How often do you clean your dry return pump?

[Stolireef]

Unlike with in sump returns, it's impossible to tell from the outside if your dry return pump needs cleaning. I clean mine about every six months. How often do you clean yours?

 

[Greybeard]

My old tank had a Japanese Iwaki on it. I pull my sump out and scrub once a year I pulled the impeller housing when I was cleaning the sump, but there wasn't anything there to clean. Did scrub the union ball valves on inlet and outlet, but the pump? Couldn't tell it was ever used. Wiped the outside housing down with a damp sponge, didn't seem to require anything else.

 

[mtraylor]

My return pump and work horse for all devices is my reeflo dart. I have 2 of them. One on the system and one as a backup. I never clean it. I inspect it every now and then and if the seals are not leaking.... I don't touch it.
About some where between 4-6 years the seals will start to leak. I decommission the current unit, plug in the backup and buy the $30 seal kit for the one I just pulled out. Change the seals and place my backup in the closet.
That's about it.

 

[jkapit]

My old tank had a Japanese Iwaki on it. I pull my sump out and scrub once a year I pulled the impeller housing when I was cleaning the sump, but there wasn't anything there to clean. Did scrub the union ball valves on inlet and outlet, but the pump? Couldn't tell it was ever used. Wiped the outside housing down with a damp sponge, didn't seem to require anything else.

I still use Iwaki, clean every 2 years, and even at that there is very little debris to clean. Just some brown residue. Never any calcium buildup etc,

On the other hand I have two eheim 1350s external to feed my GFO/Carbon reactors and Skimmer. Those pumps need to be cleaned every 6 months due to calcium build up.