A good pump for cleaning out my sump?

FastandCurious · Mar 29, 2021

Hey guys,
I just cleaned out my sump for the first time (like Really cleaned it out, not just the front easy parts) and WOW it took all night. My tank is 9 months old so it was def overdue. I did it by hand but there had to be an easier way to get in between the nooks and cranies and afterwards I watched a vid of a guy just using a small pump, tubing and filter sock. I was like WHY didn't I watch this vid first lol ;Shifty But does anyone know a good pump for this job? He didn't say what kind in the vid and it looked pretty small. Would love to order one! If anyone has the name of a good one lmk. Thanks!

tsouth · Mar 29, 2021

Many people use this shop vac tool that you place on top of a five gallon bucket. Check Home Depot. Will grab a link in a second

Bucket Head 5 Gallon 1.75 Peak HP Wet Dry Vacuum Powerhead Shop Vac with Filter Bag and Hose (compatible with 5 Gal. Homer Bucket) BH0100 - The Home Depot

The Bucket Head Wet Dry Vacuum Powerhead can be used to turn a The Home Depot brand 5 gal. multi-use bucket (sold separately) into a powerful wet dry vacuum. The powerhead features a 1.75 peak horsepower

www.homedepot.com

tsouth · Mar 29, 2021

The other Go To would be something song the lines of a maxi jet 900. I think Vca aquatics makes a vacuum head attachment for them

Susan Edwards · Mar 29, 2021

I didn't like the bucket head. Didn't last long. Would only take out 2 gal then not work until empties. And a 35 gal sump, that was a lot of emptying, even not doing the refugium. I got a 12 gal wet / dry vac. Dewalt. Only for liquids. NO dry vacuuming so no filters to put on and off. I would think any pump like for pumping water out of a brute garbage can would also work. not like they have a lot of head or far to go. Can't vacuum though with those

JCTReefer · Mar 29, 2021

These connect to a maxi jet. Different attachments available.

MJC-SC Crevice Vacuum Tool

The Vivid Creative Aquatics MJC-SC Crevice Vacuum Tool turns small pumps like the Sicce Syncra Nano or Maxi-Jet powerheads into compact aquarium vacuums for efficient debris removal. Reach those tight spots in your reef where detritus is hiding out with the specialized narrow design of Crevice...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

MJ Vacuum Attachment

Turn your Cobalt or Marineland MaxiJet (MJ) Pumps Into an Aquarium Cleaning Vacuum! Perfect for bare-bottom aquariums or sumps that can collect detritus, the Vivid Creative Aquatics Vacuum Attachment can connect to any pump with a 3/4" slip input or tubing, to let you easily clean where a...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

mike550 · Mar 29, 2021

@FastandCurious I drop a small pump in and take out as much water as I can. Then I use a shop vac to suck up the stuff left behind, etc. It ends up becoming my water change since I refill with new saltwater.

I’ve toyed with figuring out how to vacuum it up and return the water but I’ve seen mixed reviews on small pumps and I’d rather leave the pump outside the sump so then I need to find a way to prime it.

>>klong<< · Mar 29, 2021

JCTReefer said:
These connect to a maxi jet. Different attachments available.

MJC-SC Crevice Vacuum Tool

The Vivid Creative Aquatics MJC-SC Crevice Vacuum Tool turns small pumps like the Sicce Syncra Nano or Maxi-Jet powerheads into compact aquarium vacuums for efficient debris removal. Reach those tight spots in your reef where detritus is hiding out with the specialized narrow design of Crevice...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

MJ Vacuum Attachment

Turn your Cobalt or Marineland MaxiJet (MJ) Pumps Into an Aquarium Cleaning Vacuum! Perfect for bare-bottom aquariums or sumps that can collect detritus, the Vivid Creative Aquatics Vacuum Attachment can connect to any pump with a 3/4" slip input or tubing, to let you easily clean where a...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I just cleaned my sump for the first time after 6 months, and used a Maxijet 1200 with a vacuum attachment. It worked really well. I have a Reefer 350, and the sump is tight, but I was still able to most of the accumulated detritus out of the sump during a water change. The MJ was slower than my usual water change pump, but still, changing ~15 gallons took only about 30 minutes total.

X-37B · Mar 29, 2021

This is what I do now.
I used a seperate pump in the past.
I just take the hose off my return and stick it in the filter sock.
I turn off my skimmer, and my small carbon reactor.
I put some floss over the intake of my carx.
I scrape the sides and bottom and let the pump run.
I may have to stir it up a few times while cleaning other equipment.
It takes maybe an hour max.
I then remove the return pump and clean it.
Thats about it.
I now try to clean it around every 4 months.
Its much easier than waiting 9-10 months.
Ask me how I know? Lol.

TriggerFinger · Mar 29, 2021

I use a maxijet, vca attachment and a length of hose directed to a filter sock. It works well.

Arabyps · Mar 29, 2021

I use a transfer pump and hose. In my garage is the mixing station where I prepare up to 60 gallons of new saltwater. I use the transfer pump and hose to extract the water (and also vacuum the sump) into a utility sink. Next, swap the hose connections (use quick connects with shutoff) and pump the new water from the garage into the tank. Very fast process, clean and no buckets. 30 gallons every 7 to 10 days, 60 gallons once a month, vacuum the sump every other month.

TriggerFinger · Mar 29, 2021

Arabyps said:
I use a transfer pump and hose. In my garage is the mixing station where I prepare up to 60 gallons of new saltwater. I use the transfer pump and hose to extract the water (and also vacuum the sump) into a utility sink. Next, swap the hose connections (use quick connects with shutoff) and pump the new water from the garage into the tank. Very fast process, clean and no buckets. 30 gallons every 7 to 10 days, 60 gallons once a month, vacuum the sump every other month.

Hi, can you post pics of the quick connections you use please?

Arabyps · Mar 29, 2021

TriggerFinger said:
Hi, can you post pics of the quick connections you use please?

Reefmainiac · Mar 29, 2021

Cobalt in-line pump with some silicone tubing. Changed my life. Bye bye detritus. Mad hatter got a vid on it I Believe.

vetteguy53081 · Mar 29, 2021

I siphon it out the door and remove the remaining with a shop vac

orreefkeeper · Mar 29, 2021

I use this for many tank tasks. Just can't get sand in it (jams the impellor)

Battery-Operated Liquid Transfer Pump

Amazing deals on this Transfer Pump Battery Operated at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

FastandCurious · Apr 3, 2021

>>klong<< said:
I just cleaned my sump for the first time after 6 months, and used a Maxijet 1200 with a vacuum attachment. It worked really well. I have a Reefer 350, and the sump is tight, but I was still able to most of the accumulated detritus out of the sump during a water change. The MJ was slower than my usual water change pump, but still, changing ~15 gallons took only about 30 minutes total.

You attached this to the maxijet 1200? I looking into getting one but from the picture online i couldn't see where where this part goes. It looked like the mj was more of a powerhead. Can I attached a tube to the other end so I can use a filter sock to filter?

TriggerFinger · Apr 3, 2021

FastandCurious said:
You attached this to the maxijet 1200? I looking into getting one but from the picture online i couldn't see where where this part goes. It looked like the mj was more of a powerhead. Can I attached a tube to the other end so I can use a filter sock to filter?

The attachment goes on the pump inlet. One end of the hose goes on the outlet and the other end goes in your filter sock. Here’s a pic of mine.

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Apr 3, 2021

I use a turkey baster and my hand. 1 human power. Lol.
D

FastandCurious · Apr 5, 2021

monkeyCmonkeyDo said:
6I use a turkey baster and my hand. 1 human power. Lol.
D

That's literally been my technique for the past 9 months that and I'm over it now lol. That way takes me 2 hrs and I look like Quasimodo when I'm done with a hunchback for the rest of the day. I needed to find a better way. And I'm feeling the maxijet might be the way to go for me. I'm gonna give it a shot

rsach · Nov 7, 2022

Arabyps said:
I use a transfer pump and hose. In my garage is the mixing station where I prepare up to 60 gallons of new saltwater. I use the transfer pump and hose to extract the water (and also vacuum the sump) into a utility sink. Next, swap the hose connections (use quick connects with shutoff) and pump the new water from the garage into the tank. Very fast process, clean and no buckets. 30 gallons every 7 to 10 days, 60 gallons once a month, vacuum the sump every other month.

Hi, I know it's an old thread, if you still have your setup, can you please post some pictures. I am using brute container and transfer water from it using a pump inside it, if I were to use the same pump to vacuum the sump using quick connect won't it contaminate the pump?