How often to clean sump pump?

[middlemark]

Well, it's been probably 4 or 5 months since I've cleaned mine - and I'm just wondering how often others clean their sump/return pump?

I clean my powerheads and skimmer pump more often - but I slack on my sump pump. And I even have a true union ball valve on it - so pretty easy to unhook.

[note to self, use tank log to record pump/etc cleanings]

How often do you clean yours?
Did you ever learn by a bad experience?

Any tips or tricks to doing it?

[ereefic]

I'll clean my return pumps around every 6 months. Luckily never had to learn from a bad experience, and hopefully never will.

[Poseidon]

Okay maybe it was MORE then a year, but I knew I didn't want to wait for it to break...

I have a MAG12 and it was still running like a champ, but I cleaned it just to be safe...

[Reefland]

Sadly enough, I voted for the last option.

I too have a true union to make it easy to remove the return pump for cleaning and should do it I reckon. After shutting down the system (for water changes or top down shots) after starting it back up there is always a bit of junk that makes it's wa into the tank. I've always assumed this is from build-up in the pump or plumbing and not the sump, it stays pretty clean.

[scubadude]

Great thread Mark

I think it depends on the system naturally but I will say that I had to clean my pumps that I was loading alot of Calcium into (sps systems) about every 2-3 mos because I would get alot of calcium buildup on the impellers, thus affecting my flow. I used alot of AM3K's on my system and always had one backup so I would just switch it out (used unions & ballvaves 4 quickchange) so I wouldnt have to rush to clean the pumps. I literally had to use a wire wheel to clean parts of the pumps.

[cronicreef]

Seeing how I change my plumbing around every three months, I voted for every three month.

I'm just never happy with my setup for some unknow reason even though I should be! Does this happen to anyone else out there?

[Gizmo232]

Seeing how I change my plumbing around every three months, I voted for every three month.

I'm just never happy with my setup for some unknow reason even though I should be! Does this happen to anyone else out there?

I do this all the time. I must have a small fortune in filtration systems until I lucked out and had someone give me a very nice sump system complete with pump and overflow box

[showfish]

I go for every three months here. I use a bath of vinegar and a small amount of bleach, in a three step process. First vinegar bath for 15 mins, then small amount of bleach another 15 min, then fresh water with prime added in three times the recommended dosage. The pumps come out like brand new.

[Samper]

I use a mag 18 in my sump and my reactor empties into the baffles before the return pump. Mags are notorious for not starting back up especially when running high calcium so I clean mine about every 3 months with muriatic acid or vinegar. This ensures that it can and will restart if needed. I also keep a spare impeller for it and a whole new pump sitting ready just in case of a problem. Like Scott and Rocky I use true union fittings to ease the pain of tearing it down and putting it back in.

[wozza]

my system has been up for 6 months and i cleaned it 3 ago so i guess thats every three for me but im not planing on doing it again soon

[scooterman]

I use a sequence centrifugal pump & haven't cleaned it yet but I would guess once a year unless I would have a calcium problem later down the road. These pumps aren't easy to clean as magnetic pumps you have to unbolt the entire volute to get to the actual pump impeller.

[salt-rookie]

I clean one per week during my water change time. That means they all get cleaned every 4 weeks.

[The R/C Man]

I try to clean mine on a six month schedule. However I have added to much Kalk before and seized my pumps. I have found that after a cleaning if you put a light film of 100% silicone grease on the magnets of powerheads they will stay cleaner longer and be easier to clean.

[Samper]

RC

I haven't thought of that but I do have some silicone grease laying around that I used to seal bulkheads. My mag 18 is bad about not starting back up with Ca at 450 ppm. I'll try that next time. Thanks.

[Zoanuts]

I try to clean mine on a six month schedule. However I have added to much Kalk before and seized my pumps. I have found that after a cleaning if you put a light film of 100% silicone grease on the magnets of powerheads they will stay cleaner longer and be easier to clean.

Most people don't even think about this. It saves your gaskets, motors, etc in your working reef. Great INFO!!

We clean our Sumps monthly. It would probably be weekly if it weren't for filter bags!!!!

[The R/C Man]

Off the subject a bit: natural sea water is somewhere between 380 and 400ppm for calcium. So keeping your tank's CA at 400 is more than addaquate for coral growth and will save money in buffer and magnesium since they all are in balance with one another. You will also avoid the potential issues associated with the higher values....

[golfish]

Great thread Mark

I think it depends on the system naturally but I will say that I had to clean my pumps that I was loading alot of Calcium into (sps systems) about every 2-3 mos because I would get alot of calcium buildup on the impellers, thus affecting my flow.

When I was using a Mag 12 as return I had to clean (swap it out) every two weeks on my sps tank. If I didn't and the power was cut I took a risk of the pump not restarting. The Kalk and Ca reactor combo is a killer on pumps that have ceramic guides and ceramic shafts. I've yet to have a problem with the cuda.

[scubadude]

I've yet to have a problem with the cuda.

Yeah I know Mark....im still using the dolphins cuz I had so many of them laying around. Im probably gonna be going to sequence pumps though next.

[charlie]

Yeah I know Mark....im still using the dolphins cuz I had so many of them laying around. Im probably gonna be going to sequence pumps though next.

They are a good pump Rocky, I just didn't like taking them apart every 6 months!!!! If you need some spares, let me know, I'll cut you a heck of a deal with all the parts included.