Debris or Bacteria

chamic1

Member
When I do water changes, I use a siphon to take the water out. If I vacuum the LR, this fine brown "powder" gets sucked from the rocks. I was wondering if this is the benificial bacteria or debris that has settled in the rocks?
 

trainfever

Active Member
No that is not bacteria, it is waste. It is also a sign that you do not have proper water movement. You may have the proper amount of circulation , 10x-20x per gallon an hour but you may need to readjust your powerheads so that you get the right water movement.
 

chamic1

Member
What type of "direction" do you suggest? Should the PH be shooting at the rocks and sand? Any suggestion will be helpful.
 

ophiura

Active Member
You may still get this accumulation in pores of rocks even with flow. Not abnormal, IMO. YOu might have to blow so much current at the rocks as to make any corals or whatever unhappy to keep it off. Just keep doing what you are doing, IMO, or using a turkey baster to blow it out now and then.
This stuff is various waste, some of which would include bacteria, etc that comes out of LR and critters. It is normal.
 
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