How do you clean your sump?

[noelskii]

Just wondering what everyone's techniques are in cleaning their sump. My sump has about 20lbs of lr (not rubble), some cheato and calupera, skimmer, heater ,drain pipe with filter sock and return pump. Sump has no baffles... I see a lot of brown detritus on the bottom of the sump and i was wondering if i should completely empty out the sump and then vacuum the bottom or just vacuum what i can without emptying it? It's a 20 long sump and i cannot take it out from inside the stand.

 

[jarofsardines]

vac out as much as possible as replace with pre-mixed saltwater and call it a water change. the rest blow out with a turkey baster for your corals to eat.

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

I use a shop vac to clean my sump once a month. Do it when you are doing a water change...:splitspin

 

[Chongpark27]

i use a phyton to suck out all the debris from the sump during a water change.

 

[seascape]

i do mine once a month syphon during WC i also clean my skimmer at that time,i then blow the bottom with baster like above for corals to eat.

 

[cowfish]

With a Crazy straw.

 

[noelskii]

thanks. I'll try that shop vac idea.

 

[nyc reefer]

Sump Cleaning

Would adding cleaner shrimps to the sump help? I've been contemplating doing this so that it cleans the detrius from the sump. Has anyone done this?

 

[JHOV2324]

i've never cleaned my sump...if your using filter socks your sump shouldnt be that dirty

 

[noelskii]

:scratchch

 

[jarofsardines]

if your using filter socks you'll have to clean those frequently.