I finished cycling about two weeks ago and now have algae bloom. I got two turbo snails in each of my two 20g tanks that only has LR. There's lots of poop now. No fish and none will be added. Our lfs only carry brittle stars and sea cucumbers. Will they do fine on a bare bottom tank?
BB tanks
- Thread starter blkdrgn
- Start date
elegance coral
They call me EC
No to the cucumber. Brittle stars are okay but they don't do much work, at least for me. I would just get a few more snails from where ever you got the ones you have now. I have about 15 in my 29gl.
elegance coral
They call me EC
How do you have your return line in the tank? In a BB tank it is best to have the return line run allong the back of the tank on the bottom with holes or a slit cut in it facing the front of the tank. This way the water flows along the bottom and up the front glass. Any detritus/poop that dosn't get pushed up and into the overflow will collect at the bottom of the front glass where it is easy to vacume out durring water changes. I have been running BB tanks for years and have never had a problem using this system.
One more thing. You must have a small hole in the pipe just under the waterline of the tank.
One more thing. You must have a small hole in the pipe just under the waterline of the tank.
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My tanks are just for holding my LR. It's two 20g containers. I have Tunze 9002 skimmers and a Maxi-Jet 1200 & 600 on each facing each other the length of the tank.
Not shown is the other Maxi-Jet 600 and I don't have the power filter anymore. I don't have a current picture with more rocks and lots of algae. This is in my garage with ambient sun light. I also had my lights on for 3 days, 10hrs each and it caused this bloom during the cycling period.
I also have a little 10 QT tank that has very little algae. I took off the filters and put a Precision Marine HOT-1 skimmer on this and a 100gph powerhead. Don't mind the fake corals. Just put them in there for fun. Plus my clown likes the anemone.
Not shown is the other Maxi-Jet 600 and I don't have the power filter anymore. I don't have a current picture with more rocks and lots of algae. This is in my garage with ambient sun light. I also had my lights on for 3 days, 10hrs each and it caused this bloom during the cycling period.
I also have a little 10 QT tank that has very little algae. I took off the filters and put a Precision Marine HOT-1 skimmer on this and a 100gph powerhead. Don't mind the fake corals. Just put them in there for fun. Plus my clown likes the anemone.
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sherm71tank
Premium Member
I would up the flow or aim it so the poop doesn't collect on the bottom.
elegance coral
They call me EC
If they are just to house LR then you could increase the flow in the containers to keep the detritus suspended in the water and your machanical filters would remove it. Or, you could always clean it up manually.
