what do you do with detritus?

[platax88]

So we all know that good flow is the key to keep detritus suspended, but most will advice to not run filter socks of floss because it will become a nitrate factory. So the question is: how do you rid your system of detritus without them? Just the skimmer?

Also ... whats up with dirty refugiums ... I have one with a nice culture of chaeto but the chaeto alwasy seems to drop small pieces which collect at the bottom ... is this harmful?

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I know many people who use filter socks, but who also clean them regularly. It's a good way to collect detritus. So is aggressive skimming! I have a BB tank, so I generally just suck it up.

[Hop]

Filter socks are fine as long as you don't get laxidazical with them. Rinse them regularly and it's fine.

[vsnsofadrgn]

syphon out when doin pwc's.

[platax88]

thanks all ... i need to go buy a bunch of socks so i can replace more often ... i only have one.

So what do you think about the chaeto dropping pieces? normal? harmful?

I think i am going to buy some sort of basket, or make it out of eggcreate so i can place the chaeto in there and just lift to remove the broken pieces and vacum detritus

[Hop]

The chaeto pieces coming off is normal. When I had my 100 gallon rubbermaid fuge, I found that a veggie strainer worked perfect.

[platax88]

thanks again Hop!

Do you remove these pieces? seems like the are not decaying or anything as they remain bright green

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Let 'em grow!

Also, for the filter socks, some people just go buy felt at a fabric store and make their own. Cheap and effective....apparently

[Hop]

Yeah, when I do a water change, I change enough to completely drain the sump and clean it out completely. My current fuge is set up a little different, so I just pull the ball of chaeto out and scoop the little pieces out with a net.

When I had my big fuge, the little pieces would get swept away into the main display and between the foxface and naso, they didn't last very long

[Hop]

Originally posted by Der_Iron_Chef
Let 'em grow!

That's fine too, but I keep a ball going. When it gets as big as a basketball, I trim it back to a softball size. It seems to me that the smaller ball absorbs light better and doesn't get as much caught up in the center of it. In theory, the ball will only grow as large and the nutrients allow it, but I don't want to have parts dying in the center of the ball. All I can say is that so far, this theory has worked well for me for about 18 months... So I keep doing the same thing

[platax88]

yeah i think the mistake i made is that i bought two gallon bags of the stuff ... i think i am going to cut back and just keep a softball size piece that way it can even tumble

[Hop]

You can always list it in the for sale forums and ship a golfball sized piece with a damp towel in a plastic bag.

I really should, but I throw the excess in the wife's compost.

[gonzalezcp]

A small canister filter and floss works great as a vacume for larger cleanings... I have used one a a vacume on many occasions.

[Sarcophyton874]

You only need two socks: the clean one goes in the sump and the dirty one goes in a bucket of diluted bleach. When you're ready to use the bleached one, just rinse it well and soak it in clean water with dechlorination drops. It may seem tedious, but you'll save a lot of money.

[pledosophy]

Am I the only one that takes me filter sock in the shower with me every couple days? I just turn it inside out and let the bathtub faucet rinse it out. I've never bleached it, guess I don't care if it's white. I have 0 nitrates and no detritus. I also use a remote DSB, a protein skimmer, and macro algae to keep the nitrates at 0. JME

[Frick-n-Frags]

I like vacuuming during waterchanges too.

I also kind of like letting all the junk fly around in the water. if I watch for a while, I'll see random polyps snagging stuff flying by. when I turkey bast the rocks or fluff up the chaeto wad to knock all the dust out of it, the corals open up for that too.

[AS11423]

I eat it

[Pmolan]

Originally posted by AS11423
I eat it

A little garlic extract and it should go down just fine.