Water flow slowing down

[SwiftStorm]

I have an IM 40 gallon fusion that has been running for about a year. It has had spinstream nozzles on until recently. I noticed that water flow has slowed down from the return pump (mighty jet), so I removed the spinstreams.

Question... How often and when should return pumps be removed and cleaned.

Thanks

 

[Antics]

I'd recommend every 3 to 6 months. It's always a good idea to check for rust or swelling when cleaning pumps to catch any issues before it shows itself in your coral or fish.

 

[jd-woodlands]

I clean mine monthly, same goes for the power heads. A small coating of algae/slime on the impellers can reduce output significantly. For example, my power head flow settings go from a 1 -2 power setting when clean, all the way up to 7-9 near the end of the month. And i have virtually zero algae growth in the tank.

 

[Vanquishxxx]

Like everyone said. Definitely keep pumps
Clean. Will make them work properly and last long.

 

[SwiftStorm]

Is there best way to clean them? I was told to run pump in vinegar water mix for an hour after wiping down easy to reach places.

 

[WVNed]

I dissemble them and scrub the down with soft brushes. Running them in vinegar will not remove the films that grow inside the pump. I have to do mine every 3 months or so.