Detritus build-up behind rocks and in corners...

Brock Fluharty · #1 07/28/2007, 03:49 PM

Any way to get rid of detritus that builds up in corners and behind rocks? Powerheads are the obvious solution, but are there any critters that will eat this junk? Also, when I clean m sand bed, lots of detritus and gunk flies up and goes all through the tank. What can I do about it?

Thanks!

areze · #2 07/28/2007, 03:51 PM

I think the only way is to keep it stirred up, get a turkey baster and squirt it out once a day or whatever so it doesnt build up.

ReefJunkieOK · #3 07/28/2007, 05:22 PM

How old is the tank?

Brock Fluharty · #4 07/28/2007, 05:27 PM

Over 2 years now.

wrott · #5 07/28/2007, 05:49 PM

Bristle worms will help, but it's best to keep it stirred up. Push it out w/ a powerhead or sipon it out during a WC. i wouldn't mess w/ cleaning the sand bed=crash.

Brock Fluharty · #6 07/28/2007, 06:28 PM

I don't really vacuum it or anything. I just meant when I stirried it up with a turkey baster.

hermitage · #7 07/28/2007, 06:31 PM

I took an Aquaclear 70 and hooked up a flexible hose that had holes drilled into it (many many holes), and capped the end of the hose. Ran it behind and under my LR. Does a really good job of keeping the water moving behind rocks and in corners.

Brock Fluharty · #8 07/28/2007, 06:46 PM

You hooked the hose up to the intake or where the water flows back out? Idk what it's called.

tkeracer619 · #9 07/28/2007, 07:10 PM

I would add more flow and run filter socks. It helps keep stuff out of the water and rocks.

Maybe add a koralia 4 or tunze nano.

hermitage · #10 07/29/2007, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brock Fluharty
You hooked the hose up to the intake or where the water flows back out? Idk what it's called.

I hooked it up to the output of the phead. You can connect the hose to either end since the phead has a reverse flow feature, but I think the flow is stronger using the output. You want the water to travel out of the hose. You don't want it to suck in debris. Plus you can put a strainer on the intake, and not the output which makes cleaning a lot easier.

DW62 · #11 07/29/2007, 10:46 AM

I attach a hose to a phead (mj900) and blow off and inbetween my rocks at least once per week - creates quite a storm!

drstupid · #12 07/29/2007, 10:52 AM

i use a magnum 350 cannister filter, it comes with a "polishing" filter. just hook it up, stir everything up with a turkey baster (or powerhead), and let it go for about an hour.

i changed my closed loop return about a month ago, it's now two 1" penductors that blow straight into the rock. that stirred up insane detrius, it wasn't the sand bed but stuff that had collected in the rocks over the last year. i almost lost a lot of corals, running that magnum filter full of hydrocarbon for a couple of days i think is what saved them. be careful of what lurks in your rock pile!