On-going detritus problem

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

I have a 29 BC 1 year old and since 9 months into it have been battling detritus every step of the way. I've tried adding more CUC, heavy water changes and vacuuming the rocks weekly, and it gradually increases to a point where I have to take everything out, do a 90% water change and thoroughly clean every rock in another bin to get all of it out of every nook and cranny. I've asked LFS's for help. They say water changes and bigger CUC. Added a sand sifting star, nassarius snails, and tried everything I can think of. Also have battled hair algae do to the increase of nutrient that the detritus is giving off. I have a full fuge of chaeto; lights running 12 hours while main lights are off. I don't know what else to do and it's getting to a point where I have to take the tank apart again.

Any help is appreciated! I'd rather fix the source of the issue than keep battling this.
Just trying to figure out what it might be. Thanks!

 

[Animal-Chin]

How many fish do you have and how often are you feeding? If you have 10 fish in a 29 BC they are gonna poop.

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

How many fish do you have and how often are you feeding? If you have 10 fish in a 29 BC they are gonna poop.

I have 3. I'm well aware of overstocking problems that's why I never had more than 4 small fish. I have 2 percula clowns and 1 six line wrasse. I feed once daily with mysis and pellets being careful not to let any go uneaten.

 

[TLTGF]

Uneaten food isn't the issue - its what happens to the food after it's eaten. I don't see anything standing out as the issue, but it could only help to reduce the feeding to every other day.

 

[Animal-Chin]

Is it a nitrate problem that leads you to believe you have to take such measures? 3 little fish in a 29 biocube should be ok. I had 3 in my 14 gallon and could keep the nitrates reasonable. Its really hard to keep a tank that small totally algea free, is that what you're looking to do?

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

The issue is detritus causes increased nitrate and phosphate levels which then feeds the hair algae which brings the those levels down. This problem only keeps growing until eventually I have to take everything apart to have a clean tank again. Im constantly scraping hair algae and sucking large amounts of detritus out of rock crevices every week only to watch it grow in quantity and size within a week. I have thought that my only solution is to add a skimmer but there is no quality skimmer that i can fit in this tank. I would only be masking the problem rather than fixing it even if I did.

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Uneaten food isn't the issue - its what happens to the food after it's eaten. I don't see anything standing out as the issue, but it could only help to reduce the feeding to every other day.

Is it ok for them to eat only every other day? That's one thing I haven't tried. I used to feed twice daily but I've become lazy...
These fish are bottomless pits. Every time I walk past the tank they come to the surface with their mouths out of the water begging.

 

[TLTGF]

Not only is I'm okay, it's recommended. There are quite a few people that only feed twice weekly, and only feed enough for their fish to eat for 5 seconds or less. I feed every other day flame food, and every third time I feed 1/2 cube mysis for (5) fish. I still think its too much, but the cleaner and other CUC get some too.

As for a skimmer, the Tunze 9002 skimmer fits and from what others say, works great.

I'm cycling my BC29 now, and hopefully won't need a skimmer either.

You are absolutely right about masking the problem.

 

[crister13]

I feed every other day, about as much as I used to every day donut decreases bioload tremendously. I may move to every three days just to keep the tank nice and clean.

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Not only is I'm okay, it's recommended. There are quite a few people that only feed twice weekly, and only feed enough for their fish to eat for 5 seconds or less. I feed every other day flame food, and every third time I feed 1/2 cube mysis for (5) fish. I still think its too much, but the cleaner and other CUC get some too.

As for a skimmer, the Tunze 9002 skimmer fits and from what others say, works great.

I'm cycling my BC29 now, and hopefully won't need a skimmer either.

You are absolutely right about masking the problem.

Awesome info! Thanks so much! I'll look into that skimmer anyway but I'll definitely cut feeding to every other day if not every 3. It gets ridiculous feeding every day anyway. I hope this works. If anything it will help. Again, thank you and good luck with your BC! They are nice!

Do you have a build thread? If so I'll subscribe.

 

[TLTGF]

Yes, it's called Tim's biocube 29 angler tank or something like that...