Keeping snails out of return pump?

[Tazmaniancowboy]

A couple of months ago I changed my overflows to the mega-flows and now I find many snails and hermits and even one of my pepermints in my sump. Right now I am still using my old 30 gal acrylic sump and have a sponge over the 3/4"bulkhead so that nothing makes it into the pump, but when I finish setting up my rubbermaid with 2" bulkhead what should I do? Do you guys with the big sumps worry about this?

Taz

 

[JohnS_323]

I'm pretty sure the teeth in the overflows keeps everything in the tank. I do have some fish and inverts in my sump but I'm using bulk head strainers to keep them out of the pump.

 

[cmsurfr22]

premium aquatics has all different size bulkhead strainers: Click Here

 

[Tazmaniancowboy]

Thanks for the replies guys.

John, The teeth on my overflows do not keep the critters back. LOL They just climb right over. When the tank had the original AGA overflows, the snails, crabs and such had to stay in The overflow chamber and never made it into the basement because of the float that regulated the waterflow. Now with the MEGA flows, they do not have that float thing, they have a big strainer on the end that everything eventually crawls through and ends up in the basement.

cmsurfr22, Thanks for the info, wish I had asked earlier and I could have ordered with the PA group but. I bought the 2"bulkhead at The Hidden Reef so I'll have to make a trip there to see if they have the matching strainer. I want to go check out the fishroom anyway so I am due for a trip!

Taz

 

[malulu]

how about something like this?

more details here:
http://www.njreefers.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=4071.msg38209#msg38209

 

[mladencovic]

I use the plastic mesh used for basis of cross-stitching that have I bought in Walmart for ~50c It is 12x12" and the mesh openings are 1/8" . You can use a small piece for pipe reutns and pump intakes by simply folding it and sticking it into the openings. For owerflow, you can cut it an and shape it anyway you like it. You can even make a "trap" at the end of the pipe that brings the overflow water in the sump (where some people put sock).