2 years of detritus build up!

[paula727]

Hi, I've had my tank running approx 2 years. It has recently been neglected for a few months and I'm trying to get it back to normal. I have never really bothered cleaning my rocks or blowing detritus off them and now have a 2 year build up of detritus and in turn green hair algae all over my rocks. I am aware that my main problem is flow and I will be buying new powerheads in the next week. I also have too much rock in my tank creating dead spots with little to no flow at all. What I'm trying to get at is
1. What is the best method of removing all this detrotus without causing a spike? (Should I blow out/siphon or remove the rock from the water and scrub?)
I have tried to blow out the rocks but the amount of detritus it releases into the water column isn't good and the detritus just ends up settling back onto the rocks due to bad flow.
2. If I tackle the detritus build up will it help my GHA problem?

Thanks in advance everyone

 

[Rover88]

Hi, I've had my tank running approx 2 years. It has recently been neglected for a few months and I'm trying to get it back to normal. I have never really bothered cleaning my rocks or blowing detritus off them and now have a 2 year build up of detritus and in turn green hair algae all over my rocks. I am aware that my main problem is flow and I will be buying new powerheads in the next week. I also have too much rock in my tank creating dead spots with little to no flow at all. What I'm trying to get at is
1. What is the best method of removing all this detrotus without causing a spike? (Should I blow out/siphon or remove the rock from the water and scrub?) Blow it off and siphon it out.
I have tried to blow out the rocks but the amount of detritus it releases into the water column isn't good and the detritus just ends up settling back onto the rocks due to bad flow. Wait until you have new powerheads, and try again. Try to siphon it out of the water column.
Use a filter sock if you have a sump. If you have a cannister filter, load it with cotton batting and just run the water through it and return it to the tank.
2. If I tackle the detritus build up will it help my GHA problem? If your nitrates are high, it may help. What are your water parameters testing at? Even if you show 'low' nitrates, it could just be because its bound up in the growing GHA. Manual removal and then getting your tank cleaned up a bit will help.

Thanks in advance everyone

Try to avoid disturbing your sandbed too much, if you have one.

 

[VoltzNSalt]

Try to avoid disturbing your sandbed too much, if you have one.

Absolutely agree on this - could wipe out your entire tank overnight...

 

[sde1500]

Do you have a sump and filter sock? If so I'd take a powerhead off the wall and move it around the tank stirring everything up a ton, much of this will go through the overflow to the sock and you can clean it out that way.

I regularly siphon my sand bed, keeps it clean.

 

[Rover88]

I regularly siphon my sand bed, keeps it clean.

My understanding is you have two paths: Do it regularily, and disturbing it is fine because you have never let anything build up.


Alternatively (as I'm worried is the OPs case) let it go wild and do its own thing. If this is the case OP, and you have a sandbed thats anything other then very shallow, I wouldn't stir it up. Not from personal experience, just from other topics I've read on maintaining older tanks that had some neglect.

 

[AlSimmons]

I think "neglected" is the operative word here. FWIW I've been stirring up my sand bed and blasting the rocks with a powerhead once every month or so for the past 10 years and all is well. Like mentioned above though I would definitely incorporate some type of mechanical filter and try and remove as much detritus as you can before each water change. If you want to clean the sandbed just do small portions at a time first. Stirring it up with a stick or using a siphon will both work. Use a decent water source, (preferably RO/DI) don't overstock, don't overfeed etc. It's amazing what a little elbow grease can accomplish sometimes. Good luck!

 

[paula727]

Thanks for your replies everyone. I’m currently running triton core 7 with natural sea water . I am running a dump so first course of action is going to be buying a new filter sock and powerheads. And blowing off the rocks slowly. Going to buy a few sand sifters ( have a few verity snails and 2 sand sifting star fish) but not enough cuc for 500litres thinking maybe a goby and a good few more snails I also have way too much rock in my tank restricting flow so going to remove some of that when I get it sitting good again.

 

[AlSimmons]

FWIW no snail, crab, starfish etc will solve this problem for you. It's all up to you... (good husbandry) Put it this way if it eats it poops, and you don't do this in the tank.