Constantly Battling Debris

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

I have no idea how these guys survive

 

[sc50964]

I have no idea how these guys survive

Excellent matching music

 

[fish farmer]

I feel like recommending algae eating critters like snails and urchins is just going to create more detritus.... urchins are a poop pellet factory.

You need to focus on pulling that suspended detritus into your filter socks, skimmer, sump and maybe gravel vac the substrate if it settles in areas.

Or maybe some type of canister/diatom filter set up for a few hours.

 

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

I feel like recommending algae eating critters like snails and urchins is just going to create more detritus.... urchins are a poop pellet factory.

You need to focus on pulling that suspended detritus into your filter socks, skimmer, sump and maybe gravel vac the substrate if it settles in areas.

Or maybe some type of canister/diatom filter set up for a few hours.

Did a 50 gallon change then 5 gallons of gravel vac. Cleaned my socks 2 days ago. Little to no difference today.

I've also never considered a canister filter and I'm not sure what a diatom filter is...? Any recommendations on a canister for about 300 gallons?

 

[QuickrdenU]

I can stir up my sand, blow off the rocks, make a total mess of the water and it’s gone within an hour.. I think it’s totally up to the overflow, reefmat, and powerheads.

 

[fish farmer]

Did a 50 gallon change then 5 gallons of gravel vac. Cleaned my socks 2 days ago. Little to no difference today.

I've also never considered a canister filter and I'm not sure what a diatom filter is...? Any recommendations on a canister for about 300 gallons?

I can't recommend a specific filter, but you need something that is forcefully pulling water through a filter/media designed for polishing water like a spa canister filter that would be used occasionally, a diatom filter is an old school water polishing filter that uses diatom skeletons as the media. More modern versions would use a filter sock inside a canister or a paper/plastic insert like used on hot tubs.

I believe what is going on is you are just stirring up the detritus in the tank and it isn't getting pulled into your sump.

Can you turn up the flow of your return pump? That may help with actual turn over through the tank.