Constantly Battling Debris

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

What do you all do about the constant battle with debris?

I'm open to try an option like Ozone but I'm not sure if that will help this specific issue.

I currently have a RSK 600, 3 filter socks, poly pads, bio pellet reactor, bio bricks and carbon bags in my sump.

I was thinking about adding a reefmat and removing 2 bio bricks...any other thoughts? I did an 80 gallon change on the 230 about 2 weeks ago when I had a parasite situation.

 

[Rtaylor]

You may need a bigger cuc if you have a lot of detritus blowing around. With a 230 gallon tank, your cuc should number 200-600 depending on the type

 

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

You may need a bigger cuc if you have a lot of detritus blowing around. With a 230 gallon tank, your cuc should number 200-600 depending on the type

That’s an interesting thought. I dumped about 20 nassaris snails in there a month or 2 ago. I don’t think any of them made it through the week. Hermits do ok. Here is a pic of the same spot at night most fish are asleep, mp40s on, minimal debris.

Any ideas on what other cuc could work?

 

[littlefoxx]

That’s an interesting thought. I dumped about 20 nassaris snails in there a month or 2 ago. I don’t think any of them made it through the week. Hermits do ok. Here is a pic of the same spot at night most fish are asleep, mp40s on, minimal debris.

Any ideas on what other cuc could work?

I have the same battle in mine now, my sea hare that I put in has cleaned it up very well which is interesting as I thought they only ate algae. Also have a fair amount of conches, those seem to help!

 

[Pickle_soup]

It seems you have a lot of fish that love eating CUC.

 

[Spare time]

Is it detritus or sand?

 

[Rtaylor]

There’s a seller on eBay for super cheap Nassarius snails since your fish will eat them. They may be a cooler water species, but that’s ok when a lot will end up as dinner. May need some bigger cuc like conch’s, abalones, urchins, etc.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3337349577...2hoyJgITcm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/tank-cleaners/spider-conch-detail
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3343048685...2hoyJgITcm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
https://www.reefcleaners.org/store/out-of-season/tropical-abalone-detail

 

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

It seems you have a lot of fish that love eating CUC.

CUC pretty much disappeared after the Bird Wrasse entered the picture...thinking about getting rid of it.

 

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

Is it detritus or sand?

I'm assuming it's a combination of both. All these fish knock around, move rocks, dig, pick up the sand and spit it out, it's always flying around.

I'm toying with the idea of turning off the MP40s to see if that makes a difference.

 

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

There’s a seller on eBay for super cheap Nassarius snails since your fish will eat them. They may be a cooler water species, but that’s ok when a lot will end up as dinner. May need some bigger cuc like conch’s, abalones, urchins, etc.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3337349577...2hoyJgITcm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/tank-cleaners/spider-conch-detail

Going to try abalones and conch's...urchins turned into expensive snacks. Thanks for the link to the snails, I'm going to buy a bunch and funnel them directly into the sand with a pvc pipe rather than just tossing them in.

 

[Rtaylor]

Going to try abalones and conch's...urchins turned into expensive snacks. Thanks for the link to the snails, I'm going to buy a bunch and funnel them directly into the sand with a pvc pipe rather than just tossing them in.

Did you try a long spine urchin?

 

[gbru316]

As much water movement as I can achieve without causing a sandstorm, a filter roller, and weekly turkey basting.

I’m currently running 2x gyre 350’s on my 40 breeder @ 75% each, and 2x tunze 6040’s at 100% each, all random with a COR-15 as a return. I figure I’m somewhere around a few thousand gallons per hour overall resulting in well over 100x turnover rate. Keep that detritus in suspension and catch it with the mechanical filtration.

Keeping flow velocity down by using wide aperture pumps allows you to push extreme amounts of water without hurting the inhabitants. And even then, nothing we can do will ever come close to the flow volume of the ocean. Great PE on all my SPS, euphyllia, alveopora, and chalices. Just requires some consideration with placement.

 

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

As much water movement as I can achieve without causing a sandstorm, a filter roller, and weekly turkey basting.

I’m currently running 2x gyre 350’s on my 40 breeder @ 50% each, and 2x tunze 6040’s at 100% each, all random with a COR-15 as a return. I figure I’m somewhere around a few thousand gallons per hour overall.

Keeping flow velocity down by using wide aperture pumps allows you to push extreme amounts of water without hurting the inhabitants. And even then, nothing we can do will ever come close to the flow volume of the ocean.

I pushed the MP40s up as high as possible today thinking it might help. They run at the lowest setting currently.

I definitely need to turkey baste both of them tomorrow, they are nasty.

 

[Rtaylor]

Could try this too:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/extreme-water-clarity-and-cyano-eradication-made-easy.916381/

 

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

Did you try a long spine urchin?

Only pencil, I haven't tried to specifically buy CUC that the LFS doesnt carry. So pretty much just the basic hermit, emerald, various snails, and pencil urchin.

 

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

Could try this too:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/extreme-water-clarity-and-cyano-eradication-made-easy.916381/

Looks like I have a weekend project...

 

[gbru316]

I pushed the MP40s up as high as possible today thinking it might help. They run at the lowest setting currently.

I definitely need to turkey baste both of them tomorrow, they are nasty.

The turkey basting is to blow detritus off the rocks.

IMO, running those MP40’s at the lowest setting on a 230 gallon tank is way too low. Might be appropriate for a lagoon type tank with sea grass — but coral rely so much on water for basic biological processes. It brings them food, it carries away waste. It can impact how they are able to respond to light and changing conditions. And it impacts growth - form and rate.

I’d place water flow above lighting when considering basic needs of coral. The zooxenthellae can adapt to a very wide range of lighting, and you’ll know if you’re not providing enough because the coral will “stockpile” zoox in an attempt to get more energy out of them, turning the coral brown. IIRC, Jake Adams shared this philosophy. And FWIW, Calfo suggested growing acro under t-8 shoplights when I spoke with him many years ago (as a teen, when I had no money for proper lighting)provided the water was less than a foot deep.

 

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

The turkey basting is to blow detritus off the rocks.

IMO, running those MP40’s at the lowest setting on a 230 gallon tank is way too low. Might be appropriate for a lagoon type tank with sea grass — but coral rely so much on water for basic biological processes. It brings them food, it carries away waste. It can impact how they are able to respond to light and changing conditions. And it impacts growth - form and rate.

I’d place water flow above lighting when considering basic needs of coral. The zooxenthellae can adapt to a very wide range of lighting, and you’ll know if you’re not providing enough because the coral will “stockpile” zoox in an attempt to get more energy out of them, turning the coral brown. IIRC, Jake Adams shared this philosophy,

Oh no coral goes into this tank. Emp Angel destroyed three massive BTAs in a day, so I don't even try.

My rocks are pretty free of debris or algae. It just seems to always be flying around.

 

[sc50964]

Oh no coral goes into this tank. Emp Angel destroyed three massive BTAs in a day, so I don't even try.

My rocks are pretty free of debris or algae. It just seems to always be flying around.

Emp messing with Bubble Tip Nems? Did I get that right? He nip them? I didn’t know they see nems as food.

 

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

Emp messing with Bubble Tip Nems? Did I get that right? He nip them? I didn’t know they see nems as food.

Absolutely shredded them. I didn’t expect it.