Need some help w sump

[Bryan47]

So I just recently moved about a month ago and went to a 72 bow front with 29 gallon sump. I haven't ordered the dividers for the sump as I plan to have it be a refugium style sump split into 3 areas.

So for now the water comes into the sump, and is pumped back out. I have a heater in the sump as well as a Remora HOB protein skimmer. I had picked up some two little fishes reactors off another club member for basically free and figured I would put carbon in one and gfo in another. I must say I am none too pleased with these reactors and will be purchasing the BRS ones when I get a chance.

However my current problem is probably more my own fault, I had the gfo lightly tumbling and what I though was at a good enough pace. Well after a crazy weekend partying at the beach I noticed my water to be vet cloudy and almost brownish. The GFO seems to have ground into dust and made its way out of the reactor. Even the carbon reactor looks like a block of carbon cemented by brown and was not tumbling.

How do I begin to clean this up and until I can afford the proper reactors and divider kit for the sump what is my best way to filter the water? A bag of carbon?

Thanks guys, here are some pictures
GFO:

Carbon:

Sump:

Tank:

Between algae, cyano, and now this, I have quite the task ahead of me!!!

 

[Bryan47]

Wanted to add this picture of my powerhead

 

[NanaReefer]

Do you have any livestock in the tank?

 

[Bryan47]

Yes. They seem to be fine. 2 clowns, red firefish, fiji devil damsel, Valentini puffer, lawnmower blenny, some CUC, and corals.

 

[Bryan47]

Had so much on my plate I neglected the tank I thought the gfo and carbo in reactors would help out a lot.

 

[zwulfke]

GFO is not supposed to tumble it is made to sit between the two foam pads. Pellets are what you would tumble if you were running those. Also carbon will do the same thing break up if it tumbles. I would get a coupe of socks to try and get it out. I would do a couple of water changes as well. Any livestock may not live through it depending on how bad it is.

 

[Bryan47]

Okay, how many micron filter sock?

 

[143MPCo]

IMO you would almost be better off breaking the tank down and cleaning everything off, the GFO in the tank now is probably already leaching PO4 back into the water so a simple clean up might not be the answer.

I was wrong to say it leaches back, and I'm not afraid to admit it!

 

[Bryan47]

Lol I appreciate your opinion but I'm hoping others disagree. I do agree it would be the most thorough but what a pain.

 

[143MPCo]

Lol I appreciate your opinion but I'm hoping others disagree. I do agree it would be the most thorough but what a pain.

Not a problem Bryan I understand, I know it's not a fun task and would not make the recommendation lightly, also GFO (depending on type) is meant to tumble as shown in the BRS video.

 

[143MPCo]

The main reason you want to tumble GFO is it tends to clump together, GFO will consumes some ALK out of the water column and if not tumbling you will end up with a solid mass of calcium carbonate rock and ferric oxide.

 

[zwulfke]

guess the GFO I use says not to tumble it does tend to come out clumpy when I change it. I would use the smallest micron you can get. You can siphon vac some of it and the rest will just be there> I tend to disagree with the leaching of PO4 as it may of broken up but, it will just absorb all it can then become a part of the system with the PO4 trapped.

 

[143MPCo]

guess the GFO I use says not to tumble it does tend to come out clumpy when I change it. I would use the smallest micron you can get. You can siphon vac some of it and the rest will just be there> I tend to disagree with the leaching of PO4 as it may of broken up but, it will just absorb all it can then become a part of the system with the PO4 trapped.

Nothing wrong with disagreeing I appreciate your point of view... GFO takes quite some time to leach back but it does, this happens over a prolong time as it starts to break down. Seeing that its basically powder now in OP's tank as why I bring it up... assuming it has not been sitting very long you can try and suction as much of it out as you can reach.

Again, I was wrong to say it leaches back, and I'm not afraid to admit it!

 

[Deep_Six Corals]

I would perform a series of large water changes while siphoning/gravel vacation the sand and and blowing off the rocks with that small power head to kick up all the ground up gfo into the water column. I would do about 20% everyother day until you have changed 100%. Just my opinion,good luck!

 

[Bryan47]

I removed the reactors and the water cleared right up! Still dust settled on the rocks. Should I pull them out one by one and give them a nice scrub in a bucket of rodi? And then I'll vaccum the sand.

Also a lot of the dust is settled on the bottom of the sump, best way to clean this up?

 

[NanaReefer]

I wouldn't use RO/DI to clean your rock. Just make a big tub of salt water, gently scrub, then return to your tank.
As for you sump, a shop vac gets my vote.