Detritus, good or bad?

[xxkenny90xx]

What are your thoughts on the stuff? Do you regularly syphon it out or just let it build up? Is it fouling your water or harboring beneficial organisms? Or both??

 

[ThePurple12]

I really don't know, so I can't vote. I've heard it can be beneficial.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

My tank is going on 10yrs old and I have a pile of the stuff. It hasn't bothered anything but I'm open to deep cleaning if necessary

@Paul B thoughts?

 

[Ike]

I think it's both and I don't think it has a huge impact on much of anything other than suspended matter in the water column and how many worms and organisms that will break it down you have. I just siphoned 5 years worth of detritusout of my 80g frag tank, so I'll let you know how it goes.

In short, I've never seen a big impact on coral and fish health one way or another. There are a lot of fish, like Ctenochaetus tangs that eat a lot of it, so it's helpful with fish like them and some fish like that will not do well in tanks with a lot of mechanical filtration.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I think it's both and I don't think it has a huge impact on much of anything other than suspended matter in the water column and how many worms and organisms that will break it down you have. I just siphoned 5 years worth of detritusout of my 80g frag tank, so I'll let you know how it goes.

In short, I've never seen a big impact on coral and fish health one way or another. There are a lot of fish, like Ctenochaetus tangs that eat a lot of it, so it's helpful with fish like them and some fish like that will not do well in tanks with a lot of mechanical filtration.

Interesting, yeah definately let me know if you notice any changes with your newly cleaned tank!

 

[Bfragale]

Following

 

[Dancingmad]

If I see a pile like that I personally like to blow it up and use it to feed corals. I'm a crazy person though. Throw in some filter socks if you're worried about it being out of control. If it's a low flow / dead spot it'll gather there again.

It looks pretty thick too - watch out for some big ol' bristle worms. They love detritus piles like that.

 

[EW_Fish]

I leave mine. I'll take a photo when I get home I have a 120g as I stopped running a skimmer and I have taken all algae out of my fuge now it is just a pile of detritus and feather dusters. When you look really really close its a underground network of tunnels under the detritus, Pods and britleworms... I havent touched my sump in about 1 year I use to suck it out every week.

 

[ScottR]

I believe it to be both good and bad and really depends on your system.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I believe it to be both good and bad and really depends on your system.

Care to elaborate?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

If I see a pile like that I personally like to blow it up and use it to feed corals. I'm a crazy person though. Throw in some filter socks if you're worried about it being out of control. If it's a low flow / dead spot it'll gather there again.

It looks pretty thick too - watch out for some big ol' bristle worms. They love detritus piles like that.

Not worried at all, just curious what everybodies doing. Great idea to just blow it up! Occasionally I'll suck a little bit up to feed my cucumber

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I leave mine. I'll take a photo when I get home I have a 120g as I stopped running a skimmer and I have taken all algae out of my fuge now it is just a pile of detritus and feather dusters. When you look really really close its a underground network of tunnels under the detritus, Pods and britleworms... I havent touched my sump in about 1 year I use to suck it out every week.

Any particular reason you choose to leave it? Just to not disturb the pods and worms?

 

[ScottR]

Care to elaborate?

If you have high nitrates and phosphates and you’re trying to bring them down, I could see wanting to take it out. But detritus also can be food for a hungry clean up crew and corals. Since your system is 10 years old, I’m sure it’s food for many things. I’ve also had this build up. Looks like gray ash. I siphoned out what I could. But I didn’t go crazy trying to remove it.

 

[Daddy-o]

I would bet that it is fairly inert.

 

[Scubasteve11]

Sorry if this is a dumb question....but what exactly is detritus? Just broken down food and fish poop?

 

[Nick428]

Its hard to tell just by looking at it but i don't think its a big source of nitrate and phosphate. But i would think it can be composed of different material depending on other tank factors.

I have seen it get caught in hair algae but not sure if that helps it grow.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

If you have high nitrates and phosphates and you’re trying to bring them down, I could see wanting to take it out. But detritus also can be food for a hungry clean up crew and corals. Since your system is 10 years old, I’m sure it’s food for many things. I’ve also had this build up. Looks like gray ash. I siphoned out what I could. But I didn’t go crazy trying to remove it.

That makes sense. I have lots of phosphates, (probably lots of nitrates but I haven't tested in years), lots of detritus, and lots of happy fish and corals. Still on the fence about if I'm ever gonna get in there and clean up.

Shamefully the main reason im tempted to clean house is probably because I really want an excuse to buy one of those shop vacs you snap onto a 5 gallon bucket....

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Sorry if this is a dumb question....but what exactly is detritus? Just broken down food and fish poop?

That seems like a solid description to me

 

[EW_Fish]

Any particular reason you choose to leave it? Just to not disturb the pods and worms?

I left it because its natural to me. Its getting broken down pods, worms, startfish...

 

[csb123]

I was able to get my nutrients under better control, by getting as much as I can out. I know there is plenty left behind in my cryptic and non cryptic refugiums, and my display sand bed. I’ve adopted vacuuming the displays sand bed. My corals look the best they’ve ever been.