I think it's called detrius...

[Gaffes]

I have a 80g reef that is full of live rock and tufa. I keep having a problem with detrius (I think that is what it is called.) I do water changes twice a week and siphonf the bottom and clean the powerheads and it is very dirty again in a couple of days. The powerheads, the bottom, and alot of the rock is covered with a brown dust, almost like sand. Is this what is meant by "detrius"? How do I get rid of it? Is it common to have so much?

I have good circulation (three aquaclear 802s and a fluval 405 cannister), a great skimmer that is producing alot of skimmate, and I hardly feed the tank and do not use additives. The substrate is just enough crushed coral to almost cover the bottom.

Should I get a brittle/serpent star to stir things up? I was also thinking of replacing the tufa with additional live rock, but I think this might even produce more detrius.

Any suggestions?

 

[investigator1]

DITRITUS

I think you need to go more in depth with your livestock and contents before we can make a better educated guess.

 

[Gaffes]

Let's see... I have a 3" picasso trigger, a 3" purple tang, and a 2" domino damsel. That is it for fish.

I also have about 50 pounds of liverock, about 20 pounds of tufa, 10 blue-leg hermits, a queen conch, and about 20 assorted snails. There is also a small serpent star that came in as a hitchiker. And I have a small pincushion and pencil urchin, both of which the trigger ignores. That about sums it up for livestock.

 

[Vixyswillie]

What you describe sounds more like diatom bloom than detritus. How long has the tank been running?

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with Vixyswillie...have you considered getting a fighting conch or two?

Chris

 

[Reefguide]

8O

Chris,

That avitar is gonna give me nightmares !! :?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm actually a happy clown underneath! :wink:

Chris

 

[Gaffes]

Actually, I am sure it is not a diatom bloom since I have been through those before and know what they look like. I already have 2 queen conch in the tank - is a fighting conch better for some reason?

What do you think of the brittle star/serpent star idea? I know to stay away from the carnivorous green brittle stars, although I'd like to see them try eating a picasso trigger - I don't think they would get very far. Anyways, I have heard these starfish called "detrivores", that doesn;t mean that they eat the detritus does it? They just stir it up, right?
[/i]

 

[Anonymous]

If it's "fluffy" and rather gray, then you've probably got detritus building up. The serpent/brittle stars are a very good idea, and if you've also got a DSB you could utilize a sand-sifting cuke. I'm sure you know that diatomaceous blooms look more like a layer of silk/fabric on the surfaces. Pics, if possible, always help.

I don't see the tufa actually affecting the detritus build up, and the addition of good quality live rock is always a good thing (to a point, of course ). More than anything, it's unsightly, so address it from that angle, with an emphasis on using natural methods to reduce its build-up.

 

[danmhippo]

If it's maroon colored and some are in mats of them, then you are looking at cynobacteria bloom.