Snails in Pumps

[hobbyreefer]

I temporarily moved some of my DT rock to my sump and now I'm noticing several snails crawling around. Last night I was awoken to a loud grinding noise and I found a snail in my UV pump (COR 20). This stuff only happens in the middle of the night...

Is this something I need to worry about? I see you can buy screens for the Vectra pumps but I don't see similar screens for the Neptune pumps. My main return pump is a Vectra M2. Do I need to install screens?

I will try to manually remove as many snails as possible but I just wanted to get a judge for how critical of an issue this is.

 

[Ron Reefman]

First thing is, yes, this kind of stuff always happen between 2 hours after you fall asleep to a hour before you suppose to get up! ALWAYS!

If the openings for your big pumps are big enough for snails or crabs to get into them, then you either need some kind of protection over the intake (don't make it fine or it will get dirty and clog) or you need to keep snails and crabs from getting into that area of the sump, tank, whatever.

The intake of most return pumps are threaded and there are 'cages' made that thread on.

 

[Miller535]

Maybe you could buy one of those media bags that has the draw strings, and tie it around the intake?

Or maybe even try sitting the pump in a filter sock?

 

[hobbyreefer]

Thanks for the ideas. I ordered the screen from Ecotech for my Vectra. It looks pretty big in the picture, so I'm not sure I have enough room. I may try the media bag idea for my Cor20.