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What do you use for mechanical detritus removal?

Vincerama2

Vincerama2

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I had considered filter socks, but my sump is a temporary (Hey, it's only been a decade) glass tank with a plastic storage bin in it and the main tank drains are just PVC pipes dumping into the storage bin. My one attempt at adding a really fine mesh filter sock resulting in a flood (it's actually quire comical, the sock got clogged with crap and as it clogged, it started to straighten up like a "wacky waving arms inflatable man" thing to the point where the sock then extended over the side of the sump and just directed all the drain water onto the floor. Of course it did this overnight). Though maybe a properly designed sock holder might work. This of course means I'd have to clean it regularly.

I thought maybe a big HOB freshwater filter might work, then turkey baste the detritus up into the water column.

A cannister filter might be the same, but more complicated to clean out, meaning it'll get neglected.

Currently, I can see that the crap actually settles into the sump. The last time I let it go so badly that the sump had like 3 inches of ... SOIL on the bottom, like the bottom of a swamp.

So I'm wondering what you guys do about detritus and other crap in the tank.


V
 
Siphon.

For display tank, I run bare-bottom and make sure to have quite a bit of flow.
So there are really 2-3 areas in the corners where detritus accumulates.

For sump, you want it to settle there.
To make it easier, you can point skimmer and overflows around to get it to settle in
a few spots also.

Then for a water change, you simply siphon it out.
 
rygh said:
Siphon.

For display tank, I run bare-bottom and make sure to have quite a bit of flow.
So there are really 2-3 areas in the corners where detritus accumulates.

For sump, you want it to settle there.
To make it easier, you can point skimmer and overflows around to get it to settle in
a few spots also.

Then for a water change, you simply siphon it out.
Click to expand...
Yes this is what had me thinking about it, I just did a 40 gallon water change and used the hose to vacuum up detritus and algae. However, when I pumped water back in, it was a snowstorm of floating crud. I was thinking an HOB or filter sock would be useful then. Then I got to thinking ... I should stir up the crap storm more often to get rid of it.

Maybe I need better pumps and water flow.

V
 
Vincerama2 said:
Yes this is what had me thinking about it, I just did a 40 gallon water change and used the hose to vacuum up detritus and algae. However, when I pumped water back in, it was a snowstorm of floating crud. I was thinking an HOB or filter sock would be useful then. Then I got to thinking ... I should stir up the crap storm more often to get rid of it.

Maybe I need better pumps and water flow.

V
Click to expand...
It is difficult to get detritus out of live rock. My guess is that is where it is coming from.
Early solution is use a turkey baster on it the day before siphoning.
The later, best solution, is to cover every square inch of live rock with coral. :)
 
Once a month. Just blow them rocks off. Keeps away cyano too.
 

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I don’t bother with a sock anymore. I converted the space that used to hold 4 socks into more space for my refugium in my RSR750. And to make space for a mini frag tank area in my sump.

Once a quarter or so I’ll siphon detritus from my sump/refugium/mini frag tank with a plastic hand pump (made for oil changes from Ace) into a fine filter sock at the same level in the sump. Something similar to siphon detritus in the display sand, but using gravity down to the sock in the sump.

I used to blow off the rocks regularly but it never seemed to make a difference either way besides making a debris storm and making the coral get mucousy so I haven’t done it in a long time.
 
JVU said:
What beast is that long handled toothbrush originally meant for? I’m imaging brushing a tiger’s teeth through the security fencing or something.
Click to expand...
Originally I think it was a curtain blind handle. Then I added my kids old toothbrush head on there. Then I zip tied the maxi jet on it. Evolution . It works good for what it is.
 
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NickRoseSN1985 said:
Is detritus really that bad? Doesn’t it go inert?
Click to expand...
If you clean it weakly (socks/rollers/etc) then you can get it while it is still decomposing, and not inert,
so it acts as nutrient reduction.

Old inert detritus in the sump is no big deal.

Detritus can clog up a sand bed.
It fills with crud and can even turn to concrete.

My anecdotal observation is that heavy detritus on live rock seems to help algae thrive.
Possibly a few more nutrients, less coraline algae growing, clogged up pores. Hard to say.
Or could be a coincidence, since heavy detritus there means poor flow.
 
So if you're keeping socks in for so long that they get clogged up you're keeping socks in WAY too long. I don't quite got a visual for how your stiff sock went over the edge of the make shift sump though... figure out how that happened, and then make sure it doesn't happen duhhhh :)

I also prefer to use mesh socks, they in no way polish the water like the felt socks do but they do get the bigger chunks of crap, the fine stuff can be swept up with the protein skimmer, they're 1000x easier to clean than felt socks (literally spray them with water under a sink for 10 seconds) and if you ever tried pulling a felt sock inside out to clean you'll know what I mean. Also super easy enough to pull every couple days replace with a clean, spray off the old and in 2 days time it'll be dry and ready to go again. The mesh can eventually clog up too, but again if it does you kept it in to long.

But if you see piles of detritus in your sump, just do a quick siphon, and replace the water. Don't over think it, don't think you might as well do a water change, just suck it out, and replace the salt water regardless of how small an amount it was.
 
JVU said:
I don’t bother with a sock anymore. I converted the space that used to hold 4 socks into more space for my refugium in my RSR750. And to make space for a mini frag tank area in my sump.

Once a quarter or so I’ll siphon detritus from my sump/refugium/mini frag tank with a plastic hand pump (made for oil changes from Ace) into a fine filter sock at the same level in the sump. Something similar to siphon detritus in the display sand, but using gravity down to the sock in the sump.

I used to blow off the rocks regularly but it never seemed to make a difference either way besides making a debris storm and making the coral get mucousy so I haven’t done it in a long time.
Click to expand...

My problem with siphoning out the sump is that it's on the floor, so I'll need a pump thing. I did look at some squeezy-bulb hand pumps, that is probably what I need.

V
 
You could use a maxi jet and some hose to a 5G bucket or through a fleece sock right back into the sump.

There are 3D printed vacuum attachments for the maxi jet but it’s not a necessity.
 
Siphon works if level in sump is higher than level in bucket.
Siphon from tank to sump while siphon from sump to bucket works well.
Roller mat for the win. Set it. Stir shit up. Replace the roll. That’s it
 
I aways try and keep my powerheads pointed at the rocks which helps alot with crud settling on them. I attach 15ft 7/8 clear hose with a reducer to home depot bucket vac for sump cleaning...The smaller hose gives you more time to suck and clean otherwise the bucket fills up super fast..For display cleaning I slide same tubing inside the hard plastic bucket vac extension tubes which gives me 4ft of stiff reach much easier then using limp hose
And wet armpits..I just toss the end of the tubing into sock in the sump using gravity then u have unlimited time to clean with water returning to system that is if ur not doing a water change. Can zip tie any brush to those extensions if needed as well.On small tanks I run hob seachem tidal with good success with filter floss held down with egg crate inside and just toss out the dirty floss every 5 days or so ..Those sponges inside build up to much crap plus the large rolls of filter floss last a long ttime.Socks I hose inside out and toss in washing machine inside out by themselves then quick soak in rodi water before air drying..
 
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