ideas on removing detritus from rocks

[keith gray]

When I do a water change in my 65 I blow the rocks off with a turkey baster then I hope that some of it gets sucked up into the tube I am using for the waterchange. I think some of it gets taken inot the tube, but alot of it may filter back around in the tank and resettle somewhere else.
I do 5 gals at a time each week and it does not take long to suck out 5 gals so I am not sure I am really removing as much detritus as Iwould like.
I wonder if I took a net and put in some filter pad and tried top "sway" it around if that would catch some of it. Any other ideas ???

 

[renogaw]

there's a few ways to get rid of detritus, but the best way for me is to use the bonded filter material (blue/white) in my sump

 

[flower]

A power head pointed at the rocks will keep the yuck suspended so it can be removed by filtration.

 

[jgisler2006]

I had the same exact problem, then i bought my favorite fish ever. Orange spotted diamond Goby, the first day he cleaned all of my LR.

 

[spanko]

Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3223328

A power head pointed at the rocks will keep the yuck suspended so it can be removed by filtration.
^this

 

[bmkj02]

I do the same. I pull one of my powerheads off and start blowing it on my rocks to clean them.

 

[reefkprz]

If I am doing a thourough cleaning as I can I'll throw a HOB filter with some filter floss on the side of my tank when I do a water change to catch more of the suspended detritus. running a filter sock on your overflow would work, or refiltering water (let me explain this) sometimes in the past when batteling cyano I would be inbetween waterchanges but want to siphon out cyano. I took a bottle and cut slots in the bottom and put a wad of filter material in the bottom, then I would just start a siphon and tuck the bottle in my sump and siphon the water through the "filter" to catch the cyano and detritus. you can do that to trap detritus and you can siphon as long as you want because it just pumps it back into the tank. you can spot clean rock etc this way.

 

[keith gray]

I think I see what your asaying. What kind of bottle ? Like a 2 liter soda bottle ?
What is a filter sock, not familiar

 

[bmkj02]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
http:///forum/post/3226938
If I am doing a thourough cleaning as I can I'll throw a HOB filter with some filter floss on the side of my tank when I do a water change to catch more of the suspended detritus. running a filter sock on your overflow would work, or refiltering water (let me explain this) sometimes in the past when batteling cyano I would be inbetween waterchanges but want to siphon out cyano. I took a bottle and cut slots in the bottom and put a wad of filter material in the bottom, then I would just start a siphon and tuck the bottle in my sump and siphon the water through the "filter" to catch the cyano and detritus. you can do that to trap detritus and you can siphon as long as you want because it just pumps it back into the tank. you can spot clean rock etc this way.
This is a cool idea

 

[reefkprz]

I used a G2 bottle, it doesnt really matter as long as you can modify it to let water flow through and place filter floss in the bottom. heck you can use a fish net lined with filter floss if you want. i've done that too, its just easier with the bottle because I can wedge it into place.
a filter sock is a bag made of mesh that is designed for particulate filtration they are usually placed over the end of the downspout in the sump.

 

[spanko]

Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3223328

A power head pointed at the rocks will keep the yuck suspended so it can be removed by filtration.
I think after reading some more of the posts here this needs some clarification. My understanding of what Ms. Flower is saying and what I am meaning is that some sort of flow in the tank needs to be "stirring" the rock surfaces to allow the detritus, at least the light enough stuff, to be suspended in the water column. This is not just once in a while but always. Much the same as we talk about having some kind of flow behind your rockwork. This suspension of material allows the water being drawn out of the tank for the mechanical filter to be........well...........mechanically filtered constantly. You can do some additional "blowing" of the rockwork at water change time, but the idea is prevention here. Keep the stuff from settling in the first place.
Also your feeding habits are a contributor to how much stuff is going to accumulate on the rocks. Feed lightly so that most of the food is eaten before it has a chance to fall to the bottom or the rocks. Even if you have to do this multiple times at one feeding. I.E. a little now, gets eaten in a minute, a little more, gets eaten in a minute etc.