detritus?

Jonnyacrofeed · 07/03/2007, 05:25 PM

Hi, in my 36 gal. tank I have about 48 pounds of rock and about an inch of araganite reef sand. Since I have a lot of rock some places I can't siphon out to clean the sand. Especially under a large piece of branch rock that has a bunch of openings so the detritus falls and settles in the sand below. I cant really move this rock out either without taking apart most of the rockwork. Could this detritus build up over time be harmful to my tank? Sometimes I hear people talking about a " tank crash", not really sure what causes that though. Could detritus buildup cause this? I think I am going to try to put another powerhead over the branch rock to try to keep less detritus from settling. Also I was thinking of getting a phos reactor to run carbon in, could this remove anything that the sandbed might be releasing becuase of all the detritus? Thanks.

sabbath · 07/03/2007, 06:21 PM

I have found that cleaning detritus has helped lower Nitrates for me. Have lots of flow in your system and every once in a while, take a power head and move it around by hand, Blowing at the rocks, all around them...Then your filter can deal with it.

Jonnyacrofeed · 07/04/2007, 07:15 AM

yeah I am not running any filters, just a bak pak skimmer, not sure how much that can take out. Anyone else have some suggestions?

osprey77 · 07/04/2007, 07:29 AM

turkey baster with some flexible tube. lets you suck out or blow out crevices. but you need some kind of filter. Even if you just get a cheapo HOB filter with some floss.

Jonnyacrofeed · 07/04/2007, 07:40 AM

Does anyone know if running carbon in a phos reactor would take stuff out of the water that comes from the detritus settled in the sand bed? Like does it release stuff over time that is small enough for the carbon to take out?

Jonnyacrofeed · 07/05/2007, 08:11 AM

Anyone?

frederickk · 07/06/2007, 07:12 AM

Well it will reduce your nitrates for sure but you may still have to use a turkey baster to blow the the back of your rock since you don't have enough movement over there.

07/03/2007, 05:25 PM	#1
Jonnyacrofeed Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 234	detritus? Hi, in my 36 gal. tank I have about 48 pounds of rock and about an inch of araganite reef sand. Since I have a lot of rock some places I can't siphon out to clean the sand. Especially under a large piece of branch rock that has a bunch of openings so the detritus falls and settles in the sand below. I cant really move this rock out either without taking apart most of the rockwork. Could this detritus build up over time be harmful to my tank? Sometimes I hear people talking about a " tank crash", not really sure what causes that though. Could detritus buildup cause this? I think I am going to try to put another powerhead over the branch rock to try to keep less detritus from settling. Also I was thinking of getting a phos reactor to run carbon in, could this remove anything that the sandbed might be releasing becuase of all the detritus? Thanks.

07/04/2007, 07:29 AM	#4
osprey77 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Loveland CO Posts: 479	turkey baster with some flexible tube. lets you suck out or blow out crevices. but you need some kind of filter. Even if you just get a cheapo HOB filter with some floss. __________________ RJ si vis pacem, para bellum Click my Red House for T5 Website Current Tank Info: 14g BioCube Kenya and shroom farm, 75 gallon BB Monti Dominated Reef

07/03/2007, 06:21 PM	#2
sabbath Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Twin City's Mn. Posts: 1,771	I have found that cleaning detritus has helped lower Nitrates for me. Have lots of flow in your system and every once in a while, take a power head and move it around by hand, Blowing at the rocks, all around them...Then your filter can deal with it.

07/04/2007, 07:15 AM	#3
Jonnyacrofeed Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 234	yeah I am not running any filters, just a bak pak skimmer, not sure how much that can take out. Anyone else have some suggestions?

07/04/2007, 07:40 AM	#5
Jonnyacrofeed Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 234	Does anyone know if running carbon in a phos reactor would take stuff out of the water that comes from the detritus settled in the sand bed? Like does it release stuff over time that is small enough for the carbon to take out?

07/05/2007, 08:11 AM	#6
Jonnyacrofeed Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 234	Anyone?

07/06/2007, 07:12 AM	#7
frederickk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,712	Well it will reduce your nitrates for sure but you may still have to use a turkey baster to blow the the back of your rock since you don't have enough movement over there.