Is Detritus (Necesarily) a Bad Thing .... ? - Page 2

Nano sapiens · 02/16/2015, 11:40 PM

I guess the old addage 'It Depends' applies to whether detritus is a 'bad thing'.

I've had reef tanks for over 3 decades of various sizes and I've come full circle back to a nano tank again (my first reef tank was a homemade 8g display with 12g sump back in the early 80's). How detritus is processed and dealt with in various sizes and types of systems can be quite variable.

Generally speaking, smaller systems with higher ratios of livestock to water volume typically benefit from more frequent detritus removal. To maintain low nitrate and phosphate, without the use of mechanical or chemical filtration, regular water changes along with frequent vacumming/basting can be sufficient and is my method of choice. Regular removal of detritus also helps to maintain substrate porosity, which is especially important in keeping the bacteria productive when the substrate area to water volume ratio is relatively low.

When GAC, GFO and/or a skimmer are used, then the buildup of detritus is perhaps less critical since water quality maintenance is being augmented by the use of these products.

DaveMorris · 02/17/2015, 12:30 AM

I have always taken the approach of letting animals do as much of the maintenance on my tank as is possible. For instance, in the sandbed I always make sure that I have a healthy population of worms, crabs, mini stars, snails, etc. and I replenish them from several different sources as I feel the need to. Usually it isn't because I can't see them, but just feel like adding some more critters. I probably put just as much effort into the bugs and tiny critters in my tanks as most people put into fish and coral selection. Cucumbers, snails, and worms have always dealt with the detritus in my display tank pretty good. I don't typically worry about it in my sump and certainly not in my refugium. I think far too much emphasis is placed on trying to get rid of every last bit of evidence of detritus. As others have stated in this thread, it will typically take care of itself and doesn't really need to be a matter of too much concern unless the tank is not looking good, either aesthetically or in the look of livestock. I run a filter sock when I blow off the rocks or do something else to stir up a mess but other than a good skimmer I don't worry about it too much.

rgulrich · 02/17/2015, 08:57 AM

Detritus is only really an issue when it obscures the view/diminishes PAR in the aquarium. It contains only so much phosphate and such, and once it's broken down to mulm it's pretty much inert - a veritable playground for things that like to burrow, wiggle, crawl. So, when it starts to obscure the view either by sheer depth or when it's cruising in the water column, I try to clear things up a little. Otherwise, it's welcome in the system and I'm fine with it providing a home for a wide array of benthic critters to supplement the food chain, and I'm not beyond occasionally stirring things up a bit to pull some out with a 200 micron filter sock or two and possibly provide one last pass through the multiple filter feeders in the reef. And fyi, lots of things are smaller than 200 micron, so those get to stay until the semi-bi-annual-when-I-get-a-round-tuit shovel out the sump...which, now that it's a 150 gallon RubberMaid stock tank, may get stretched out a little longer...

Cheers,
Ray

Dan_P · 02/17/2015, 01:52 PM

Contrarian but maybe not so radical :-). A discussion stimulating notion though.

By the time you see detritus, not talking about fecal pellets or pieces of macro algae, it is very likely that bacteria have consumed the worthwhile, easy to digest components. What you are looking is fluff, probably no more than reef dust bunnies. As far as dust bunnies look bad, might cause an allergic response, and can clog air filters, detritus is probably no more serious an issue.

Where things get interesting is letting detritus accumulate, forming an environment for bacterial colonies. Are these environments anoxic? Good or bad?

Somebody replied all things in moderation. Probably the right approach for detritus management. Remove it but do not be obsessive-compulsive about it.

02/16/2015, 11:40 PM	#26
Nano sapiens Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: East Bay, Northern California Posts: 658	I guess the old addage 'It Depends' applies to whether detritus is a 'bad thing'. I've had reef tanks for over 3 decades of various sizes and I've come full circle back to a nano tank again (my first reef tank was a homemade 8g display with 12g sump back in the early 80's). How detritus is processed and dealt with in various sizes and types of systems can be quite variable. Generally speaking, smaller systems with higher ratios of livestock to water volume typically benefit from more frequent detritus removal. To maintain low nitrate and phosphate, without the use of mechanical or chemical filtration, regular water changes along with frequent vacumming/basting can be sufficient and is my method of choice. Regular removal of detritus also helps to maintain substrate porosity, which is especially important in keeping the bacteria productive when the substrate area to water volume ratio is relatively low. When GAC, GFO and/or a skimmer are used, then the buildup of detritus is perhaps less critical since water quality maintenance is being augmented by the use of these products. Last edited by Nano sapiens; 02/16/2015 at 11:46 PM.

02/17/2015, 12:30 AM	#27
DaveMorris VP, SDMAS Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sunny San Diego, CA Posts: 1,309	I have always taken the approach of letting animals do as much of the maintenance on my tank as is possible. For instance, in the sandbed I always make sure that I have a healthy population of worms, crabs, mini stars, snails, etc. and I replenish them from several different sources as I feel the need to. Usually it isn't because I can't see them, but just feel like adding some more critters. I probably put just as much effort into the bugs and tiny critters in my tanks as most people put into fish and coral selection. Cucumbers, snails, and worms have always dealt with the detritus in my display tank pretty good. I don't typically worry about it in my sump and certainly not in my refugium. I think far too much emphasis is placed on trying to get rid of every last bit of evidence of detritus. As others have stated in this thread, it will typically take care of itself and doesn't really need to be a matter of too much concern unless the tank is not looking good, either aesthetically or in the look of livestock. I run a filter sock when I blow off the rocks or do something else to stir up a mess but other than a good skimmer I don't worry about it too much. __________________ Dave My 130g tank: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2387989 Current Tank Info: 130g build in progress

02/17/2015, 08:57 AM	#28
rgulrich greybeard Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: MD Posts: 893	Detritus is only really an issue when it obscures the view/diminishes PAR in the aquarium. It contains only so much phosphate and such, and once it's broken down to mulm it's pretty much inert - a veritable playground for things that like to burrow, wiggle, crawl. So, when it starts to obscure the view either by sheer depth or when it's cruising in the water column, I try to clear things up a little. Otherwise, it's welcome in the system and I'm fine with it providing a home for a wide array of benthic critters to supplement the food chain, and I'm not beyond occasionally stirring things up a bit to pull some out with a 200 micron filter sock or two and possibly provide one last pass through the multiple filter feeders in the reef. And fyi, lots of things are smaller than 200 micron, so those get to stay until the semi-bi-annual-when-I-get-a-round-tuit shovel out the sump...which, now that it's a 150 gallon RubberMaid stock tank, may get stretched out a little longer... Cheers, Ray __________________ The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: 360 degree walk around 300 DD island–4 300W & 2 165W ViparSpectra, 4 Kessil A350W, 2 A360WE, 3 XF150, 1 XF250, 1 XF350 Gyre along with 2 PP40 and 2 IceCap 3K gyre for robust current. Basement 150 gallon RubberMaid sump, SKIMZ skimmer, DCP18000

02/17/2015, 01:52 PM	#29
Dan_P Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 1,432	Contrarian but maybe not so radical :-). A discussion stimulating notion though. By the time you see detritus, not talking about fecal pellets or pieces of macro algae, it is very likely that bacteria have consumed the worthwhile, easy to digest components. What you are looking is fluff, probably no more than reef dust bunnies. As far as dust bunnies look bad, might cause an allergic response, and can clog air filters, detritus is probably no more serious an issue. Where things get interesting is letting detritus accumulate, forming an environment for bacterial colonies. Are these environments anoxic? Good or bad? Somebody replied all things in moderation. Probably the right approach for detritus management. Remove it but do not be obsessive-compulsive about it.