lots of detritus suspended in water column

platax88 · 01/04/2010, 08:48 AM

I have a bare-bottom reef that i just moved cross-country about a month ago. I seem to have lots of detritus flowing around the water column. I have tons of flow and there is no detritus found on the bottom glass ... anywhere, due to my rock being pegged on pillars and having flow all around them. My water quality is great and sps look good even after the stress of two moves in 3 months. What do you think may be causing this? I have two theories:

1. The Rock is just shedding from all the shuffle from the move and it could take a while for the system to cleanse. Note: I did not cook the rock

2. I have so much flow in there that the detritus is having a hard time making it into the overflow to be removed by the filter socks or skimmer.

The system is a 180gal, 2 Tunze 6100, 4 Koralia 4s, 1400gph return on Penductors, MSX 250 skimmer, filter sock

Thanks for your help!

beeker · 01/04/2010, 09:19 AM

use something like a filter sock, or some type of poly filter to remove the fine detrius particals, i run bb in my BC29g and anytime i blow off the rock and blow water behind the rocks to remove detrius when i do my WC i always put a poly filter in the overflow after stiring things up to remove the excess that is still floating in the water colum, it works well this way

platax88 · 01/04/2010, 09:27 AM

Thanks beeker, but i use a filter sock 24/7

dpmatty · 01/04/2010, 10:24 AM

Try making one of these, it worked very well for me:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1753283

platax88 · 01/04/2010, 12:15 PM

nice idea dpmatty ... gotta go out and get the supplies ... and Sopressata and some Provolone

chucksta1 · 01/04/2010, 01:16 PM

I have basically the same set up, except for nowhere near that kind of floe through the sump. I run about 350 to 400 through the sump, with 100% of the overflow running through a progressive drop box filter. I made the drop box filter from scraps and dollar store items. The top layer is a fairly open sponge and the layers get progressively finer until the water is passing through 25 micron floss pads. From there the water exits through about fifty holes around the bottom three inches of the container. It's easy to see when it needs to be cleaned, as the water level inside will start to rise. As result of the progressively finer and finer filtration, there's not an issue with the finer pads getting jammed in just a few hours. All in all, it was the best bang for the buck particulate remover I could come up with. There is, however, no way it would deal with 1400 GPH. If you could divert some of your overflow into a similar device, you might find that it catches a lot of the stuff that is small enough to get past your filter sock.

platax88 · 01/04/2010, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chucksta1

I have basically the same set up, except for nowhere near that kind of floe through the sump. I run about 350 to 400 through the sump, with 100% of the overflow running through a progressive drop box filter. I made the drop box filter from scraps and dollar store items. The top layer is a fairly open sponge and the layers get progressively finer until the water is passing through 25 micron floss pads. From there the water exits through about fifty holes around the bottom three inches of the container. It's easy to see when it needs to be cleaned, as the water level inside will start to rise. As result of the progressively finer and finer filtration, there's not an issue with the finer pads getting jammed in just a few hours. All in all, it was the best bang for the buck particulate remover I could come up with. There is, however, no way it would deal with 1400 GPH. If you could divert some of your overflow into a similar device, you might find that it catches a lot of the stuff that is small enough to get past your filter sock.

Thanks Chuck, but it seems like the detritus is not making it down to the sock. I can't image it getting through the floss of the sock or my large skimmer once down in the sump. Also, i would think that the detritus would settle in the sump instead of making it back up to the DT. It is a large sump and it is clean of detritus ... but maybe i'm wrong. Again, it almost seems like since there is so much flow in the DT it gets pushed around and not make it to the surface where the overflow can get it.

01/04/2010, 08:48 AM	#1
platax88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,961	lots of detritus suspended in water column I have a bare-bottom reef that i just moved cross-country about a month ago. I seem to have lots of detritus flowing around the water column. I have tons of flow and there is no detritus found on the bottom glass ... anywhere, due to my rock being pegged on pillars and having flow all around them. My water quality is great and sps look good even after the stress of two moves in 3 months. What do you think may be causing this? I have two theories: 1. The Rock is just shedding from all the shuffle from the move and it could take a while for the system to cleanse. Note: I did not cook the rock 2. I have so much flow in there that the detritus is having a hard time making it into the overflow to be removed by the filter socks or skimmer. The system is a 180gal, 2 Tunze 6100, 4 Koralia 4s, 1400gph return on Penductors, MSX 250 skimmer, filter sock Thanks for your help!

01/04/2010, 10:24 AM	#4
dpmatty Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 139	Try making one of these, it worked very well for me: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1753283 __________________ 65 gallon glass tank. Deltec AP600 Skimmer. Maristar light fixture with two T5 actinics and 2 250w 20k Metal Halides. 15 gallon Precision Marine Sump. Precision Marine GFO Reactor. Vortech MP10, MaxiJet 900, MaxiJet 1200. Pacific Coast Imports 1/4hp Chiller. Tsunami AT-1 Auto Top-Off System. Current Tank Info: New Reef Tank

01/04/2010, 09:19 AM	#2
beeker Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: cincinnati Posts: 701	use something like a filter sock, or some type of poly filter to remove the fine detrius particals, i run bb in my BC29g and anytime i blow off the rock and blow water behind the rocks to remove detrius when i do my WC i always put a poly filter in the overflow after stiring things up to remove the excess that is still floating in the water colum, it works well this way

01/04/2010, 09:27 AM	#3
platax88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,961	Thanks beeker, but i use a filter sock 24/7

01/04/2010, 12:15 PM	#5
platax88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,961	nice idea dpmatty ... gotta go out and get the supplies ... and Sopressata and some Provolone

01/04/2010, 01:16 PM	#6
chucksta1 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: mississauga ont. Posts: 490	I have basically the same set up, except for nowhere near that kind of floe through the sump. I run about 350 to 400 through the sump, with 100% of the overflow running through a progressive drop box filter. I made the drop box filter from scraps and dollar store items. The top layer is a fairly open sponge and the layers get progressively finer until the water is passing through 25 micron floss pads. From there the water exits through about fifty holes around the bottom three inches of the container. It's easy to see when it needs to be cleaned, as the water level inside will start to rise. As result of the progressively finer and finer filtration, there's not an issue with the finer pads getting jammed in just a few hours. All in all, it was the best bang for the buck particulate remover I could come up with. There is, however, no way it would deal with 1400 GPH. If you could divert some of your overflow into a similar device, you might find that it catches a lot of the stuff that is small enough to get past your filter sock.