How long without return pumps

[aerofish]

I have gotten myself into a problem that I am hoping isn't as big of an issue as it seems right now. I have a 240g setup with dual overflows running to a 40 gallon sump. I had an outbreak of aiptasia in one of the returns and was trying to remove everything and get the piping out / take care of that issue. I found out that they way the professional movers who setup this tank glued everything together, I can't get the piping out without cutting, and even with cutting there isn't room to reattach everything. So with that I am basically out of options.

My long term plan is to buy new bulkhead fittings and get them installed with new standpipes and plumbed better. The problem is I don't want to fill up the return with all the aiptasia that was in it, and can't get it cleaned until I get the piping out. I leave tomorrow for work for 4 days. I am hoping that if I run the two MP40s put the heater in the main tank, put an airstone or two in there that it will last for 4 days. Right now it is a pretty new setup, basically a cycled tank with live rock and a handful of corals maybe 12. No fish, a few CUC snails/crabs. Will this be alright, it seems like it will be ok since I would have circulation, and it isn't stocked heavily at all, just hoping for some opinions.

I do have a nano-reef I could move coral into, it would be a tight fit, but if needed I could do that as well.

Thank you!

 

[Sk8r]

With fish, 8 hours for some tanks.

My advice would be to do anything you can to aerate that tank.

 

[aerofish]

No fish in the tank at all, just some coral frags and live rock.

 

[acabgd]

It will cetainly work for the tank, but I'd be more worried about sump water. I would actually drain the sump until you install all the plumbing. Stagnant saltwater in sump = trouble.

 

[aerofish]

That is a great point. That is certainly doable. It will only be 4 days so I was thinking the main tank would be ok.

 

[Crooked Reef]

Just keep flow in the main tank and have enough water on hand to do a water change when you get back in four days. Many people run a sump less display. That is all you will be doing for the four days. I agree to either drain the sump or put a couple of small power heads in the sump for movement. Just don't let it stagnate. If you even suspect the water in the sump is bad when you get back, dump it.

 

[Pny]

You could maybe use your return pump to circulate the water inside the sump if you attach a hose and direct the flow to your drain section.

 

[Mike Ordner]

Just point the power-heads toward the surface to make sure you have plenty of surface agitation, therefore lots of gas exchange. I do not see 4 days as any problem with what you have described.
My question is if you had aiptasia outbreak in the pipes, are they not elsewhere in your system?

 

[oh207]

Typically at 8 hours things start to die. Just point or move your powerheads closer to the surface of your water line in the DT. Try to reduce feeding (if any) and you should be fine.
Draining the sump is a good idea. Or if you can keep it flowing as suggested by rerouting the flow to the first chamber, then that would be good. If you can't keep it flowing in the sump then you don't want to put the stagnant water after 4 days into your DT. During those 4 days a lot of things will die off in the sump which leads to ammonia and you don't want to pump that back into DT.

 

[Crooked Reef]

I'm curious why people are saying that after 8 hours things will die in the display tank. He has two mp40s for flow. If things die in a display after 8 hours with the sump offline then how do people run sumpless tanks successfully? If he had no flow in the tank then it would be a problem but as long as he runs the display like any tank without a sump them why would he have an issue?

 

[Gandolfe]

I once forgot to turn my pumps back on after a water change and lost a Yellow Tang and Coral Beauty overnight as well as a couple of hermits and shrimp.

 

[Crooked Reef]

Was your return pump your primary source of water movement? I have taken my sump off line before for a couple of days and had no issues, but I have a lot of flow in my tank and powerheads aimed at the surface as well.

 

[Pife]

Since you have no fish I think you will be fine. You still want some agitation of the water surface.

 

[Big_Boss_77]

Crank those MP40s up to full, anti sync if they're wireless. Like mentioned earlier, move a bit closer to the top but make sure you're not blowing water out. If Ecotechs math is correct, that should turn the trick!