The Tuesday Question of the day???

[flameangel9]

I have a sump with substrate that I had to take offline. A snail got into the drain and lodged itself in the valve. I could not get the valve to close. As a result I capped the drain. I left the sump offline for 2 weeks. No heater(sitting at 64) no flow, no water exchange. Today I grab hold of the valve and it closes. Now for my question can I bring it online??? The tank is a 180 and the sump currently holds about 15 gallons of water. The biological filter(substrate) may be damaged. I do see live baby stars. Could I open the valve and allow 2-3 gals of main tank water in and 2-3 out in 1 hour intervals. Or should I just gut it and start over?

[Sisterlimonpot]

Does the sump stink? I would bring it back on line slowly. Maybe open it to allow it to trickle back into the tank. put a screen on that line to prevent your cuc entering into the plumbing.

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I'd be cautious at best. Even if the water looks fine, 2 weeks without flow and heat is a long time for the substrate to sit and not die off.

How about testing nutrient levels in the sump water?

How much substrate is in the sump anyways?

[flameangel9]

It doesn't stink

[flameangel9]

How much substrate is in the sump anyways?

24" x 12" x1"
I think I'm going to water change and clean it up a bit then bring it on.

Thanks Guys

[agreeive?fish]

personally i would start over on the sump... i would gather what life is saveable and slowly,slowly,slowly acclimate to your new water(or tank water) parameters

[thile123]

test the water in the sump for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, if all levels are normal, then open the gate.

[jfarris1976]

Definetly check all the levels of the water in the sump.