# Stagnant water in sump



## Nav (Nov 13, 2009)

Hey guys,

Just curious, in my 4ft sump (it's a 4 chamber sump), in the last chamber where the return pump (OR6500) is located, the water is quite stagnant. Over the last few months I've noticed little slicks of oil forming at the top of the water in the last chamber of the sump. To get rid of them I've been using towel paper and wiping them up. I was thinking of making a more permeanent solution in the sump but what do you guys recommend? I have read that I should use either a powerhead or air stone. Which works better? A LFS suggested using a HOB/internal filter in the sump to clear up the oil as well. Which do you guys recommend? I was thinking of just leaving a sponge filter or two in the sump in case they were ever needed in hopes that would keep the water surface agitated.

Nav


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

Powerhead > Airstone

HOB filter - Not really needed.

You don't really need to get rid of that oil film since it only accumulate on a small section of the whole setup. This might be a good thing if you don't mind removing it at every water change. (get rid of the oil in the water)


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## Pali (Dec 22, 2009)

I would get a protein skimmer, that will do the trick in a permanent solution.

It will remove the oily film on the water, keep the water in motion and alot of surface movement. Then you simply just empty the skimmer once in a while, it's the solution your looking for.

I don't understand what your LFS want you to add a HOB filter, thats IMO just a try to make money of you. The protin skimmer will be the best option for removeing protin from the water (Thats the film on the water that look like oil) no matter if it's fresh or salt water tanks.

Maybe he's trying to sell u a HOB and then he can sell you a skimmer later on :?


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## vstar (Dec 29, 2009)

Correct me if I am wrong. Protein skimmer will not work or at least will not work well in freshwater tank. It work very well in saltwater because it has something to do with the salt that makes it work well. This is what i read on about protein skimmer when I was in the reef tank hobby. I can't remember the reason why and what salt has got to do with it. When I had my refugium(sump) going with my reef system I use a powerhead that was rated at 125gph and had it going where it would just agitate the surface.


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## Nav (Nov 13, 2009)

I was reading about protein skimmers and read that they don't work properly in freshwater tanks. I will probably go for a powerhead to sort the oil problem out, or I will throw a sponge filter in the sump (just to let myself have a seeded filter down there).


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Best guess is the "oil" is from your food.
Would say you have your overflow/sump dialed in pretty good, if you have no film in your tank, only in the sump.
Congrats on that.
You are correct about skimmers and their use in FW tanks.
I just don`t see your situation as being much of a problem.
If it were me, I would keep doing what you are doing and not "muck up" a good thing.


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## Pali (Dec 22, 2009)

Wierd - I have seen plenty of FW setups with skimmers collecting foam in them :-?

http://www.tmc-ltd.co.uk/commercial/fre ... immers.asp


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Pali said:


> Wierd - I have seen plenty of FW setups with skimmers collecting foam in them :-?
> 
> http://www.tmc-ltd.co.uk/commercial/fre ... immers.asp


Skimmers, yes
Protein skimmers, not very often.


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## Pali (Dec 22, 2009)

I don't have one myself, but I know a few people who do and they told me it works well for there FW tank and recommanded it to me. I was close at getting one for my last setup, but desided to wait till I get my fishroom and central sump.

They are sold as protein skimmers, but my bad if they don't actualy work hehehe


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

As KaiserSousay said, the oil is a common byproduct of the fishfood we use...

The two negative effects it has is it will decrease the gaseous exchange at the waters surface... and it looks funky...

In your particular siuation, since the oil is primarily collecting in one small area, the reduced gaseous exchange is very unlikely to be an issue of concern... and since it is collecting in your sump, not the display tank, the eyesore is probably not an issue...

Since it is in the chamber where the return pump is, there is already a good bit of water movement. You could place some obstacles in the water's flow path redirecting it toward to surface and this will likely remove the problem all together...

Anything that will cause surface agitation in this chamber will remove the problem...

It is true that protein skimmers are far less effecient in freshwater than in salt water. This is because saltwater is denser (high specific gravity) which results in air bubbles being larger. I don't nkow how to verbalize the science of why this matters, but this is what matters and is why they are much more effective in salt water.

Note I am not saying protein skimmers "do not work" in freshwater, I am saying they are far less efficient... If very large freshwater tanks with higher nitrogen based waste, you will see a collection of dirty bubbles, but if the same tank with the same waste levels were a saltwater tank, you would seem many more times the bubbles and they would be much much dirtier...


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## Pali (Dec 22, 2009)

@Toby it's always a pleasure to read you post's, hehehe also nice to know I was'nt all wrong in my statement after all and that a mate did'nt try to pull my leg.

I have never had Saltwater tanks either so can't say anything about efficient compared between the two, but it don't change the fakt that I know people who use skimmers on FW tanks and they have promoted it alot to me.

From what I have been reading when I was looking at a freshwater skimmer not long ago, they are designed different with more champers to make them efficient and a different nozzel to make the bubbles.

To bad you can't eksplain the science behind it, I have'nt been able to find a good eksplanation either and I would like to know. All I found was pretty much the same, also that a high pH raise the efficiency.


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## firetiger (Mar 3, 2010)

Pali said:


> @Toby it's always a pleasure to read you post's, hehehe also nice to know I was'nt all wrong in my statement after all and that a mate did'nt try to pull my leg.
> 
> I have never had Saltwater tanks either so can't say anything about efficient compared between the two, but it don't change the fakt that I know people who use skimmers on FW tanks and they have promoted it alot to me.
> 
> ...


yeah toby! How bout a betur eksplunayshun!


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

My answer is the same thing except shorter  .


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

LSBoost said:


> My answer is the same thing except shorter  .


Yup, it was... I've never been known to be "short and to the point"...


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## JSwan (Nov 9, 2009)

Toby is right on except for the part about the size of bubbles. Saltwater is has a much greater density than FW thus the bubbles are much smaller this allows them to lift the accumulated protean up and out of the water much like a skummy beach :thumb:

I would say just let it accumulate and then remove it by skimming the surface with a Python or syphon during water changes.


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## TheBanker (Jun 14, 2008)

what about adding a "T" with a ball valve on your return line and redirecting some of the water right back down in the return pump chamber causing a waterfall to break the surface.


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