Cleaning sump

[bdls]

I did I water change today 20%, due to my Nitrate being kinda high.
Does anyone recommend cleaning out the sump or should I leave it alone. The tank has been set up for about 3 or4months.The nitrate tester is from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals and on the color card my nitrates is reading 40 PPM. The instruction don't say anything on what the nitrate should read on saltwater,just say's (many marine aquarist perfer to keep nitrate levels as low as possible). What is a good nitrate level.
Thanks Bobby

[LoneStar]

If you have a lot (or any) detritus in your sump, I would siphon as much of it out as you can when you do a water change. Same thing goes with the display tank.

[bdls]

Yeah that's what made me think maybe I need to clean out my sump. cause when I turned the pump back on a bunch of stuff went into my tank. I may have to do another water change to get my nitrate down durning the week. I will siphon out my sump before turning the pump back on.
Thanks for the reply Lonestar.

[Katittude]

How would you siphon. When its on the ground.

[LoneStar]

Take a maxi-jet and attach a hose on each side. About 2' length on the suction side, and a long enough lead on the outlet side. Insert the pump and suction hose underwater and turn it on. It should suck out the detritus through the hose and pump, into your bucket.

[bdls]

So cleaning the sump will help lower my Nitrates?

[LoneStar]

So cleaning the sump will help lower my Nitrates?

No....just answering how to clean it. You have other factors like bio-load, type (and depth) of substrate you use, what type of filtration too....

[mathias]

if there is a lot of waste or crud on the bottom yes....


but if you have a sand bed like a refugium I wouldn't disturb it...

[bdls]

Ok Thanks guys for the reply

[jroescher]

Every time I turn my return pump on I get a lot stuff that blows out of the pipes. It's just the stuff that builds up on the walls of the pipe.