what should I do with fish poop?

[dochou]

I have a 150 gal tank with a oolite sand bed.
My yellow tang poops out logs of poop. I often see it pooping at feeding time and then it lands on the sand bed and takes about 1 day before it dissolves. So I'd like to keep the sand bed nice and white but logs of poop are ruining the look.
What should I do with the poop? Suction it up? Smash it up with a forceps?
My blue tang poops differently. He sprays out a powdery looking poop.
Your thoughts are appreciated.

 

[Ewok1]

I have a 150 gal tank with a oolite sand bed.
My yellow tang poops out logs of poop. I often see it pooping at feeding time and then it lands on the sand bed and takes about 1 day before it dissolves. So I'd like to keep the sand bed nice and white but logs of poop are ruining the look.
What should I do with the poop? Suction it up? Smash it up with a forceps?
My blue tang poops differently. He sprays out a powdery looking poop.
Your thoughts are appreciated.

Maybe get some flow down there or get a cleaner crew?

 

[Cell]

I'd probably just remove the large solids.

 

[Billdogg]

Maybe get some flow down there or get a cleaner crew?

^^^This^^^

If detritus is able to collect anywhere, there needs to be more flow to keep it suspended so that the corals can get it. Something(s) to keep the sandbed stirred up for you will also help a lot.

As for siphoning it out - I use a Python Siphon for every water change. I clean ~1/4 of the sand each time to remove any detritus left. I cannot imagine any other way to do it.

 

[Victor_C3]

In a previous system I had years ago, my clownfish used to chase my tang, waiting for it to poop. As soon as it did, they’d be right on top of the poop, chowing down on every bit of it’s deliciousness.

Sometimes the tang would even have a bit of a “jumper in the door” thing going on and the clowns would nip it right off at the tang’s butt.

I guess this doesn’t really help you much

 

[dochou]

Thanks for the replies.
The problem with increasing flow at the bottom area, ie sand bed, is that the sand will blow everywhere; I have oolite sand. Also the low flow LPS live down there and they won't be happy.
As for CUC, I have a bunch of hermits and I haven't used snails in the last 7 yrs bc they always end up dying and killed off by the hermits.

Okay since they poop every day, and I only do water changes once or twice a month, is it a problem if a log of poop sits on the sand bed and slowly dissolves?

 

[Uncle99]

Not if does not show up as excess nutrients, it will dissolve and feed your corals, fish poop is like fertilizer.
Ditch the crabs.....get some Nassarius snails....they don’t eat algae but are great on detritus and they mostly hide under the sand.