detritus and algae in FO/FOWLR

[sly fox]

I dont have an FO or FOWLR tank, I have a 175g reef and am setting up a 25g reef... a lot of fish i like have compatability issues with certain corals or inverts, im thinking of switching my 175g to just havestuff that will go with the fish I like but havent worked out a fish list yet...

I was wondering how people deal with detritus and algae in their tanks especially with fish like puffers who will eat cleaner crew..

 

[mattsilvester]

My personal approach is to lots of strong flow.......

 

[mrchriscarlton]

Agree with matt about having lots of strong flow.

A bare bottom tank keeping anything in suspension long enough to be dealt with via mechanical or other filtration in your sump.

I also like to have a tang in the tank. I've currently got a white cheek tang in my FO tank. He's a strong enough tang to deal with the attention of anything in there! He's currently trying it on with clown trigger that is close to twice his size!

 

[mattsilvester]

I must be hoenst, I have some snails in mine.... about 20 or so I would guess..... they do a great job..... and are the reason I do not have a lunare wrasse and a clown trigger.....

The latter two are in my top 5 favourite fish. The possibility of gettign them was at least in part the reason why I wanted my 8x2x2 tank...... but after thinking long and hard back to the days when I had no clean up crew, I decided that for me, the crew was more important, because I know in my heart that I would quickly loose interest in cleaning algae..... and these guys do a great job!