Detritus Removal

I wouldn't disconnect the pumps because they will help keep the detritus suspended until it can be sucked out by the diatom filter. In fact, I use powerheads and/or a turkey baster to blast the sand and rocks while I'm running the filter so that I can suck up as much crap as possible.

 

thanks again, amcarrig.

 

De nada

 

Sparky there is a Dacron bag that connects to the pump motor of the diatom this pump set on a old mason Jar the bag is inside then you put some diatom powder into the jar and then the hose to the tank .
I simply suck on the outlet hose to start the siphon to fill the jar then all of the billions of little honeycomb and snowflake shaped skeletons of the old dead diatoms get caught on the bag then all the water has to pass through the diatom skeletons then the water is super cleaned as it passes through and back to the tank. It will move the solids off of the bottom and into the water to be filtered this pump will actually filter out parasites like Ick and about anything larger then .1 microns it will make the tank water sparkle everyone should have one I think..
Greatest pump ever invented for the aquarium hobby. As for any aquarium pump being harmed by some sand ? Unless it was to thick and or dry to move these hobby pumps are not built at tight enough tolerances to be bothered by a little bit of sand . But I'd not continually feed sand into one but a speck or 100 every now and then will have little effect on one.