Siphoning Detritus

Afsal

Afsal

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I normally siphon any detitrus in my sump. but last week i looked closely and saw that lots op "life" (pods etc) get siphoned as well so was wondering whether to siphon or not
 
I personally don't siphon my DT or sump. I kick up the crap, put filter floss and let the skimmer do the rest
 
kewl but there are visble detritus in the sump , "stirring" it up will jus make it go evrywhere ....
 
Afsal, place some filter wool in one of your baffles and then stir it up. This will prevent it from going everywhere, and it will get trapped.
 
Afsal said:
kewl but there are visble detritus in the sump , "stirring" it up will jus make it go evrywhere ....
Click to expand...

Like Mekaeel said the floss will trap the stuff
 
Hi Afsal - many people would say yes, others would say "no".

Personally - I don't siphon the detritus in my tank's sump. I don't even siphon in the display (I have a DSB in my DT).

I do "stir" the top +-1 to 1.5cm of the DSB in my tank though. I have far too much live rock in my sump, to allow me to "stir" the top +-1-1.5cm of the DSB in my tank's sump.
I cannot get to the DSB.....

I see the micro fauna, that lives in and around the detritus, as food for my corals, and my fish.

BTW: I only suffer from aptaisia issues - not nuisance algae issues. And my water nutrient levels are always zero (ammonia/nitrite) and nitrates/phosphates very low.
 
also no nutrient issues as well , jus that i like things "clean" , ill leave the detritus for a while & c what happens .....
 
Im having the same problem with detritus in sump.
The last time i tried a major siphoning & stir up session, it resulted in a little diatom population.
So for now i let it be..
 
again it depends how your sump is designed.

In my sump:

Skimmer in first chamber. so i get detritus buidup from the DT. When doing water changes, i stir up the first chamber and then pump it empty, then fill it up with clean SW and skim and heat it in the first chamber (obviously with return pumps off).

So then i get rid of most detritus. the first chamber holds about 90liters, so over enough for a good water change.
 
thats basically what i do but the "life" is being siphoned as well ....
 
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