Does stirring up detritus in sump mitigate effect of water change?

[Chrille26]

Hi! Even though I mainly use mechanical filtration in the sump such as filter socks and skimmer, also I have circulation and decent turnover, detritus allways manage to get through and settle in the sump.
Then when I do my weekly water change I refill the tank through the sump since I use a siphon to refill, and when doing so detrius is stirred up and sucked up by the return and into the display.
Does this in any way effect the benefit of doing a water change? Is there a difference between detritus in the sump or detritus in the water column in regards to nutrients or algae etc?
One thing I have noticed is the corals extend polyps and feeders directly after my water changes.

Thanks for any insight!

 

[Jamesmost]

What are your levels ?

 

[SPR1968]

I sometimes stare up the sump on purpose so it’s goes up the main return and then will hopefully get caught in the filtration when it comes back down.

It’s basically coral food but should get removed anyway so I think your fine

 

[Chrille26]

What are your levels ?

My parameters last I checked about a week was:
Sg: 1.026
KH: 7,7
NO3: 10
PO4: 0,1
Mag: 1200
Ca: 420

I will have to wait a few hours to check again since I just did a 6 gallon water change.

 

[Chrille26]

I sometimes stare up the sump on purpose so it’s goes up the main return and then will hopefully get caught in the filtration when it comes back down.

It’s basically coral food but should get removed anyway so I think your fine

Thanks! Yes that was a benefit I thought about aswell, to allow the filtration another chance to remove the gunk from the tank.
Yeah the corals really seem to enjoy the feast!

 

[SPR1968]

My parameters last I checked about a week was:
Sg: 1.026
KH: 7,7
NO3: 10
PO4: 0,1
Mag: 1200
Ca: 420

I will have to wait a few hours to check again since I just did a 6 gallon water change.

The magnesium is a bit low so I would raise that as it affects the interaction between the other elements for coral health, anything over about 1280 is ok but I prefer to keep it higher at around 1350 ish

If it gets to low for any period of time, you may notice the corals don’t look as healthy.

 

[Dan_P]

Hi! Even though I mainly use mechanical filtration in the sump such as filter socks and skimmer, also I have circulation and decent turnover, detritus allways manage to get through and settle in the sump.
Then when I do my weekly water change I refill the tank through the sump since I use a siphon to refill, and when doing so detrius is stirred up and sucked up by the return and into the display.
Does this in any way effect the benefit of doing a water change? Is there a difference between detritus in the sump or detritus in the water column in regards to nutrients or algae etc?
One thing I have noticed is the corals extend polyps and feeders directly after my water changes.

Thanks for any insight!

Great question.

I consider the fluffy light colored material that collects on the bottom of sumps biological ash, leftovers of little nutritional value. If this is correct, it does not matter what you do with it.

@taricha has done a series of chemical analyses of this fluffy material and has used it as a bacteria food. I don’t recall all the details of his work, but my overall impression is that the fluff is closer to ash than food.

 

[Chrille26]

The magnesium is a bit low so I would raise that as it affects the interaction between the other elements for coral health, anything over about 1280 is ok but I prefer to keep it higher at around 1350 ish

If it gets to low for any period of time, you may notice the corals don’t look as healthy.

Thanks for the advice! I use Red Sea coral Pro salt and I also supplement with ATI essential Pro 2 part, so I will have to up the dose of part 2 and test accordingly.

 

[SPR1968]

Thanks for the advice! I use Red Sea coral Pro salt and I also supplement with ATI essential Pro 2 part, so I will have to up the dose of part 2 and test accordingly.

If your using coral pro you shouldn’t need to supplement it, or not much anyway, If your doing regular water changes

Are you using the red sea magnesium test kit by any chance ?

 

[anthonygf]

What I do is get a small pump with hose, turn of the return pump and stir up the gunk in sump. The small pump will cycle the water through your filter. When done replaced filter and turn return pump back on.

 

[Chrille26]

If your using coral pro you shouldn’t need to supplement it, or not much anyway, If your doing regular water changes

Are you using the red sea magnesium test kit by any chance ?

I am using the Salifert test for magnesium and it have been given consistent results this far. I have been higher in Mag earlier so it might been a temporary dip.

 

[Chrille26]

What I do is get a small pump with hose, turn of the return pump and stir up the gunk in sump. The small pump will cycle the water through your filter. When done replaced filter and turn return pump back on.

Thanks for the tip! The thing is I dose pods in that area of my sump since it holds some bio spheres as pod hotel so I dont want to remove too many critters.

 

[ca1ore]

I consider the fluffy light colored material that collects on the bottom of sumps biological ash, leftovers of little nutritional value. If this is correct, it does not matter what you do with it.

This has always been my view. By the time detritus has been settled out its mostly inert. Not particularly aesthetically appealing, but not a significant contributor to nutrient levels .... whether collecting in the sump or stirred up.

 

[Chrille26]

Great question.

I consider the fluffy light colored material that collects on the bottom of sumps biological ash, leftovers of little nutritional value. If this is correct, it does not matter what you do with it.

@taricha has done a series of chemical analyses of this fluffy material and has used it as a bacteria food. I don’t recall all the details of his work, but my overall impression is that the fluff is closer to ash than food.

Thanks for the info! Interesting to know, I thought it wasnt likely that uneaten food and poo would make it through both socks and skimmer.
So it is more like a buildup of dissolved organics that settle and clump up if I understand you?

 

[Dan_P]

Thanks for the info! Interesting to know, I thought it wasnt likely that uneaten food and poo would make it through both socks and skimmer.
So it is more like a buildup of dissolved organics that settle and clump up if I understand you?

I don’t know what mechanism creates this fluffy solid. Let’s wait for @taricha’s reply on what he found and maybe we will get him to say where this is coming from.

 

[BiggestE222]

Hi! Even though I mainly use mechanical filtration in the sump such as filter socks and skimmer, also I have circulation and decent turnover, detritus allways manage to get through and settle in the sump.
Then when I do my weekly water change I refill the tank through the sump since I use a siphon to refill, and when doing so detrius is stirred up and sucked up by the return and into the display.
Does this in any way effect the benefit of doing a water change? Is there a difference between detritus in the sump or detritus in the water column in regards to nutrients or algae etc?
One thing I have noticed is the corals extend polyps and feeders directly after my water changes.

Thanks for any insight!

I intentionally stir up the detritus and suck it out with the water that is replaced. A clean sump means a clean DT. I always make sure there is very little visible detritus remaining in the sump.

 

[krash7172]

I have a similar opinion but I don't let it build up and I try to keep it out of my DT. I drain my overflows and sump to do WCs and it has never been an issue.