My Sump Tank is dirty

Maraschiello · 02/05/2010, 12:27 PM

Hello,

Ive had my tank running for about a year and my sump tank is collecting on the walls cream/tannish colored balls of algea i believe all on the wall of the tank. I dont have a solution to clean it becasue if i stir it up the pump will suck it up and into my system. can i throw a few turbos down there or is that "bad" algea. I've had turbos flip and die in the past and was told they ate algea that killed them. I noticed my overflow box is getting disgusting inside aswell. Any ideas on cleaning it? Thanks!

-Paul

jasonrp104 · 02/05/2010, 12:30 PM

Got a shop vac? Shut off everything in your sump, scrape and vaccum

Sk8r · 02/05/2010, 12:34 PM

THat white algae is a pest and difficult for an expert to eradicate: if your fuge is the only place it exists, your fuge is doing well. Collect it and toss: that exports whatever it ate to grow. Getting 'dirty' is a fuge's job. Yours is to clean and toss whatever grows there. Having some crabs and snails in the fuge will help, but mind, what they eat and poo goes right back into the system. The only way it gets out is what you throw away either from the skimmer cup or by hand as grown algae.

Maraschiello · 02/05/2010, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

THat white algae is a pest and difficult for an expert to eradicate: if your fuge is the only place it exists, your fuge is doing well. Collect it and toss: that exports whatever it ate to grow. Getting 'dirty' is a fuge's job. Yours is to clean and toss whatever grows there. Having some crabs and snails in the fuge will help, but mind, what they eat and poo goes right back into the system. The only way it gets out is what you throw away either from the skimmer cup or by hand as grown algae.

Thanks, I just dont understand your statement that exports whatever it ate to grow

crownjules · 02/05/2010, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maraschiello

Thanks, I just dont understand your statement that exports whatever it ate to grow

The algae had to "eat" nitrates and phosphates to grow. Getting rid of the algae is effectively getting rid of those things which you don't want in your system.

02/05/2010, 12:27 PM	#1
Maraschiello Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Buffalo Posts: 153	My Sump Tank is dirty Hello, Ive had my tank running for about a year and my sump tank is collecting on the walls cream/tannish colored balls of algea i believe all on the wall of the tank. I dont have a solution to clean it becasue if i stir it up the pump will suck it up and into my system. can i throw a few turbos down there or is that "bad" algea. I've had turbos flip and die in the past and was told they ate algea that killed them. I noticed my overflow box is getting disgusting inside aswell. Any ideas on cleaning it? Thanks! -Paul

02/05/2010, 12:34 PM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	THat white algae is a pest and difficult for an expert to eradicate: if your fuge is the only place it exists, your fuge is doing well. Collect it and toss: that exports whatever it ate to grow. Getting 'dirty' is a fuge's job. Yours is to clean and toss whatever grows there. Having some crabs and snails in the fuge will help, but mind, what they eat and poo goes right back into the system. The only way it gets out is what you throw away either from the skimmer cup or by hand as grown algae. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/05/2010, 12:30 PM	#2
jasonrp104 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: vt Posts: 1,113	Got a shop vac? Shut off everything in your sump, scrape and vaccum