How often do you blow out your rockwork?

[KWT]

I voted water changes, but it has already happened, and I have not done a water change yet. My tanks hove not been running for 3 weeks yet and I have cleaned off the rock work.

 

[Doglips56]

Fairly new to reefing (8 mos), didn’t know this was even a maintenance item! Doesn’t it make the water column a mess?

 

[Lp1977]

I try to hit what I can with a baster once a week or so. have tons of flow but it still settles and builds up in the holes

 

[RYcube2951]

I do it when it looks like it needs it. My substrate stays in place pretty well.

 

[kevin318]

Weekly with water changes and I use a feeding tube which creates a nice stream.

 

[Paul B]

I use a diatom filter a few times a year.

 

[mitch91175]

I only do it if stuff like cyano gets on the rocks. I turn up the flow so I dont have to do it again.

Same here. Maybe twice a year I’ll have to. At most 3 times.

 

[Fourstars]

Can you explain this set up a little to us?

Sure, nobody really produces a diatomaceous earth filter anymore So I decided to build one. I originally planned to purchase a The Inland Seas Nu-Clear Model 530 and run it with an iwaki pump but found this pool filter for about half as much. Only draw back is its size and the fact that it’s direct drive so if I run it more the a few hours my temps rise. runs at 60 GPM so quite a storm! I attached a line to one of the returns so I can blast the rock work. Sometimes I just use the filter at 25 microns, other times I’ll charge it with diatomaceous earth and filter down to 3 microns.

 

[mitch91175]

Never...seems to be working out OK.

Believe that needing to do it means you may be feeding too much to the tank. I only do so if I have a cyano outbreak and I let it get to a point where it get too close to any coral.

 

[Flame2hawk]

With FOWLR...never..

 

[Torontotraders]

I wanted to start a poll to see how regularly people blow out their rock work.

How often do you blow your rock work out and how do you do it?

It's something I've started doing a few times a week, and since doing so I feel like my general tank health has really improved. Random clumps of algae have been disappearing and corals seem happier with better polyp extension too.

My hypothesis is this helps get all the gunk out of the rock work that acts as (essentially) fertilizer to algae, as well as encourages liverock to absorb excess phosphates. I also believe phosphates wicking from the rock work, into the bases of large SPS colonies where their base gets minimal flow due to growth could lead to RTN and STN events.

Those are just my hypotheses, and I would be curious to hear anyone else's thoughts/experiences!

I thought it was the fish’s job all this time

seriously never used to do it on my previous tank, and never had issues

 

[ACReefer]

I do it every couple of days asI have a fish that spits sand on some of my lower rocks. Also some cyano on some rocks. I use a turkey baster to blow them off.

 

[design.maddie]

I don't use a filter sock during normal operation. I do a rock blow out and attach a filter sock and let it run till it clogs, (~24-36hrs) I usually do a 10% water change with it and THRUOUGHLY clean a quadrant of the sand bed.

 

[rusgum]

I visually determine when to make a storm. This is usually once a month.

 

[Paul B]

If you keep a tank long enough, IMO it should be done.

 

[CrunchyBananas]

Fairly new to reefing (8 mos), didn’t know this was even a maintenance item! Doesn’t it make the water column a mess?

It definitely can, I do it before changing mechanical filtration or a water change. you can also think of it as feeding corals to an extent too!

 

[CrunchyBananas]

Sure, nobody really produces a diatomaceous earth filter anymore So I decided to build one. I originally planned to purchase a The Inland Seas Nu-Clear Model 530 and run it with an iwaki pump but found this pool filter for about half as much. Only draw back is its size and the fact that it’s direct drive so if I run it more the a few hours my temps rise. runs at 60 GPM so quite a storm! I attached a line to one of the returns so I can blast the rock work. Sometimes I just use the filter at 25 microns, other times I’ll charge it with diatomaceous earth and filter down to 3 microns.

that's intense! I've seen some people (ReefDudes, also a guy at BRS) do something similar with a smaller pump and a 10' sediment cartridge. It's crazy how much you pull out!

 

[Vette67]

Thanks for reminding me. I just did it.

 

[Idoc]

3-5 times per week with a turkey baster. I mainly go for the areas of the rocks where i know more junk hides. It has been a great help with my tank.

 

[Dburr1014]

Monthly with a turkey baster