Can we keep our tanks too sterile?

SandJ · Jan 31, 2017

Just thinking if we sometimes do more harm than good with our tanks by keeping some things from entering our tanks.

For example, one of my tanks has a ton of amphipods and copepods. By dipping corals, any new pods will be killed off. If I do not add different genetic lines, will the population eventually breed out?

Brew12 · Jan 31, 2017

SandJ said:
Just thinking if we sometimes do more harm than good with our tanks by keeping some things from entering our tanks.

For example, one of my tanks has a ton of amphipods and copepods. By dipping corals, any new pods will be killed off. If I do not add different genetic lines, will the population eventually breed out?

Yes, we can keep our tanks too sterile. That is a risk we run in an effort to keep the negatives out.

My understanding is that our tanks will establish a dominant population of both copepods and amphipods. Odds are pretty good that even if you add new varieties, eventually you will go back to just one or 2 species of each over time.

Diesel · Jan 31, 2017

Answer to your second question is "no"
They are kind of like flees once you have them you won't get rid of them other than with a tank crash or putting something in there that will kill them off.
Answer to you first question "yes" we keeping out tanks to clean.
In the last two years I have seen more systems with starving corals than ever before.
I think this is due to the skimmer getting better but we also understand the food and feeding process pretty good.
So now and then fouling up your tank isn't so bad idea after all.

Maritimer · Jan 31, 2017

Absolutely.

The things that kill pests also kill beneficial organisms. The detritus at the bottom, unsightly as it is, is food for scavengers, which are food for mandarinfish. The nitrates and phosphates it produces (within reason!) are absorbed by zooxanthellae.

(Of course, my personal tastes would run to the most diverse sort of reef ... one of those reefs where every time you look in a crevice, there's a different kind of creature lurking there.)

~Bruce

Bdog4u2 · Jan 31, 2017

Thats why i keep my tank a little dirty and i only clean my front glass. this hobby is about the life in my box not some sweet picture that looks like i just fully stocked a brand new tank and took a pic. all my animals are very healthy