Sump cleaning

[Tomoko Schum]

Hi,

I see a bunch of detritus collecting on the bottom of my sump. I am afraid that it's time to clean this stuff up. There's a lot collecting after three years.

Does any of you have a convenient method for this?

I recall reading Melev's method of sucking detritus out with a powerhead and a tubing... Doesn't this sound like I need a big bucket and a filter sock or something hanging in it to catch the detritus. I suppose I can take the hose back into the sump. This should work if I can only manage to get the end of my unruly plastic tubing to go back and stay in my sump without spraying water all over the place in the process....

I have never done this before since the previous sump had a fuge section with a shallow sand bed in the middle and I never worried about it much.

Tomoko

 

[cichlid nutz]

a magnum 250 makes a wonderful "no water loss" vacuum system when you use the micron crtridge. hth.

 

[Riner]

I agree with cichlid.

I use a magnum H.O.T for cleaning sumps and water polishing. The micron filter works wonders.

Before I bought a magnum, I just sucked it all out with a python when doing a water change.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Do they still come with one of those hose and brush like assembly? It's called something like a power Kleen? How do you guys use it like a vacuum cleaner?

Tomoko

 

[H@rry]

I never like to get the words "filter" or "micron" involved in my reef tanks as far as filtration is concerned. I think there is a lot of beneficial stuff in there that I don' t want removed. I rely on current to churn up all the detritus and let the skimmer pick up what it can.

I do weekly 5 gallon water changes. When I take the water out I take the chaeto from the sump and "shampoo" it in the water I just drained out of the tank. This seems to keep everything stirred up and clean.

 

[Mariner]

For several months I have had incredible amounts of detritus collecting in the sump on my 40g. It won't go three weeks, let alone three years, bufore I have to clean it out. It's a small sump, so I just use an extra large turkey baster... very labor intensive... not recommending this method. Powerhad and tubing sounds quick and efficient.
Mariner

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Powerhead and tubing is certainly cheaper than a Magnum 250 unless I can find a used one cheaply.

I have some live rock rubbles in my Rubbermaid sump to hold down a couple of containers which are my baffle plate substitutes. Unfortunately detritus collects under and around the rubbles and the containers that hold them.

Tomoko

 

[PaPa_Johnny]

Do you have a gravel vac laying around somewhere? You could do a water change and use the vac to clean the sump while taking water out. You will probably have to use a pump unless the sump is off the floor some.

you can always break out the wet dry vac for your water change too just use clean tubing.

 

[RMichaelG]

I had to use a wet dry vac on a sump at work to do an emergency water change (It was all I had) It worked I guess.

 

[stolaas]

My tank is close enough to my bathroom sink that I can use a python to suck it up while doing a water change at the same time. I saw someone else post this method too, it works really well for me. I always do water changes from the sump anyway and the python is great for that since it sucks up even though the sump is at ground level, and there is no mess or buckets.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I use a phython to do my weekly/bi-weekly water changes. However, I take my water from the display tank and turn off the faucet so that I don't have to waste so much water.

Tomoko

 

[H@rry]

Beaslibob wants to add a comment:

"You mean you're supposed to clean those things?"