How often do you need to remove your sump?

[meemsco]

Hi all,

How often do you need to remove your sump from underneath the cabinet to service or clean it?

I am building my first saltwater aquarium and new to sumps. My current sump is too big to put in through cabinet doors. The only way I can get it in is if I slide it in through the top of the cabinet, which means I would have to remove my DT to do it. Obviously far from ideal. If I basically never have to take out the sump to service it, then that would be okay. If I do, I need to find a new sump that will be small enough to fit through the doors and also meet my needs.

Thank you for everyone's feedback!

 

[4tanks]

Never had too I can only see this would be done if it ever failed on a join

 

[Webslinger]

Hi all,

How often do you need to remove your sump from underneath the cabinet to service or clean it?

I am building my first saltwater aquarium and new to sumps. My current sump is too big to put in through cabinet doors. The only way I can get it in is if I slide it in through the top of the cabinet, which means I would have to remove my DT to do it. Obviously far from ideal. If I basically never have to take out the sump to service it, then that would be okay. If I do, I need to find a new sump that will be small enough to fit through the doors and also meet my needs.

Thank you for everyone's feedback!

never

 

[DSEKULA]

Only in a catastrophic failure type emergency.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

It's very rare to have someone remove their sump to clean it. it's quite easy to plan during the build stage to use ball valves to close off the tank from the sump and clean it where it sits.

I've removed my sump once for a deep clean, and the time it took wasn't worth it. Plus there are other concerns such as damaging or breaking it as you remove/reinstall it.

Plan accordingly and you don't need to remove it.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I agree with all the above

 

[swiss1939]

I think your question needs to be broken up into two as you don't need to remove the sump to clean it.

How often do you need to remove sump?
If something breaks requiring it..

How often do you need to clean the sump?
Whenever it gets too dirty.

 

[samnaz]

It’s unlikely you’ll need to remove it. I imagine the only reason you’d have to is if it sprung a leak and wasn’t fixable. Unlikely, but still possible.

My sump is stuck inside my stand. I definitely would rather it not be, just to be safe, but I’d rather have it stuck in there forever than have to get a tiny sump that fits through the doors....

 

[Billldg]

I agree with @Sisterlimonpot , it's more of a pain than its worth for no reason. I valve off my sump and use a small pump to remove all the water from my sump and clean it when needed, usually when I get bored, lol!

 

[Reeferdude1888]

Never had to move sump only way I would have to move sump is if it got damaged and caused leek .

 

[Fishurama]

Never. If you want to clean it, i suggest a sand vacuum like this, great for sucking all the detritus out and letting the water return to the sump(If uses a mesh type filter allowing the water to run out while collecting detritus) I wouldnt use it on my sandbed though like some of the videos shown below, but works wonders in the sump for me and as one of the video shows.

Eheim Quick Vac Automatic Gravel Cleaner & Sludge Extractor

 

[BeltedCoyote]

Agree with everyone. Sump shouldn’t have to be removed baring some type of cataclysmic failure or possibly upgrading it to something larger. But in that case it’s honestly better to just save up and go with the bigger option from the beginning

 

[snowhite]

Only because my wife keeps upgrading from the Ghetto sump I started her out with, then to a normal acrylic sump, then a much nicer sump she got a deal on. Last time the stand was put onto much more manageable sliders.
Need to keep her off Facebook marketplace...

 

[fishguy242]

agree never

 

[fcmatt]

Only once in years did I empty my sump and do a full cleaning of it. I considered it a very special water change.

 

[laverda]

Only when I moved the tank after 18 years.

 

[Tamberav]

Hi all,

How often do you need to remove your sump from underneath the cabinet to service or clean it?

I am building my first saltwater aquarium and new to sumps. My current sump is too big to put in through cabinet doors. The only way I can get it in is if I slide it in through the top of the cabinet, which means I would have to remove my DT to do it. Obviously far from ideal. If I basically never have to take out the sump to service it, then that would be okay. If I do, I need to find a new sump that will be small enough to fit through the doors and also meet my needs.

Thank you for everyone's feedback!

You never remove it...you use a shop vac to suck out debris.

 

[Darren in Tacoma]

I had to remove my sump to level the tank/stand after settling. I needed to pull the floor to reach the leveling feet. It sank about 1cm and bugged me to no end.

 

[guntercb]

I agree you most likely will never need to remove the sump, but you never know. If your DT is not too large and you can put the livestock in a temporary container and move the DT. If you have a huge DT and moving it would be next to impossible, I would look at other options just in case.