Removing detritus

[BDeVaney]

Hello, I have started to notice a little bit of green algae growing in my tank. I am doing regular water changes, controlled feeding, and managing the parameters as best I can. I believe it is mainly feeding off the detritus in my tank. When I do water changes I also siphon the sand in the tank to attempt to remove detritus. However, it seems that I can only remove sand and the detritus falls out of the siphon back to the tank floor. What other methods can I use to ensure detritus removal since the siphoning does not seem to be extremely effective?

 

[skinz78]

Are you holding your gravel vac at a 45deg angle?

 

[Nano sapiens]

Detritus is lighter than all but the very smallest sand specks, so it should vacuum right up. It is not necessary (or even possible) to get all detritus out of a sand bed, just get most of it out using a regular routine.

A small amount of algae is normal in all reef tanks, no matter how expertly maintained. Problems arise when algae 'blooms', becoming unsightly and smothers other organisms.

 

[BDeVaney]

Ok cool. Yes I am holding it at a 45 degree angle but maybe I need to figure out a more precise way. I am ok with the algae because it is not out of control. My concern is that because it is growing I know it can account for unmeasurable phosphates and I just got a few coral frags. I know phosphates are not good when having coral so in turn isn't algae bad when coral is present? [algae = phosphates = poor coral growth]?