Reefkeeping Waste Management

[bioload]

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

The Food of Reefs, Part 6: Particulate Organic Matter
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/eb/index.php

Thanks for the link...very useful.

To paraphrase:

POM/SOM - particulate organic material/suspended organic material (detritus, reef snow, marine snow) composed by and large of the remains, secretions and excretions of living organisms uneaten food, and other debris.

detritus tends to settle out of the water column, while suspended organic material is light enough, as it is nearly neutrally buoyant to remain afloat in the water column more easily (can be used by different organisms).

Detritus can be algal composed mainly of dead filamentous algae and phytoplankton, and secondarily of fleshy macroalgae, coralline algae, zooxanthellae, cyanobacteria, phytoplankton and seagrasses. Non-algal detritus is mostly congealed coral mucus and fecal matter (varies by location on the reef).

I've done a bit of reading previously, but just want to make sure. What I found interesting was the thought that we could make water TOO clean. I guess the thinking would be to keep nutrients around long enough to be beneficial/consumed but not long enough to become a problem.

Originally Posted by golf nut

make sure the flow maneuvers detritus to the overflow box, that is 99% of most tank issues.

I tend to agree with this......just makes sense, and I would think that you could have some control over how clean or dirty your tank water would be based on the turnover rate to the sump.

Originally Posted by Madreefer

Lots of liverock in the sump, a good skimmer, running carbon and weekly water changes works for my tank.

I have seen this work time and time again. Not looking for "shortcuts" but would like to use minimal live rock, and I have been known to miss the occasional water change.

Originally Posted by kien

Organic Waste is waste that happens to be organic

Couldn't have said it better myself

Originally Posted by abcha0s

In case you have never heard of the site bioload refers to (neither had I), you might be interested to know that the user bioload is the owner of this site.

Yes tis true......just another hobby to keep me out of trouble. I've also got the CNC bug as well, but that will have to wait till after the playoffs.

Haven't decided on a method for filtration yet, but have a few ideas going around in my head. Thought is might be a good to get some input to make sure I understand the more complex parts.