Sump bubble trap, to clean or not to clean?

[blackstallion]

I have an Eshopps RS-200 sump with the baffle between 2nd and 3rd chamber provisioned for a foam bubble trap. Tank has been up and running for over a year but I have only cleaned the foam once. It is currently growing what looks to be white sponge organism on it and I can imagine a ton of pods are also residence. Do I clean or leave it be? Right now I do not see a difference in water level between the two chambers so it's not inhibiting flow yet, although I would imagine at some point it will. How do you go about cleaning out the white sponge or whatever else is growing in there?

 

[Jeffcb]

It can become a bio filter and by now has, but also becomes a nitrate factory. I would clean it.

 

[blackstallion]

It can become a bio filter and by now has, but also becomes a nitrate factory. I would clean it.

Tank is 200g with about 150+lbs LR and 100lbs live sand, so while I agree it is contributing somewhat to the biofilter, question is how much. And as far as Nitrates, right now I'm battling low levels.

 

[X-37B]

I have an Eshopps RS-200 sump with the baffle between 2nd and 3rd chamber provisioned for a foam bubble trap. Tank has been up and running for over a year but I have only cleaned the foam once. It is currently growing what looks to be white sponge organism on it and I can imagine a ton of pods are also residence. Do I clean or leave it be? Right now I do not see a difference in water level between the two chambers so it's not inhibiting flow yet, although I would imagine at some point it will. How do you go about cleaning out the white sponge or whatever else is growing in there?

Best way might be to get another sponge and cut both in half and replace half with new.
Then rotate them every say 6 months so you always have a half that has the pods and growth in them.

 

[Jeffcb]

Tank is 200g with about 150+lbs LR and 100lbs live sand, so while I agree it is contributing somewhat to the biofilter, question is how much. And as far as Nitrates, right now I'm battling low levels.

That size tank . Zero. Clean it. I clean the sponge trap in my 54..