Help! Mosquitos in my auto top off container

reef4beer · Aug 22, 2016

Just found a family of mosquitos growing in my auto top section of my sump... Best way to irradicate beside covering the two exits completely? Has anyone else had this problem before?

Wish it was easy to empty clean and refill but it's a custom made sump before it was a thing and near dang impossible to drain and clean with only two small holes. Might end up just cutting it open up top some how. It's part of my actual sump.

Recently changed my membranes and all 6 stages of my RO.

Anthony Wood · Aug 22, 2016

jmanyoma said:
Just found a family of mosquitos growing in my auto top section of my sump... Best way to irradicate beside covering the two exits completely? Has anyone else had this problem before?

Wish it was easy to empty clean and refill but it's a custom made sump before it was a thing and near **** impossible to drain and clean with only two small holes. Might end up just cutting it open up top some how. It's part of my actual sump.

Recently changed my membranes and all 6 stages of my RO.

Siphon out the water with a hose then use towels to dry it out the rest of the way. Run the hose out of the front door that should give you enough of a downgrade to start the siphon. If it's in the basement and no direct route outside then use a very long air line suck on it until it's half way through the line and set it lower the the end in the ATO it'll take a while to drain but it'll work. Then clean the ATO with some 98% or higher rubbing alcohol. It'll be evaporated away long before you start to refill the ATO.

Worst case scenario and you can't get a siphon started which is unlikely get yourself a whole lot of towels and just keep dunking them in until the ATO is empty.

reef4beer · Aug 23, 2016

Thanks will give it a try, I've been able to drain but not the last amount of water but the towerls should help.

Will use the rubbing alcohol to clean up.

jsker · Aug 23, 2016

Good call @Anthony Wood

KliJefs · Aug 23, 2016

Shop Vac could help out if you can get the hose in there.

Drakonis · Aug 23, 2016

What about somethhint like filling open air space with co2 and essentially gassing them or am i missing the point here

Anthony Wood · Aug 23, 2016

Drakonis said:
What about somethhint like filling open air space with co2 and essentially gassing them or am i missing the point here

I think the stagnet water is the main issue. I see what your saying though.

Lionfish Lair · Aug 23, 2016

If you can bubble the water, that will keep them out of there. It doesn't have to be a fast bubble. I know your pain.... It's the ripple in the water that interrupts their lifecycle.

reef4beer · Aug 23, 2016

Aside from the resolution, need to find a way to prevent. It only holds 5 gallons which takes about a week to use up. Previously added an extra powerhead to allow circulation but doesn't seem to remedy the problem.

Lionfish Lair · Aug 23, 2016

That's the prevention... the ripple in the water. You have to disrupt the surface enough so that they can't keep their "snorkels" above the water to breath.

Drakonis · Aug 23, 2016

So this is a recurring issue?

revhtree · Aug 23, 2016

jmanyoma said:
Just found a family of mosquitos growing in my auto top section of my sump... Best way to irradicate beside covering the two exits completely? Has anyone else had this problem before?

Wish it was easy to empty clean and refill but it's a custom made sump before it was a thing and near **** impossible to drain and clean with only two small holes. Might end up just cutting it open up top some how. It's part of my actual sump.

Recently changed my membranes and all 6 stages of my RO.

I had this happen once so I closed the lid until they died. Then I started leaving it covered and that solved the issue.

Lionfish Lair · Aug 23, 2016

It will be unless he fixes it. I was finding about 10 mosquitoes a night until I took care of my topoff. They seems to be a HUGE species this year and I think I'm now anemic.

I use an airpump.

reef4beer · Aug 23, 2016

Lionfish Lair said:
It will be unless he fixes it. I was finding about 10 mosquitoes a night until I took care of my topoff. They seems to be a HUGE species this year and I think I'm now anemic. I use an airpump.

Thanks for the tip based on experience, only recently has the number significantly increased, previously had same issue but would only find one or two, I added flow insides and fixed it until recently where I found almost a dozen.

Will start by emptying and cleaning followed by added the bubbles along with movement.

Lionfish Lair · Aug 23, 2016

Flow is different from bubbling. Flow won't always stop them, but the surface needs to actively bubble.

Problem for you, I guess, is you'll hear the bubbling.