Brown Sump Waste

gkersten · #1 07-22-2008, 02:58 AM

I seem to get a lot of soft brown material collecting in the bottom of the waste which I have to vacuum up every week in order to keep the particulate matter from floating around the tank . Is this normal or am I missing something .. all water parameters are well within normal limits , fish and coral very healthy and thriving

tlo · #2 07-22-2008, 03:13 AM

just normal detrius (fish waste/rotten uneaten food etc)
A skimmer will help to remove some of this, if you don't already have one, other than that, regular vaccumming as you've been doing is the best way.

Johnny Reefer · #3 07-22-2008, 03:20 AM

Death. Taxes. Brown Sump Waste.

fishoholic · #4 07-22-2008, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Reefer

Death. Taxes. Brown Sump Waste.

I'm going to go with "Things in life that are certain"

good one!

mark · #5 07-22-2008, 03:38 AM

that's one of the reasons to have a sump (to collect the waste from the tank)

Matt · #6 07-22-2008, 03:50 AM

Brown sump waste... I have some of that. I hardly ever remove it, though. I bet it absolutely seethes under a microscope!

mark · #7 07-22-2008, 03:53 PM

With all the concerns of needing ro/di water, nitrate factories etc, I'm rather surprised the detritus is being left that long in your sumps.

Normally I do 80l water changes, I'll siphon out ~50l from the display to get the accumulations there, then I'll go downstairs and siphon out from the sump and refugium ~30l to get the crap the builds up below.