Cleanup crew

[Ryanst]

I am getting a bit of detritus building up on my live rock I was wondering what would help clean it up in between water changes? My tank is a 240 gallon bare bottom mixed reef. Right now my clean up crew is like 20-50 astrea snails 6-10 mexican turbos. I guess I should add that I have 5 mp40s in the tank so flow shouldn't be a problem. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Ryanst

I am getting a bit of detritus building up on my live rock I was wondering what would help clean it up in between water changes? My tank is a 240 gallon bare bottom mixed reef. Right now my clean up crew is like 20-50 astrea snails 6-10 mexican turbos. I guess I should add that I have 5 mp40s in the tank so flow shouldn't be a problem. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

give it a good brushing and hit it with the turkey baster

[Myka]

Most critters in a clean up crew won't devour detritus; instead eating leftover fish food or algae. Most detrivores live within the sandbed, so would not be introduced into a bare bottom reef. These include peanut worms, spaghetti worms, pods, bristleworms. Cerith snails are the only shelled animal I can think of that is a detrivore, but they also need a sandbed. With a barebottom tank your best plan of attack is to use powerheads close to the bottom of the tank so that detritus is not able to settle in the tank and is instead flushed to the sump where mechanical filters such as filter pads, filter socks, and/or a protein skimmer can remove it.

[toytech]

Micro brittle stars would work but not on a scale your looking for .Hermit crabs might help keep stuff off your rockwork as they constanly graze and pick/losen the detirius as they look for food.

[Ryanst]

Originally Posted by Myka

Most critters in a clean up crew won't devour detritus; instead eating leftover fish food or algae. Most detrivores live within the sandbed, so would not be introduced into a bare bottom reef. These include peanut worms, spaghetti worms, pods, bristleworms. Cerith snails are the only shelled animal I can think of that is a detrivore, but they also need a sandbed. With a barebottom tank your best plan of attack is to use powerheads close to the bottom of the tank so that detritus is not able to settle in the tank and is instead flushed to the sump where mechanical filters such as filter pads, filter socks, and/or a protein skimmer can remove it.

The problem isn't it settling on the bottom of the tank it's al the little holes in the live rock getting full of it. It is a big tank so to have to suck stuff out of most of the little holes in the live rock is a big pain.

Maybe I should just add sand to my tank so I can get some different detrivores in there.

[MarkoD]

i bought 100 hermit crabs on saturday and added them to my tanks.

literally took care of my problem in 3 days

[Myka]

If you decide to add sand, don't add hermits because the hermits will eat everything in the sand.

[reefwars]

personally hate crabs ....both kinds;pppp