sump pump. what is the best way to clean a sump pump?

[mswafford17]

cleaning a sump pump can be a chore, I heard that running it in a solution of vinegar can eat up some of the deposits. if you use this method please tell me how much vinegar and how you use this to clean the pump and what you do do remove the vinegar from the pump before returning it to service.

 

[Woodstock]

I use one gallon of white vinegar in a bucket of water to clean all pumps. I like to soak my powerheads and submersible pumps for a few hours. Allowing them to run during their 'soak' works even better.
If the pumps are really encrusted/dirty, then soak them overnight if possible. Having a spare pump to use while you soak them comes in handy.
I usually make a large batch of vinegar water (1 gal vinegar + 2-3 gal water) every 6 months or so to clean all the pumps and powerheads.

 

[bluespotjawfish]

The exact amount isn't really that important. I usually put anywhere from 1/4 to 1 gallon of vinegar in my kitchen sink and then fill it up with cool tap water. Then I run the pump in the sink. After it has been running for 1-2 hours, I wipe it down and take a brush to it. Then rinse it well with running tap water and wipe dry. I also let it sit for a bit to dry it some more. Most importantly, you also have vinegar on your hands/arms, rinse and wipe those dry too.

Or, what Woody just said - posting at the same time. The stronger the solution the faster it works.

 

[framerguy]

I use a small 3 gallon bucket, put 1/2 bottle of vinegar and 1 gallon of water, turn the pump on it's side and submerse it and let it run for 1/2 hour+ per week while I'm doing water changes. It keeps things running very smoothly. About every six months (July 4, Jan 1)I take it apart and make sure it's REALLY clean.

 

[mps9506]

I do what Doni does. Get a big jug of white vinegar at Walmart and pour it into a 5 gallon bucket, take my pump apart and let it soak for a few hours. Comes out looking brand new.
Just rinse everything off really well afterwards and your are good to go.

 

[JoJo]

sounds easy enough. this maybe a stupid question but will using just vinegar without water work better or is there a reason why noone does that?

 

[Franksreef]

you can use vinegar without water. It is very weak. it works better and faster without water.

 

[Witfull]

after i do a vinigar bath as everyone else does i poor some kalk water into another bucket and set the pumps in int for a few minutes then rinse again.

kalk is a strong base,,,counters vinigars acidic.

 

[Franksreef]

good thought, but a little over kill IMO.

 

[ninjataco777]

LOL sump pump

 

[tbittner]

You mean we are supposed to clean the sump pump too? :bugout:

Does it ever end?

 

[mps9506]

You mean we are supposed to clean the sump pump too? :bugout:

Does it ever end?

Eh... Nope. I used to clean my return pump, metal halide reflectors, sea swirl, protein skimmer pump, and RO reservoir once a month. The bathroom smelled like vinegar on those days.

 

[BigAl07]

good thought, but a little over kill IMO.

Not over kill at all. It's a good idea to neutralize the base. I've seen several threads as of late to where it's suspected (not proven) that vinegar is somehow leading to hair algae blooms. The fewer chemicals we introduce into our reefs the better.

 

[BHenderson79]

Anyone have ideas for an easy way to do routine siphoning from a sump? I can't get any suction since the sump is at floor level underneath my tank and the sump collects a decent amount of crud on the bottom that I'd like to vacuum out weekly if possible. But I don't want to have to buy another electric pump to get it out.

 

[mps9506]

I used a maxijet stuck onto a plastic hose and routed the hose into my filter sock/bag. If you are in a pinch I suppose you could use a baster to blow all the crud into the water column while holding a filter sock on the outlet of your return plumbing.I have a few friends that drain their sumps and completely clean them once a month.
I think the maxijet on a hose is the easiest way to go though.

 

[kathywithbirds]

return pump, metal halide reflectors, sea swirl, protein skimmer pump, and RO reservoir

crap, I'm gonna need more vinegar...

 

[mps9506]

I actually use bleach in my ro reservoir to clean it out and vinegar for everything else. As much as I hate going to walmart, they have good deals on large quantities of vinegar.

 

[Woodstock]

Darn... you just reminded me I need to clean my ro/di reservoir....