white sponges populating my sump

J

jimeluiz

Active Member
I am toying with the idea - when I get the energy - of cleaning out my sump. It collects very fine grit in the chamber beyond the baffles which gets blown into the tank via the returns if I ever have to turn off the pump then restart it. I cleaned it out about 6 weeks ago.

Today when I stuck my head in there to contemplate the magnatude of the task I noticed LOTS of little white sponges all over the place: on the plexi, on the skimmer, on the end of the thermometers. Could be nearly 50 of them, about the size of a pencil eraser, or smaller.

Gosh - it would kill me to kill them while cleaning up the joint. :(

Is this just the cost of doing business? I am assuming the sponges are a good thing - further filtration, sign of good water quality, etc.

Am I just putzing around too much? Should I just let the grit accumulate?

Any thoughts? :confused:
 
mojoreef

mojoreef

Just a reefer
jimeluiz can you not just suck out the detritus using a syphon or some kind of canister filter???? that way you dont hurt anything and just remove the stuff.

Mike
 
essmaker

essmaker

Member
PREMIUM
I have the same thing. Mine look kinda like big pieces of rice. I also have other things that are white cotton ball looking things. Then there are the white spider web looking things also.

I can't get over how we spend a lot money for the corals and animals we put in our tanks and then end up with dozens of small wonderful freebee's.

My wife and I can spend countless amounts of time finding the odd little creatures in the tank and sump.

I hadn't ever thought of cleaning out the sump. I figure what's in there is probably helping to filter the water and helps stablaize the tank in general.
 
J

jimeluiz

Active Member
DUH!! Thanks for the great idea mwrager! Oh what a joy to not have to clean it out (as frequently.)

mojo- all I have at this point is a syphon vacuum I use in the tank during water changes. I cannot get the syphon to click in off the bottom of the sump. Say more about the canister filter idea. How would that work?

Thanks folks :)
 
Cosmic

Cosmic

Member
I agree with mojoreef. I siphon my bare-bottom sump chamber once a month to remove any built-up organics and mulm that gather there. What you are seeing is the debris settling out of the water column, much like it does in your tank. Biggest difference here is you don't have a substrate to hide the waste ;)

By siphoning it carefully, you shouldn't hurt any of the existing (scypha) sponges you have. Talking from experience here.

-HTH-
Cos
 
mojoreef

mojoreef

Just a reefer
Jimeluis thats the way I syphon my tank and so on when time arises, I use a magnum canister filter and just suck out the crud and allow the clean water to return to the sump.

Mike
 
J

jimeluiz

Active Member
It does help, Cosmic. But I'm still stumped on what gizmo will work to draw out the water/crap. The bottom of the sump is about three inches from the floor. I've had no luck getting a syphon going at that height. Am I just a lousy syphoner? :)
 
Cosmic

Cosmic

Member
quote:
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Biggest difference here is you don't have a substrate to hide the waste
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LOL man it just seems to easy doesnt it...
Click to expand...


Someone's just trying to stir up a can 'o worms I think ;)

Cosmic,

Your sump is bare bottom, but what about your refugium? Thanks!
Click to expand...

True, while my sump chamber is bare bottom, my refugium is closing in on umm... 9" of DSB :D
Take THAT Poo!!!
ROFL

The siphoning part is a bit tricky down that low Jimeluiz, but not impossible. Mine is at about the same height. I just make sure I use an empty bucket to drain to. The magnum350 mojo refers to is a mechanical canister filter that will suck the junk for you without need of a siphon hose. Check them out, very worthwhile as a detrital remover during water changes if nothing else.

-HTH-
Cos
 
Witfull

Witfull

Well-Known Member
i use a vortex diatom filter to suck out my sump and to put a polish on the water. and they are cheaper than magnums,,,,lol
 
Mary

Mary

Evil Angel
Originally posted by Cosmic
Someone's just trying to stir up a can 'o worms I think ;)



True, while my sump chamber is bare bottom, my refugium is closing in on umm... 9" of DSB :D
Take THAT Poo!!!
ROFL

The siphoning part is a bit tricky down that low Jimeluiz, but not impossible. Mine is at about the same height. I just make sure I use an empty bucket to drain to. The magnum350 mojo refers to is a mechanical canister filter that will suck the junk for you without need of a siphon hose. Check them out, very worthwhile as a detrital remover during water changes if nothing else.

-HTH-
Cos
Click to expand...


I wish I had a recording of the both of you at Macna talking sand beds! My head still spins from that!
:spinner:
I think the tape would of ran out before your conversation ended!
:explode:
 
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