Drain strainer yes or no?

[CMO]

So my main drain completely clogged today due to build up on my strainer. I didn't think to ever check the strainer so it's gone untouched for about a year now.

The more I think about it I'm wondering if there is really any benefit of running a strainer so long as the overflow has a cover (which mine does). My overflow slats are pretty small which already keeps out large snails so I'm questioning what the strainer is really doing for me beside causing maintenance and another fail point.

Thoughts?

 

[LowLi]

off topic but i always wondered what those sesame seeds were lol.

 

[Pntbll687]

Do you feed heavily? Cause that seems like a lot of build up for one year.

But anyway. You could cut it the bottom/top of the strainer. My durso pipes have the bottom cut out to prevent clogging. Could a small get in, yes, so could fish, but you sound pretty confident about your setup and that not happening.

 

[mtraylor]

I cant see exactly where that pipe is, but if its not for fish restriction then i wouldn't bother.

 

[mtraylor]

I have bever used one. Dang snails get everywhere anyway

 

[Ron Reefman]

I don't use a strainer. But I do run a filter sock to catch almost everything that goes down the drain.

If you are going to run a strainer, then you really need to make it part of your regular routine to check it at least every quarter (given your's took a year to clog) or maybe every time you do a water parameter test or every time you do a water change.

My overflow isn't covered, but I have taken some Gutter Guard plastic mesh and made a short 'fence' around the overflow to keep snails out.

 

[Waters]

If your overflow is covered, I wouldn't use a strainer (I don't). I agree with @Ron Reefman

 

[CMO]

Thank you all. I'll probably pull it then since I'm not concerned about fish getting back there with the cover already in place. And it's quite challenging to pull the stand pipe for cleaning given my setup so not something I want to do regularly.

 

[rkpetersen]

off topic but i always wondered what those sesame seeds were lol.

Forams.

 

[ca1ore]

Well, I always use some kind of strainer, just not the standard PVC ones. I take a piece of gutter guard and wrap it around the end and zip tie it closed. That way it keeps out the big stuff that might occlude the pipe, but does not get easily clogged with shmutz.

 

[Adamantium]

Forams.

Some of them look like they might be Spirorbid Worms.

 

[Idoc]

I like the safety of running a strainer to keep snails out of my full siphon drain line. Maybe just make a note to ckean it regularly when you clean your pumps/powerheads.