cleaning the tank, i need some help

pelochas · 09/23/2008, 09:04 AM

this is probably my biggest rant about my tank. my sandbed is dirty with detrius and so is my rock work. i did two 25 gallon water changes on consecutive days. but there is so much detrius on everything i try to turkey blast everything and see what the skimmer and filter sock can get.

i hate it when i turkey blast near the sand and it just releases a big dust bomb and i really screw up and everything in the tank is now covered.

do you recommending one of those sand sucking sand/gravel cleaing tubes to pull the detrius out because im concerned about it pulling so much sand and stuff out also.

what do you guys do when there is so much detrius?

masonicman · 09/23/2008, 10:43 AM

No don't use that, because you will pull out your pods and other beneficial things from the bed.
What I do is.... I sand blast the sand bed and the rocks with the turkey baser really good, which also causes a dust cloud. I immediately start the water change with my cut down water hose. I move the hose around so that I suck out as much of the higher water that consists of all the detrius and crap. I do this every week when I do 10 gallon water change and I now notice less and less of a cloud each change. I just started this about a month ago for your same reason. Also my coral seemed to like to feed on the stuff in the cloud. This can cuse a nitrate spike that will eventually drop back down quickly depending on your skimmer.. The sand bed is starting to look better and better

Good luck

09/23/2008, 09:04 AM	#1
pelochas Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Pasadena, TX Posts: 385	cleaning the tank, i need some help this is probably my biggest rant about my tank. my sandbed is dirty with detrius and so is my rock work. i did two 25 gallon water changes on consecutive days. but there is so much detrius on everything i try to turkey blast everything and see what the skimmer and filter sock can get. i hate it when i turkey blast near the sand and it just releases a big dust bomb and i really screw up and everything in the tank is now covered. do you recommending one of those sand sucking sand/gravel cleaing tubes to pull the detrius out because im concerned about it pulling so much sand and stuff out also. what do you guys do when there is so much detrius? __________________ 120g Reef Tank Oceanic, 2x175watt MH 14k Iwasaki, 1 Ecotech MP40, Reeflo Dart return pump, AquaC EV-120 Eheim 1262 ,AquacontrollerJr, KentMaxximaHI-S, PhosBanReactor150, Geo Kalk Rx. Current Tank Info: working on diy led lighting and finishing a sump refuge relocated outside the house

09/23/2008, 10:43 AM	#2
masonicman Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 1,313	No don't use that, because you will pull out your pods and other beneficial things from the bed. What I do is.... I sand blast the sand bed and the rocks with the turkey baser really good, which also causes a dust cloud. I immediately start the water change with my cut down water hose. I move the hose around so that I suck out as much of the higher water that consists of all the detrius and crap. I do this every week when I do 10 gallon water change and I now notice less and less of a cloud each change. I just started this about a month ago for your same reason. Also my coral seemed to like to feed on the stuff in the cloud. This can cuse a nitrate spike that will eventually drop back down quickly depending on your skimmer.. The sand bed is starting to look better and better Good luck __________________ It is better to ask for forgiveness then to ask for permission.......... Current Tank Info: 75 gal mixed reef, 216w LED, Remora Pro skimmer, HOB fuge, 400w htr, ATO RO/DI, 90lbs LR and 1" SB. Last edited by masonicman; 09/23/2008 at 10:48 AM.