Best Detritus Removal Method from Rocks

[Aquaman99]

What's the best way to remove detritus from your live rock?

If I point a powerhead at the rocks and blow the detritus out of the rock, will a Skimmer get most of it out of the water column?

Thanks!

 

[David S]

skimmers aren't there to do that,whats your setup

 

[Aquaman99]

skimmers aren't there to do that,whats your setup

55 gallon tank, 3" sandbed, 60 lbs of live rock, HOB Skimmer, HOB Powerfilter running carbon/denitrate.

 

[Jimbo7]

Whats you CUC like? IME you are going to get some stuff that settles on the rock unless you have a ton of flow all around your tank.

 

[Aquaman99]

Whats you CUC like? IME you are going to get some stuff that settles on the rock unless you have a ton of flow all around your tank.

Emerald Crab
Turbo Snails x 3
Astera Snails x 5
Nassarius snails X 5
Peppermint Shrimp X 2
Black Brittle Starfish

 

[pat8you]

The best way is just to go over them with a siphon when you are doing your water change. Usually sucks most of that stuff out pretty well. Don't worry about keeping your rocks super clean. Just give them a good cleaning every month or so.

 

[Jimbo7]

I would get a couple hermits, they are pretty good at picking up a decent amount of stuff.

 

[thincat]

Just use a turkey baster and blow it off the rocks about once a month. Don't worry about where it goes as alot of it will be eaten by your corals and feather dusters. My Tank is over 2 yrs now and I have never syphoned anything in my DT.

 

[cmor1701d]

I either use a baster or a small ph while doing a PWC. Most of the stuff (sand) just settles back on the rocks again, but some is taken out with the water change.

 

[ryshark]

Just use a turkey baster and blow it off the rocks about once a month. Don't worry about where it goes as alot of it will be eaten by your corals and feather dusters. My Tank is over 2 yrs now and I have never syphoned anything in my DT.

This is my method. And the coral like it!

 

[mr_X]

skimmers aren't there to do that,whats your setup

umm, yes they are. not as effective as manual removal however. i would blow them off like you are doing with the powerhead, just before the water change. take out as much as you can with the change.

 

[David S]

umm, yes they are. not as effective as manual removal however. i would blow them off like you are doing with the powerhead, just before the water change. take out as much as you can with the change.

The question was what is the best way to remove detritus from lr,using a ph and hoping the skimmer will remove the large pieces isn't the best way,manually is with pwc or cuc,this is what I was getting at.

 

[mr_X]

skimmers aren't there to do that

why are skimmers there then?

 

[David S]

why are skimmers there then?

All skimmers have key features in common: water flows through a chamber and is brought into contact with a column of fine bubbles. The bubbles collect proteins and other substances and carry them to the top of the device where the foam, but not the water, collects in a cup. Here the foam condenses to a liquid, which can be easily removed from the system. The material that collects in the cup can range from pale greenish-yellow, watery liquid to a thick black tar.Protein skimming removes certain organic compounds, including proteins and amino acids, by using the polarity of the protein itself. Due to their intrinsic charge, water-borne proteins are either repelled or attracted by the air/water interface and these molecules can be described as hydrophobic (such as fats or oils) or hydrophilic (such as salt, sugar, ammonia, most amino acids, and most inorganic compounds).
protein skimmers are designed mainly for molecules,I never said they wern't used to remove detritus but the best way to remove it from LR is manually,pwc and cuc

 

[mr_X]

I never said they wern't used to remove detritus

yes, you did say they "aren't there to do that".

FYI, the best way to remove excess nutrients is not more eating, pooping, critters. they don't remove anything.