Detirius in BB tanks.

[wrightme43]

Hi everybody, I dont know if this will help anyone. I would like people with BB tanks to describe the detirius they get.
Mine seems to mainly be sand, made from little pieces of live rock, a grey/brown powder that seems to be held together in little chunks, by I assume bacteria (never looked at it under a microscope)
Most (say 75%) is just little pieces of chewed up live rock.
Is this what you all are getting?

 

[kcharm]

That and little gifts from the snails.

 

[Scooterman]

Yep that& I'd get the sacks my wrasse would leave behind & lumps off poop at times, this is where vacuuming & a Micron sock comes into play.

 

[mojoreef]

This is a great topic Steve!!!
As with you my detritus is pretty much the same. The vast majority of it is sand like particles created by urchins, rock boring sponges, and other similar critters that travel through or on the rock work. The balance of it consists of organic type detrital material.
Within the organic forms of detritus there is unused food, waste from higher critters, bacteria, bacterial flock (materials shed by bacteria) and biofilm created by the bacteria, along with other microscopic critters. All of this material can serve as very well.
One form of use for us is to feed our corals, there is truly no greater a food source than the organic forms of detritus. It contains large portions of nitrogen and phosphate and thus each particle is coated with a large amount of bacteria and other microscopic lifeforms. If we allow this material to pass by invest make available to our corals we are supplying them with a fantastic external food source.
Another form of use for us to use this material is as an organic binding source for exportation. When this inorganic detritus collects on the bottom of our tanks it is immediately set upon by bacteria trying to reduce it and other microscopic forms trying to consume it. Or in other words binding both nitrogen and phosphate into an organic form. If we then remove this detritus and the organic forms associated with it you have an excellent source of exportation.


Mike

 

[wrightme43]

Ok, so when we are blowing off the rock in prep for a water change or filter sock time, we are feeding the corals and inverts. Then as the stuff settles down to the bottom, and is removed, we are taking out large amounts of bacteria, binding P and N.
Now since the bacteria are passing things from hand to hand (lol lack of a better way to explain it) Are they leaky, like algae? Basicly what I am asking is the P + N bound better in bacteria or algae?
Just so there is background on my tank, I used uncured live rock, cured in tank. A skimmer, a fuge with chaeto, and phosban. Occasional filter socks. and water changes to maintain my system.
Another thing I wonder about, just like algae is subject to die off and rerelease, how about the bacteria? I know the release would be quicker, and I think the uptake by other bacteria would be very quick as well. If I have something mistaken or just plain wrong, feel free to tell me. I know I am not right all the time. Just most of it. LOL thats a joke my last name is Wright.

 

[Krish]

My detritus is mostly grey/brown as well. Sometimes I get what looks like LR crumbs like the rock is breaking away and not shedding...Aw well, I just suck it all up anyway.

 

[mojoreef]

Ok, so when we are blowing off the rock in prep for a water change or filter sock time, we are feeding the corals and inverts. Then as the stuff settles down to the bottom, and is removed, we are taking out large amounts of bacteria, binding P and N.

exactly, also just keeping the detritus in the water column is feeding the corals and various other inverts. If the detritus is left on the rocks or on the bottom it is not available to the corals. This also applies to folks that have sent substrates, is detritus lands on or in it it becomes food for the inhabitants of that substrate and not for the corals elsewhere.

Now since the bacteria are passing things from hand to hand (lol lack of a better way to explain it) Are they leaky, like algae? Basicly what I am asking is the P + N bound better in bacteria or algae?

another good question. There is a big difference between how and what algae and bacteria can bind. Algae can only bind nitrogen or phosphate when it is an inorganic dissolved form. Bacteria on the other hand produced enzymes which gives them the ability to transcend different forms of nitrogen and phosphate products. Plus with bacteria one always knows that if any nitrogen or phosphate products are available, either in dissolved or particulate form they will be the first ones to get to it. Now in saying this algae does have a crack at nitrogen and phosphate when it is in the dissolved inorganic form.

Another thing I wonder about, just like algae is subject to die off and rerelease, how about the bacteria? I know the release would be quicker, and I think the uptake by other bacteria would be very quick as well.

yes all things living are subject to blooms and die offs, bacteria included. But it is also safe to assume the any bacteria that is associated with particulate forms of detritus are going to be very healthy and happy.

On a side note the use of ferric oxide and algae is in direct competition with each other. I would suggest using one or the other.


mike

 

[Krish]

...I need corals man...The detritus in my tank is just plain old killing me:doubt: Nothing to eat it so I gotta remove every ounce of it. So as it stands, detritus is my worst enemy!

 

[wrightme43]

Hey Mike do you think its unhelpful to have ferric oxide, and chaeto both? I get growth on the cheato, and the ferric oxide works too. I think the phosreactor is such a low flow device that some phos gets by it, and the algae gets the rest. Am I off base here?

 

[mojoreef]

That is a possibility Steve. When one thinks in terms of living critters and keeping them alive and growing (algae that is) we really need to keep an eye on limiting factors. For algae its light spectrum and a supply of N and P. So if you have a competitor in thier (ferric) you have two things going after the same prize, I would hate to see one loose. Now in saying that you have a better grasp on what type of a N and P situation you have so go by what you see. If you see the algae start to yellow up though I would pull the reactor.


Mike