What life forms are in your sump and why

[fragmatic]

The reason for asking is to try and eliminate the junk that collects in the bottom of my sump.

What do you do that eliminates or helps to eliminate it?
Like the title says, what life forms do you keep in your sump?
What are the results?
How do you keep larger life forms (meaning PODs don't count) out of your pumps?

 

[Squishie89]

Well I have gunk in my sump so I can't help with that. I have live rock and chaeto and sponges are growing in the chaeto. My sump was made to keep refugium stuff out of the pump by having a piece of fine plastic mesh lodged between 2 pieces of egg crate. You can see it in my tank thread I think.

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[fragmatic]

My refuges are separate from my sump. I vacuum it out when it gets bad enough to worry me, but that is a PITA.

I guess I've missed it.. where are these "tank threads" and should I have one??? ....LOL..

 

[Fatmike92]

I want to put a mantis In mine! Lol

 

[fragmatic]

I want to put a mantis In mine! Lol

huuuummm... tweaking my handlebar. nah, I'd better not.

 

[Fatmike92]

haha I was thinking of putting one down there in all my live rock! because I have always wanted one so I figure why not. until I have to go down there and he beats the crap out of me!

 

[aslmx]

Sand sifting star and a yellow goby that took a ride in the return(twice). I left him in there the last time.

 

[Squishie89]

I guess I've missed it.. where are these "tank threads" and should I have one??? ....LOL..

This is mine- https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/member-tanks/96335-squishies-90g-fish-only-live-rock.html
You can see more here- https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/member-tanks/

 

[Steve175]

The only think I purposefully added was a chocolate star which is pretty good at keeping up with the detritus. I've got ~ 200# of LR there (280G sump) which has basically become a crytic zone with tons of spontaneous feather dusters, sponges, etc etc etc.

 

[ferguson2]

2 peppermint shrimp. 2 emerald crabs some gorilla crabs some urchins. And everything elss that just kinda appeared lol

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[fragmatic]

the only think i purposefully added was a chocolate star which is pretty good at keeping up with the detritus. I've got ~ 200# of lr there (280g sump) which has basically become a crytic zone with tons of spontaneous feather dusters, sponges, etc etc etc.

kool!!!!

 

[FragBuddy]

First chamber: Live rock and a big eunicid worm.
Refugium: Chaeto, Caulerpa, hermits, snails, and zebra mantis.
Return: Liverock and frogfish (he actually stays around the pump but it does have a strainer on)

 

[fragmatic]

First chamber: Live rock and a big eunicid worm.
Refugium: Chaeto, Caulerpa, hermits, snails, and zebra mantis.
Return: Liverock and frogfish (he actually stays around the pump but it does have a strainer on)

Very interesting... mantis.. and still have snails and hermits alive...
frogfish.. I need to read up on that one.

 

[Connie]

I have a little rubble, chaeto and pods of course. I'd love to add something that would leave the pods alone but eat the gunk at the bottom. I'm following this thread for ideas!

 

[FragBuddy]

Very interesting... mantis.. and still have snails and hermits alive...
frogfish.. I need to read up on that one.

I had the mantis and frogfish in the refugium..and they left each other alone..the eunicid worm and bristle worms are actually great for eating detritus

 

[reefwatcher]

I have a baby mantis and a cc starfish

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[House]

Following as well. About to start a 75g hex Fuge and need ideas. So far thinking bare bottom, LR, cheato and pods. CC star i never thought of, bristles may be a good idea too. Hmm, keep it commin guys

 

[Kheebl]

I have lots of LR and a juvenile engineer goby that took a trip down the overflow, so I left him down there.

 

[Liquid360]

Let me know also if you discover any ideas. I've got same issue.

I have a little rubble, chaeto and pods of course. I'd love to add something that would leave the pods alone but eat the gunk at the bottom. I'm following this thread for ideas!

 

[afamousjohnson]

Lets see. In my 1st chamber I have a blue strawberry coral(its not really a coral) at the end of the exit tube from my bio-pellet reactor and before the enterance of my skimmer-only for the reason they feed off bacteria. In what was supposed to be my fuge is now a nano with a deep SB-keep a cucumber for cleaning, a long black spine urchin for algea,crabs snails, a serpant star just because, and a corris wrasse for pests coming from the added on fuge. He sleeps all day long though in the sand allowing 10-12hrs for pods to make it to the tank. Also have a Sea lettuce nudibranch down there cause he took a ride down the overflow. Some pumps have covers some dont-no problems yet. Lots of LR,DSB,cheato,etc. down there also.