Kessil

Leaving pumps off for cleaning crew?

borker

borker

Supporting Member
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As titled - is there anything wrong with turning off the return and any flow in the tank overnight to allow cleaning crews to get high flow spots that build up those special flow-loving algae and bacteria?

Hope is that snails and crabs get up there and clean these areas a bit.

Anyone do this regularly? How long could you leave pumps off without any bad effects?


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I wouldn’t do it. You risk lowering the oxygen levels in the tank, and the Temperature; thus killing everything.

I suggest you clean your power heads every month or two and return pump every three months.

I have a second return pump as a backup, and every three months I swap it out with the spare, then soak the dirty pump in citric acid for 24 hours. Then scrub it clean and wait for the next three month window.
 
Last edited:
So I turned the wave maker off and kept return pump.

No adverse effects but cleaning crew didn’t get the algae.

Call it a wash I guess


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