How clean do you keep your sump?

craigwmiller · #1 12-31-2013, 07:45 AM

I try to keep mine as clean as possible, but how clean is too clean?

I personally don't shut the water flowing through my sump down for cleaning/water changes (I have a water change tank plumbed in so as to not disturb the flow through the display), so I don't really have a reason to draw water (detritus/etc) out of the sump... Now and then I take a small pump and 'vacuum' around to clear the waste -- into a filter sock.

I have this urge to take a glass scraper and clean the #&@& out of the sump and make it sparkly clean (while vacuuming up the loosenings into a sock for removal)...

Crazy? Do you do the same? What's your sump cleaning fetish like? (I let the fauna clean my DT)

The Guy · #2 12-31-2013, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigwmiller

I try to keep mine as clean as possible, but how clean is too clean?

I personally don't shut the water flowing through my sump down for cleaning/water changes (I have a water change tank plumbed in so as to not disturb the flow through the display), so I don't really have a reason to draw water (detritus/etc) out of the sump... Now and then I take a small pump and 'vacuum' around to clear the waste -- into a filter sock.

I have this urge to take a glass scraper and clean the #&@& out of the sump and make it sparkly clean (while vacuuming up the loosenings into a sock for removal)...

Crazy? Do you do the same? What's your sump cleaning fetish like? (I let the fauna clean my DT)

I shut down my return pump and do my whole WC in the sump I have approx. 100 gallons water total 90 g DT 75 g after rock displacement 50 g sump approx. half full so I do 25 g WC every 2 weeks I'm not real fussy but try and get some of the crud from the sump bottom. I pretty much empty out the sump and refill it with the 25 g of new salt water making sure the temp & salinity are good, turn the return pump back on and I'm done.

Aquattro · #3 12-31-2013, 11:46 AM

I've never cleaned my sump in 4 years.

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #4 12-31-2013, 12:03 PM

Never cleaned my sump except when I tear down a tank.

BlueTang<3 · #5 12-31-2013, 12:22 PM

Every few months I clean it right out and vacuum it with shop vac and and clean the equipment. But I walk up to mine and stand above it so its easy to do. I drilled my sump bottom when I got it so my water changes a done right from the bottom of the sump so I chase any debris down then.

I do it more for aesthetics than anything.

Magickiwi · #6 12-31-2013, 02:00 PM

I have a refugium in my sump so I don't empty it out for cleaning either. I do take a scrubber pad to the walls and bottom of the skimmer and return chambers every week or so but that's about it. I keep crabs in both chambers so all I'm scraping is diatom film, bacteria blooms etc. The refugium gets left alone.