Used reef set up ..... detritus problem.

[Loodvic]

Hello All,

First time post and brand new to reefing.

We bought a 65 gallon used reef tank with lots of beautiful live rock and sand substrate. (No livestock)

Unfortunately, we also have a lot of detritus. It covers everything and looks unsightly.

Previous owner only used live rock, sand and skimmer (Tunze 9004) for filtration.

I am currently using 3 powerheads with the skimmer but the detritus is very slow to come out.

1. Should I leave the tank to settle, empty it, change the substrate and start again?

2. Should I carry on cycling for a few more weeks?

3. Should I have additional filtration eg cannister filter?

Thanks for any help.
L

 

[Conovan]

Do you use any kind of mechanical filtration to catch the particles? My 65 would probably be covered if I were not running filter socks.

 

[Loodvic]

Hi Thanks for replying. I like the idea of filter socks. But I don't have a sump. Do you think I need a cannister filter?

 

[brandon429]

You need to take the tank apart, clean the waste, put it all back clean, its already cycled. Moving rocks to a new home does not undo the previous bacteria. Here’s a direct example of disassembly cleaning

Official Sand Rinse and Tank Transfer thread

If you are reading this thread to cure a tank invasion from a link I sent you, we do not need to identify your type of invasion here we do not need you to test anything at anytime regarding nitrate, phosphate etc Above all, we do not need to see a microscope slide picture of your invasion at...

www.reef2reef.com

pick any example thread to view, they’re all the same set of moves. Your tank was cycled when you walked in the door with it and the rocks

 

[mike550]

I can’t speak to canister filters but you definitely need some mechanical filtration.

As a temporary solution I’ve seen folks use a pump / hose to suck water and detritus out of the aquarium and then let the water filter through a sock and then back to the tank.

 

[Super Fly]

As a temporary solution I’ve seen folks use a pump / hose to suck water and detritus out of the aquarium and then let the water filter through a sock and then back to the tank.

This would work, folks do this to clean detritus from sump.
I'd do lots of water changes while siphoning the sand each time. Also, if the live rocks don't have many corals, I'd remove and rinse them in a brute/bucket of saltwater.

 

[BackToTheReef]

Cannisters work great for catching particulates but you can also through a sponge filter on a cheap powerhead and let it run for a while. Once the sponge has caught some junk "dip" it out of the water with a container or bag (too keep detritus from getting back into the tank), "rinse and repeat" (or replace the foam) until you have removed the bulk of the "gunk"

Won't work for fines but if there is anything large it will surely catch it. I used to make my own by getting a few filter foam blocks for a HOB filter and using a pair of scissors to cut a hole in the center for the power head intake.

 

[Cell]

Not sure why you would rely on a mechanical filter when you have no livestock. Aggressive vacuuming and a couple big water changes should be sufficient. I would crank up the flow as high as I could, blow everything off the rocks and suck it all up.

 

[firmefatboy799]

I saw a dude take an rodi micron filter tube hook it to a return pump and throw it in the water and stir the heck outta the sand bed and the return pump would suck that water and nastiness up run it through the filter and dump it right back into the water table, problem solved

 

[Loodvic]

Thanks everyone, I've decided to empty the tank, rinse the sand bed clean, rinse the live rock in salt water (no coral) and build back up. I like the idea of the sponge filter with powerhead for mechanical filtration.

Really helpful thanks. Really wish I'd joined 2 weeks ago.

 

[mike550]

Thanks everyone, I've decided to empty the tank, rinse the sand bed clean, rinse the live rock in salt water (no coral) and build back up. I like the idea of the sponge filter with powerhead for mechanical filtration.

Really helpful thanks. Really wish I'd joined 2 weeks ago.

Sounds like a great plan. Quick suggestion. Since you’re redoing your tank think about how you might want to reorganize your rock and perhaps glue some of the structures together.

 

[Loodvic]

Sounds like a great plan. Quick suggestion. Since you’re redoing your tank think about how you might want to reorganize your rock and perhaps glue some of the structures together.

Great idea, I'll look at some pictures to get ideas.