Cleaning o' the Nitrates

JacklePappy · Dec 22, 2017

My 300 gal tank has two weir over flows with Herbie style drains where the opening to the drain pipe is set fairly high. On a hunch, I used an endoscope to see what was collecting at the bottom of the weir.

Concerned that this might be a giant source of nitrates, I put a cheap, low flow powerhead in each weir to ensure nothing else settled.

My question is what do other people do? Is there a way to get good circulation through design of plumbing? And, is it even something I need to worry about?

Thanks in advance!

hijinks7 · Dec 22, 2017

Your more worried about keeping your sand bed and sump clean of settled junk other then the bottom over an overflow box.

Cleaning it is certainly a good idea though.

Flippers4pups · Dec 22, 2017

JacklePappy said:
My 300 gal tank has two weir over flows with Herbie style drains where the opening to the drain pipe is set fairly high. On a hunch, I used an endoscope to see what was collecting at the bottom of the weir.

Concerned that this might be a giant source of nitrates, I put a cheap, low flow powerhead in each weir to ensure nothing else settled.

My question is what do other people do? Is there a way to get good circulation through design of plumbing? And, is it even something I need to worry about?

Thanks in advance!

I generally don't concern myself with detritus in the overflow. Sump, from time to time I'll syphon out some, but normally it isn't a issue.

What are your N03's at?

Side note, funny you used a endoscope to look in the overflow. I repair them for a living! Lol

Is yours a Karl Storz, ACMI, Striker, Olympus, Aesculap.......lol Ridged, semi Ridged, Flex?

Also, welcome to reef2reef! You'll love it here!

JacklePappy · Dec 22, 2017

Flippers4pups said:
I generally don't concern myself with detritus in the overflow. Sump, from time to time I'll syphon out some, but normally it isn't a issue.

What are your N03's at?

Side note, funny you used a endoscope to look in the overflow. I repair them for a living! Lol

Is yours a Karl Storz, ACMI, Striker, Olympus, Aesculap.......lol

Also, welcome to reef2reef! You'll love it here!

Ha. Endoscope is cheap, micro USB that I found on Amazon for $30. Prob won't last very long, but good for .... Stuff....

Nitrates were fairly high. Much better after I started cleaning the gravel much more often.

Thanks!

Mandelstam · Dec 22, 2017

You could just skip the pipe from the main drain inside the overflow box and let it drain straight from the bottom I guess. If it's not glued in you can at least try it and see how it works. More water will drain to your sump when the return is off though.

JacklePappy · Dec 22, 2017

Update: I pulled the powerheads out of the overflow areas. Will add cleaning them to the list of routine maintenance.

Just seems like I ought to use the space for something. Like put some matrix in there.

Swoody · Dec 22, 2017

I think putting a small power head in there is a pretty good idea but not sure if there is enough water flow for a bag of matrix.... unless you keep the power head in there and I would figure out a way to have it suspended and the power head directed straight at the matrix....

JacklePappy · Dec 22, 2017

Swoody said:
I think putting a small power head in there is a pretty good idea but not sure if there is enough water flow for a bag of matrix.... unless you keep the power head in there and I would figure out a way to have it suspended and the power head directed straight at the matrix....

So... Wait..... I'm..... Not..... The..... Only..... One.....

Was thinking the bottom of the overflow has to be super low oxygen, right?

Oh, and for flow, I'm thinking drill angled holes to create spiral, vortex flow because better.