Sump Clean Up Crew Thoughts?

[Reggae Fish]

Curious about what people are doing for clean up crews in the sump. I have a lot of what looks like "sawdust" on the bottom. However, I also have some where my pump is located. What types of cleanup crews would work best down there to clean that crap up? Turbos, Astreas, Nass., Starfish, etc...

 

[sirreal63]

A Python water vacuume. Suck it out at water changes. Detrius gets to a point where nothing will consume it then it is time to suck it out.

 

[Reggae Fish]

Well I'll do that better going forward, however, there are areas that would be impossible to get to. What do you recommend? What eats that crap the best?

 

[Nanook]

Perhaps nothing eats that stuff??? I think I would just siphon it out with water changes like Jack recommended.

 

[Reggae Fish]

So don't waste my money putting a clean up crew down there? That's kindof what I'm gathering. But don't Nassarius eat a TON of detritus?

 

[Nanook]

I think the Nassarius snails eat bits of decaying food, algae, etc in the sandbed. The fluff at the bottom of the sump may or may not be food and the animals will still poop it out. I think they would probably just starve down there after a while without supplemental feeding.

 

[Reggae Fish]

Here's what I was looking off
The Nassarius snail is one of the best detritus eaters for an aquarium with a sandbed and will also eat uneaten food, decaying organics and fish waste

Cerith
One of the most ideal scavengers, detritus eaters, and algae eaters these snails are perfect for the reef aquarium, quickly devouring detritus, uneaten food, decaying organics, fish waste, and several types of nuisance algae.

Would adding a fuge to my system help this out? I've been thinking about it but wasn't sure exactly how to go about it. Sand, miracle mud, etc...? Thoughts?

 

[sirreal63]

Bristle worms consume almost everything dead, but remember at some point what is left over will not be consumed....suck it out. Once a month or when it collects enough...siphoning is the easiest thing to do. You are doing water changes anyway...it is the perfect time to clean the sump.

 

[Reggae Fish]

Jack, I hear you. I'm just wondering if I should also have something down there for "extra" measures

 

[capncapo]

Believe it or not.....Nassarius snail are carrion eaters....they like meat When starving they MAY eat anything they can find but not to any great degree.

 

[latazyo]

How, hypothetically, of course, if someone's sump was only 2-3" off the ground and covered with said sawdust stuff, would you siphon that out?

 

[Nanook]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10554999#post10554999 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by latazyo
How, hypothetically, of course, if someone's sump was only 2-3" off the ground and covered with said sawdust stuff, would you siphon that out?

Small pump like a maxijet or rio should do the trick just fine.

 

[Nanook]

hypothetically, of course

 

[latazyo]

great, I'll tell my friend to try that in his sump that has tons of the sawdust stuff

 

[sirreal63]

I use the Python and it works great.

Keep a healthy population of bristles...they are amazing cleaners.

 

[latazyo]

oh yeah, the python runs via the sink....duh

 

[StupidsReef]

Your suppose to clean the sump??!! Yikes!! Just like good 'lo Jack to ruin my dream!! Now I have to go clean my sump I just wanted to set up the tank and walk away from it! Darnit.

Reggae, I use a clear tube that fits a Maxi-jet one on both ends (U can buy @ Lowes or HD really cheap) and suck it out. The tubes are flexiable and easly fits into tight places. Ahh, (I like this part here) I do it when I'm doing a water change Like that one very old and crusty guy who is jumping ship named JACK said. U can still put a few snails of your choice in the sump to help control what they can though, But you'll still have to clean the sawdust as U call it out buy hand ( tube or whatever).

 

[sirreal63]

It's totally tubular dude!!!!

 

[JxMetal]

what's a python? other than the obvious "its a snake dummy! hahahLOlLOLllOOL"

 

[Nanook]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10559697#post10559697 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JxMetal
what's a python? other than the obvious "its a snake dummy! hahahLOlLOLllOOL"

A totally tubular device that hooks up to your faucet and is used for water changes on aquariums.