Way to keep a sump spotless!

[xwafflesx]

My snails keep mine clean

 

[dsh92056]

I never clean my sump. One, I think there is more beneficial things in a sump that is natural then a sump that is sterile. And 2 it’s a PITA to clean. I’ll clean pumps, skimmer, cut back cheato, and change out 1/2 the miracle mud yearly.

 

[-XENOMORPH-]

Use your gravel vaccuum or hose and empty into a filter sock. No water loss like shopvac.

 

[Reefnewb0812]

Hi all!

Thought id start a thread about how you all keep your sump clean.

I have a large sump and I get lots of detritus. I can't seem to get nitrates under control and Im starting to think its all that build up.

Ive tried the shop vac method but it sucks so much water out.

My stand's doors have acrylic so you can see the awesome color coordinated plumbing and the sump from Synergy reef so I want it to be clean since you can see everything.

Im going to try using a powerhead to blow all the detritus around and hook up an external canister filter to filter all out.

Thoughts??

How do you keep your sump spotless???

Try keeping emerald crabs or hermits in the sump? I have them in mine and it stays spotless.

 

[Waters]

I use something similar to this which just attaches to a small powerhead. Doesn't pull a ton of water out. I will do a small sump water change when I decide I want to use it and clean.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/mjv-sc-vacuum-attachment-vivid-creative-aquatics.html

 

[Doctorgori]

Pods love detritus so I keep a dirty chamber/ refugium; somewhere…
otherwise I generally keep the skimmer and return sections clear of algae, pineapple sponges and dirt, et…
…I breakdown & wet/ dry vac 2x/yr or during a major H2O change

 

[reefer2/19/24]

I’m not convinced keeping a sump clean is needed or desirable, and I let detritus accumulate to nearly an inch thick mud over many years.

The last time I cleaned my sump and tried to remove the detritus it had a negative effect on the tank. Not sure exactly why but I definitely saw a before and after effect. Maybe that detritus has some kind of beneficial element to it? I would definitely not use a power head to stir it up. Shop vac if you have to get it out and just suck it up and treat it as a water change. I have to clean my return pump in a month or two so I hook up my house vacuum head attachment with the bristles on it to the shop vac hose and freak out while doing it. Make sure that the shut off ball is working! Last time I blew about a half gallon of funk all over the carpet. Good times!

 

[reefer2/19/24]

Use your gravel vaccuum or hose and empty into a filter sock. No water loss like shopvac.

But the sump sitting so low to the floor how do create a siphon?

 

[Science/G]

Electric gravel washers are great for this job. I blow off my rocks and siphon detritus with a turkey baster in my bare bottom reef, then, during water changes water changes, use my gravel washer in the sump to clean out the excess that found its way there.

 

[OriginalUserName]

I’m not convinced keeping a sump clean is needed or desirable, and I let detritus accumulate to nearly an inch thick mud over many years.

Man, hearing that sure makes me feel better about the layer of sludge in my sump on my semi-neglected old tank that I just took down. It was thick.

 

[Royce White]

I have 2 sea urchins in mine. They don't do much with the detritus but they spend a lot of time looking for algea.

 

[Ranjib]

Canister filters can get rid of the larger detritus, but it also stir up and create lots more fine particles. I tried this method to clean the sump, it’s not a very efficient way, but it does have some effect. You get cloudy water like the new tanks for few hours at least