? Thanks.

PS: Water changes are an issue as well but I have that one figured out… I have pumps in my water mixing container and in my water container and the container is on a dolly.

 

[Cristy17]

Admittedly the issue is with me. Here’s the situation… due to personal issues I’m trying to figure out if there’s a way to decrease my aquarium maintenance demands to something very low, or if I need to get out of the hobby.

I have a Red Sea Reefer 250. An issue I have is that detritus builds up in two of the sump compartments. The one where the filter socks are and the one next to it that water flows into. About once a month I have to clean these out pretty thoroughly. I couldn’t figure out how to do it well so I ended up buying a shop vac which helps a lot. There’s some that gets into the compartment with the skimmer and I simply can’t reach it due to back issues. The space under the tank seemed roomy before age started catching up with me.

I am surprised the two filter socks don’t work better than they do. As far as I can tell I have them situated the way they’re supposed to be. They do collect some detritus.

I probably was over feeding a bit when I first started the tank up a few years ago. I have not been replacing my fish as they pass away and now only have corral in the tank. So I haven’t been feeding fish, so it’s just sort of average detritus levels but it’s a literal pain to keep up with.

I guess I am posting this to see if anyone has any ideas on how to make this less labor intense? Is there something I need to look into correcting about the filter sock? Any tricks to cleaning the hard for me to reach sump chambers? Thanks.

PS: Water changes are an issue as well but I have that one figured out… I have pumps in my water mixing container and in my water container and the container is on a dolly.

I suggest putting a power head in that compartment to stir up the detritus and keep it suspended. Sure it will cloud the water at first but once the water returns from the tank it will have to go through the socks again. I would also get the really thick socks that you have to wash out, not the mesh, since they allow more fine particles to go through. Good luck!

 

[MaxTremors]

I suggest putting a power head in that compartment to stir up the detritus and keep it suspended. Sure it will cloud the water at first but once the water returns from the tank it will have to go through the socks again. I would also get the really thick socks that you have to wash out, not the mesh, since they allow more fine particles to go through. Good luck!

This is the answer.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I would say half or more of us “feel your pain” wanting to simplify and lessen the amount of work we put into this hobby. So I believe you’re in good company. Your detritus situation from my prospective is this: So I’m guessing you have one, two or three filter socks? You also have detritus bypassing those for some reason into other sump chambers that you don’t want them to. If you let your socks get filled and not cleaned every (3-5 days) you’ll have more than a dirty sump to deal with like rising nitrates. If your socks are immediately after your drain lines, you shouldn’t have much of a problem. Also to have some course sponge somewhere after your drain would help as well. Maintenance becomes less of a pain when we do less of it. Also keep an eye on your feeding habits. Some foods make more mess than others. Good luck!!!

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Admittedly the issue is with me. Here’s the situation… due to personal issues I’m trying to figure out if there’s a way to decrease my aquarium maintenance demands to something very low, or if I need to get out of the hobby.

I have a Red Sea Reefer 250. An issue I have is that detritus builds up in two of the sump compartments. The one where the filter socks are and the one next to it that water flows into. About once a month I have to clean these out pretty thoroughly. I couldn’t figure out how to do it well so I ended up buying a shop vac which helps a lot. There’s some that gets into the compartment with the skimmer and I simply can’t reach it due to back issues. The space under the tank seemed roomy before age started catching up with me.

I am surprised the two filter socks don’t work better than they do. As far as I can tell I have them situated the way they’re supposed to be. They do collect some detritus.

I probably was over feeding a bit when I first started the tank up a few years ago. I have not been replacing my fish as they pass away and now only have corral in the tank. So I haven’t been feeding fish, so it’s just sort of average detritus levels but it’s a literal pain to keep up with.

I guess I am posting this to see if anyone has any ideas on how to make this less labor intense? Is there something I need to look into correcting about the filter sock? Any tricks to cleaning the hard for me to reach sump chambers? Thanks.

PS: Water changes are an issue as well but I have that one figured out… I have pumps in my water mixing container and in my water container and the container is on a dolly.

Like you, I purchased an inexpensive shop vac to clean out my sump. One thing I have done that has really improved the clean up though is putting flat filter padding at the bottom of the sump. My LFS carries it for $1.29/foot. I just pull the pieces out occasionally and replace them. It has made things so much easier! I also use filter floss in the plastic holders instead of filter socks. Again, less work and you just throw it away. The floss is available online or at Jo Anne stores.

4" Acrylic Filter Media Cup

Replace your 4" filter socks and replace them with the DVH Aquatics Acrylic Filter Media Cup! If you do not like to wash your filter socks and looking for something that can take its place? The media cup can hold just about any type of filtration media, from filter floss, ceramic media, carbon...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

https://www.joann.com/32oz-poly-fil-premium-polyester-fiberfill/7400203.html

 

[reefshawn]

I would say half or more of us “feel your pain” wanting to simplify and lessen the amount of work we put into this hobby. So I believe you’re in good company. Your detritus situation from my prospective is this: So I’m guessing you have one, two or three filter socks? You also have detritus bypassing those for some reason into other sump chambers that you don’t want them to. If you let your socks get filled and not cleaned every (3-5 days) you’ll have more than a dirty sump to deal with like rising nitrates. If your socks are immediately after your drain lines, you shouldn’t have much of a problem. Also to have some course sponge somewhere after your drain would help as well. Maintenance becomes less of a pain when we do less of it. Also keep an eye on your feeding habits. Some foods make more mess than others. Good luck!!!

Thanks for the reply. I’ve been trying to figure this out actually. I can go
Nuts and clean the socks daily and see that they are catching stuff, but there’s still detritus in the chamber below and next to them. The detritus is very fine like powdered sugar. It looks like I am using a 225 micron filter bag. The other chamber is a hard plastic “cup holder” where I put bags of carbon. Someone mentioned using thicker socks. Im not sure of the micron number on those but maybe that is something to look into too. Sponge is a good idea I will get one.

 

[reefshawn]

Like you, I purchased an inexpensive shop vac to clean out my sump. One thing I have done that has really improved the clean up though is putting flat filter padding at the bottom of the sump. My LFS carries it for $1.29/foot. I just pull the pieces out occasionally and replace them. It has made things so much easier! I also use filter floss in the plastic holders instead of filter socks. Again, less work and you just throw it away. The floss is available online or at Jo Anne stores.

4" Acrylic Filter Media Cup

Replace your 4" filter socks and replace them with the DVH Aquatics Acrylic Filter Media Cup! If you do not like to wash your filter socks and looking for something that can take its place? The media cup can hold just about any type of filtration media, from filter floss, ceramic media, carbon...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

https://www.joann.com/32oz-poly-fil-premium-polyester-fiberfill/7400203.html

Oh nice. I will give the poly filter and flat filter ideas a try.

Hey on the flat filter… I forget now what I was doing but I had something in the chamber like that at one time… maybe it was a sponge can’t remember… anyway every time I would start to lift it out to clean/replace it, it would just spew filth everywhere. Is there a trick to not accidentally ringing the thing out when grabbing things like this?

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

What about getting a filter fleece roller to reduce your maintainence in the sump?

 

[homer1475]

Why not just stop cleaning the sump so much? Think I clean mine maybe once a year, maybe every other year.

That detritus that accumulates makes great pod homes, and has been shown to be pretty inert.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Oh nice. I will give the poly filter and flat filter ideas a try.

Hey on the flat filter… I forget now what I was doing but I had something in the chamber like that at one time… maybe it was a sponge can’t remember… anyway every time I would start to lift it out to clean/replace it, it would just spew filth everywhere. Is there a trick to not accidentally ringing the thing out when grabbing things like this?

Carefully fold it up before you pull it out.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Thanks for the reply. I’ve been trying to figure this out actually. I can go
Nuts and clean the socks daily and see that they are catching stuff, but there’s still detritus in the chamber below and next to them. The detritus is very fine like powdered sugar. It looks like I am using a 225 micron filter bag. The other chamber is a hard plastic “cup holder” where I put bags of carbon. Someone mentioned using thicker socks. Im not sure of the micron number on those but maybe that is something to look into too. Sponge is a good idea I will get one.

So there’s your problem reefshawn, you have one filter sock and a media basket that fits nicely into the other sock holder. Place your carbon in a mod-flow area of your sump and buy another filter sock. Chuck the basket.