How often, and how, do you clean your glass sump to make it look like "new"...?

[salty150]

Just wondering how often those that keep their sumps looking like "new" clean them...?

And how...?

The only real reason I have not wanted to go with a glass sump - is because almost every YouTube video I see of someone's glass sump looks dirty, etc. - so I thought that is just the way it is...

But then I came across a few that look like they are "new" - so it can be done...

Just wondering how those people do it...

 

[nuxx]

NEVER...

Sump was covered in all sorts of things. I would from time to time clean the gunk out of the chambers though, but not the walls.

 

[Jared Bryant]

I shop vac mine out every couple of years. Nobody ever sees the sump but me anyways.

 

[bakbay]

I’ve tried to do this once / year but I’m overdue given traveling challenges.

Basically, I take the skimmer out and perform a vinegar dip / wash, clean the side wall with razor. Finally, since I don’t do WCs, I suck all the crap into a clean sock with a small pump.

 

[homer1475]

Roughly once a year I empty out my sump, and give it a good vinegar bath. Other then that I never touch it.

 

[salty150]

Hmm... I am sensing a trend here... lol

 

[Sebastiancrab]

I do mine about every three months. I keep filter padding on the bottom which catches most detritus. My $25 shop vac or spare powerhead is utilized to get out the rest. This is done with cleaning my skimmer and pumps with citric acid since they are out of the sump.

 

[Fish Styx]

Acrylic here, not glass. I vacuum mine out every three months or so. I only clean the front viewing panels though so that I can see in and monitor. Otherwise, I leave the back and baffles covered with funk. I find it adds to the allure.

 

[mfinn]

I just did mine today, because it was getting pretty nasty.
Pulled the skimmer and return pump out and cleaned them up.
Did a extra large water change too.

 

[MissingYuengling]

I’ve tried to do this once / year but I’m overdue given traveling challenges.

Basically, I take the skimmer out and perform a vinegar dip / wash, clean the side wall with razor. Finally, since I don’t do WCs, I suck all the crap into a clean sock with a small pump.

What kind of small pump are you using?

 

[exnisstech]

Never here as well. I have too many critters in there. Even the muck in the containers of rock rubble is full of life.

 

[LordofCinder]

I shop vac mine out every couple of years. Nobody ever sees the sump but me anyways.

Roughly once a year I empty out my sump, and give it a good vinegar bath. Other then that I never touch it.

Does that include your sump pump? How often do you clean the pump?

 

[Isaac Alves]

We can clean the sump?

 

[bakbay]

What kind of small pump are you using?

Any Sicce pump will do. Basically suck the crap from the sump into the socks. If you don’t feel like swapping out socks due to too much detritus, get a shop vac and get them all out — replenish with fresh salt water, essentially a water change for your sump.

 

[ca1ore]

I wonder what the correlation is between a nice clean sump and perfectly parallel/color coordinated plumbing? I have/had neither. Fight the fights worth fighting

 

[bakbay]

I wonder what the correlation is between a nice clean sump and perfectly parallel/color coordinated plumbing? I have/had neither. Fight the fights worth fighting

I’m in your camp currently — I have neither, I even used flexible tubing for mine! Oh well, there is always the next build.

 

[homer1475]

Does that include your sump pump? How often do you clean the pump?

Yup about once a year. Sump, skimmer, and reactor pump. Never found a need to clean it more then that.

 

[Jared Bryant]

Does that include your sump pump? How often do you clean the pump?

I soak mine in citric acid about every 4 months or so.

 

[GarrettT]

Never. I like my sponges.

 

[fishface NJ]

Never clean the inside.