Wet/dry Vacuum a Sump

NS Mike D · Apr 5, 2020

Anyone try this approach to cleaning their sumps?

Pulling the sump is not desired and of course a siphon won't help. Not looking to but an over priced sump vacuum, then it hit me. If I am going to toss the water anyway, wouldn't a wet/dry vac work. I mean I've sucked the water our of a flooded basement with one, surely it can hand a little sump.

Would be as simple as turning off the pump. insert hose, toss water replaced with new batch of saltwater?

5altkreep · Apr 5, 2020

Ive used my shop vac to clean up all sorts of reef related mess, including sumps amd overflows, no issues. Otherwise Home Depot makes an inexpensive hand vacuum that fits on top of a 5 gallon bucket. Both are good options.

Jimmyneptune · Apr 5, 2020

MJ Vacuum attachment. Made just for what you wanna do.

lilgrounchuck · Apr 5, 2020

I don’t see why it wouldn’t work, though I wouldn’t put my shopvac hose in my tank due to having it in all kinds of nasty stuff in the garage. Do you have a python? That would do the trick too.

lavoisier · Apr 5, 2020

Yes, your wet/dry will work fine.

Simply__J · Apr 5, 2020

Just remember to remove the paper air filter if your model has one.

homer1475 · Apr 5, 2020

Wet/dry works 100%.

I did not want my shop vac to smell like dead sea life, so I got a bucket head wet/dry. It's just the vacuum head that attaches to a 5G bucket.

Bucket Head 5 Gallon 1.75 Peak HP Wet Dry Vacuum Powerhead Shop Vac with Filter Bag and Hose (compatible with 5 Gal. Homer Bucket) BH0100 - The Home Depot

The Bucket Head Wet Dry Vacuum Powerhead can be used to turn a The Home Depot brand 5 gal. multi-use bucket (sold separately) into a powerful wet dry vacuum. The powerhead features a 1.75 peak horsepower

www.homedepot.com

Been using this to clean up my sump for years!

NS Mike D · Apr 5, 2020

I have a 2 1/2 gallon wet vac I use for my car. (and yes REMOVE THE PAPER FILTER). The hose is narrow, which I like since space is tight and since fairly new and gets light use it's pretty clean. I'd wash the hose before using it.

May take a few passes given the small size.

AndyinAtlanta · Apr 5, 2020

wet/dry vacuum will work just fine, just made sure you remove the filter. No reason to buy a nice one, go with the standard big box store (orange or blue) one and buy based on the size of the canister. Disregard the HP specs as those are complete BS.

I really like the one that attaches to those 5 gallon buckets they also sell. Super easy to move and store.

NS Mike D · Apr 5, 2020

AndyinAtlanta said:
wet/dry vacuum will work just fine, just made sure you remove the filter. No reason to buy a nice one, go with the standard big box store (orange or blue) one and buy based on the size of the canister. Disregard the HP specs as those are complete crap.

I really like the one that attaches to those 5 gallon buckets they also sell. Super easy to move and store.

I saw them and was in my hand, but at the time my needs were different so I went with the 2 1/2 gal wet vac

Paulie069 · Apr 5, 2020

NS Mike D said:
Anyone try this approach to cleaning their sumps?

Pulling the sump is not desired and of course a siphon won't help. Not looking to but an over priced sump vacuum, then it hit me. If I am going to toss the water anyway, wouldn't a wet/dry vac work. I mean I've sucked the water our of a flooded basement with one, surely it can hand a little sump.

Would be as simple as turning off the pump. insert hose, toss water replaced with new batch of saltwater?

I always use a wet dry vac when I do my sump,, it is easy and quick but you have to keep an eye on it because once it fills up,, water sprays out the back

Sailingeric · Apr 5, 2020

5altkreep said:
Ive used my shop vac to clean up all sorts of reef related mess, including sumps amd overflows, no issues. Otherwise Home Depot makes an inexpensive hand vacuum that fits on top of a 5 gallon bucket. Both are good options.

I have the Home Depot bucket one. Works great and has float stopper thing to keep it from spraying out the water. I vac my sum every 2 or 3 months.

ms32795 · Apr 5, 2020

Google Bucket Head vac. This is what Sailingeric mentioned above. It turns just a about any 5 gallon bucket into wet/dry vac. Great investment for about $25...

ca1ore · Apr 5, 2020

homer1475 said:
Wet/dry works 100%.

I did not want my shop vac to smell like dead sea life, so I got a bucket head wet/dry. It's just the vacuum head that attaches to a 5G bucket.

Bucket Head 5 Gallon 1.75 Peak HP Wet Dry Vacuum Powerhead Shop Vac with Filter Bag and Hose (compatible with 5 Gal. Homer Bucket) BH0100 - The Home Depot

The Bucket Head Wet Dry Vacuum Powerhead can be used to turn a The Home Depot brand 5 gal. multi-use bucket (sold separately) into a powerful wet dry vacuum. The powerhead features a 1.75 peak horsepower

www.homedepot.com

Been using this to clean up my sump for years!

Dedicated bucket head seconded .....

2000se · Apr 5, 2020

+1...Wet/Dry vac works.

Ferrell · Apr 6, 2020

+2^^^ Ive used one each time I do a deep clean. Like you said, turn all flow to and from sump off, drain water if you want (I use a MJ1200 and get most out). Scrub and clean, vacuum remaining gunk out, wipe down compartment and refill. Move to next chamber, rinse and repeat. Makes life so much easier. Good luck and great advise from others on which vacuums to get. I just use my shop vac.

NS Mike D · Apr 6, 2020

Thank you everyone. I didn't need to use the wet vac today as I did a full rip clean of the sump and had the parts to convert my salt mixing pump to a return pump and hose to remove most of the water. But I do plan to use the wet vac for periodic cleaning so I don't have to go through what I went through today.

before (scary!!!)

after

monicalooze · Aug 2, 2021

homer1475 said:
Wet/dry works 100%.

I did not want my shop vac to smell like dead sea life, so I got a bucket head wet/dry. It's just the vacuum head that attaches to a 5G bucket.

Bucket Head 5 Gallon 1.75 Peak HP Wet Dry Vacuum Powerhead Shop Vac with Filter Bag and Hose (compatible with 5 Gal. Homer Bucket) BH0100 - The Home Depot

The Bucket Head Wet Dry Vacuum Powerhead can be used to turn a The Home Depot brand 5 gal. multi-use bucket (sold separately) into a powerful wet dry vacuum. The powerhead features a 1.75 peak horsepower

www.homedepot.com

Been using this to clean up my sump for years!

I know I'm late to the party here, but I'm curious if the vac corrodes from the salt water? I have a really hard time getting a siphon started to clean the back of my 10 g Waterbox aio and it really needs to be cleaned. The bucket vacs are extremely inexpensive, so if it does corrode over time, that's ok. I just don't want it to corrode really fast. Thanks!

Anndddd: do you know if there are better attachments for the hose? It's not very wide back there!

mike550 · Aug 2, 2021

@monicalooze the tank water shouldn’t get in to the vacuum mechanicals unless you accidentally overfill the vacuum. There is probably a fine mist of saltwater that will get into the internal but if it’s a wet/dry vac I’d be less concerned. To your point about costs a lot of people use the bucket vac from Home Depot. You can also find smaller hoses and accessories — think car detailing.

Bucket Head 5 Gallon 1.75 Peak HP Wet Dry Vacuum Powerhead Shop Vac with Filter Bag and Hose (compatible with 5 Gal. Homer Bucket) BH0100 - The Home Depot

The Bucket Head Wet Dry Vacuum Powerhead can be used to turn a The Home Depot brand 5 gal. multi-use bucket (sold separately) into a powerful wet dry vacuum. The powerhead features a 1.75 peak horsepower

www.homedepot.com