Good detrivores?

[andyaz]

I have a problem with, well, fish poop. I've read some suggestions recommending more water flow at the bottom of the tank (I've got a 400gph return pump in the sump, and one Rio 180 powerhead about halfway up on each side of the tank pointing toward the center, about 100gph each), but I've also read about having more detrivores in the tank that might clean it up better. What things would be good to have in the tank, and what flow strength and aim would you recommend?
I've been having a pretty intense algae problem lately, but I chalk that up to a poorly researched addition of a porcupine puffer who ate most of my cleaning crew and a crappy protein skimmer (the puffer's been adopted now, and my new Coralife 220 comes tomorrow, yeah!!).
55g w/10g sump (48"x12"x20" tank size)

 

[reckler]

I would try and aim the flows towards the bottom more and hopefully have it sucked into the overflow box. Personally I would just vacuum it out if I was having that much of a problem. I don't really know if a diamond back goby could help that problem or not. maybe someone else would know that answer.

 

[andyaz]

I can never seem to vacuum it out. When I'm using the gravel vac, it comes up in the tube but tends to slowly fall back down with the sand instead of sucking out. I get some of it, but it just seems to be a lot left over.
I've seen motorized gravel vacs out there, and some that you can use to remove detrius into a little bag without having to remove water from the tank. Anyone have any experience with anything like that?
I'll try aiming the powerheads down, maybe even sliding them down the glass a bit so they are closer to the sand as well. Just wish there was an easier way to keep sand beds cleaner, mine always looks like a mess and I see all of your pictures (the community as a whole) with beautiful pristine sandbeds . . . I'm just jealous I guess

 

[1journeyman]

Really sounds like a lack of good flow to me. Get that water moving!!

 

[andyaz]

Ok, I've got ~400gph coming into the tank from the sump. How much additional flow do you think I should have? I've got about 100gph on each side pointing in towards the middle of the tank (going to move them down closer to the sand and aim them lower as well). What gph rating should I be looking at? Maybe two on each side, one higher in the tank and one lower?

 

[bonebrake]

Detrivores will definitely help break it down so the skimmer can pick it up. I have Terebellidae worms, commonly called spaghetti worms, and these guys love poop. The thick end of them is burrowed in the sand and the very thin Medusa-like tentacle end sprawls out as far as it can reach in every direction from its burrow in a sweeping motion along the sand looking for poop or uneaten fish food. As soon as it drops near a tentacle they are all over it and can consume it in less than an hour.
:joy:

 

[slugg3r]

Originally Posted by AndyAZ
I've got about 100gph on each side pointing in towards the middle of the tank (going to move them down closer to the sand and aim them lower as well). What gph rating should I be looking at? Maybe two on each side, one higher in the tank and one lower?
I would recommend doing something with your powerheads so they are not just pointing at each other. By doing that they are canceling out each others flow in the center of the tank. Try putting one closer to the back and the other to the front, one higher, one lower, one pointing up, one down, stuff like that to get some type of swirling motion to pick everything up off the sand and keep it moving. Otherwise it doesn't get into your overflow and down to the sump.

 

[zoie2]

I never heard of such a worm. I've been comming to this site for a year now, and I am always learning something new!! I love salt water tanks!! They have the coolest critters! :cheer:

 

[bonebrake]

Originally Posted by zoie2
I never heard of such a worm. I've been comming to this site for a year now, and I am always learning something new!! I love salt water tanks!! They have the coolest critters! :cheer:
I had never heard of them before either, but I was at guy's house to make a trade and I saw his yellow tang poop and watched these critters tear into it like it was gourmet. I told him I didn't care about the corals anymore, I just wanted as much of his live sand and those critters as he was willing to part with. They proliferated a great deal in my tank since I have had them; close to six months now.
:joy:

 

[reefkprz]

thats a cool picture of spaghetti worms. the ones in my tank are red not green, different species. another good detritivore would be a brittle star, I would say avoid the green brittle because they can be predatory on fish. but the fany or serpent stars are excellent reef and fish safe.

 

[andyaz]

Originally Posted by SLUGG3R
I would recommend doing something with your powerheads so they are not just pointing at each other. By doing that they are canceling out each others flow in the center of the tank. Try putting one closer to the back and the other to the front, one higher, one lower, one pointing up, one down, stuff like that to get some type of swirling motion to pick everything up off the sand and keep it moving. Otherwise it doesn't get into your overflow and down to the sump.
That sounds like a good plan. I just picked up a more powerful head today (270gph), so what I might do tonight is put it low in the tank near the back on the opposite side of the tank from the overflow box (overflow is in right-back corner, so I'll put the 270gph in the left-back corner blowing just above the sand to the right?). The sump return comes a bit left of center pointing down and right, it's about 300-400gph. So, the other smaller powerheads that I have, I'll put them on the left side as well blowing right, just a different heights and aims?
Back to the detrivores, that worm is awesome. I'll have to keep an eye out for those here. I have a new cleaning crew en route to replace what the puffer ate (now that he's been adopted off), new cleaner shrimp, some more turbo snails, and a new one for me, a white sand-sifting starfish. Some sand-sifting crabs, emerald crabs, and hermit crabs are also on the way (my last emerald crabs were a quick midnight snack for the puffer...)