Poop Machines

[Nalaundi]

Hey all,
quick question,

so I have the clean up crew

6 cerith (sp?) snail
4 blue legged hermit crabs
1 red reef hermit crab

they seem to poop ALOT.... I am on a weekly cleaning schedule.. I have the rena filstar 45g canister and the 30g biowheel (no wheel of corse) I am using Seagel, purgien, and filter fiber--changed every week or more. in the canister I have 2 machanacal sponges (again changed at lest once a week) and carbon. I am still seeing lots of poop on the sandbed... and am wondering how to get that up without taking loads of sand with it.. or if I need to worry. im guessing I do... but what do I do.? would changing the rock configuration help ? ive got the clasic wall structure going on.I havent glued anything yet.

poop... such a dirty word

 

[Mr Miagi]

How many times per hour is your total tank volume turned over? It may be a case of low flow. The do poop, but mine dont leave visible traces. Im guessing it must be your snails. If they have alot to eat, they will continually poop. Turnover wont eliminate the poop, but it will break it up, or send it into the water column to be removed via your cannister or HOB.

 

[Nalaundi]

How many times per hour is your total tank volume turned over?

Its got by definition anyway more than enough circulation.. calculated 29x... at 595gph - Rena canister -250gph, biowheel30 -150gph, rio 600 200 gph, I actually decresed it from 39x which i thought was a bit much... (I pulled the one penguin 1140 which had 300gph by itself!)
I have the Rena facing forward going toward the right front corner. the Biowheel on the right side facing forward straight on and the Rio600 in the right corner facing the back middle/left creating a M pattern...

 

[Nalaundi]

anyone?

 

[sianeds]

I've never really noticed any poo in my tank

You must have a very pooey CUC

 

[tmreynolds]

I don't see much poo either, but a gravel vac may be a good idea if you're getting alot.

You'd be surprised what a gravel vac removes, once you seen the colour of the water that a vac/syphon removes from the sand bed you'll never be without one ;-)

 

[Nalaundi]

I don't see much poo either, but a gravel vac may be a good idea if you're getting alot.

You'd be surprised what a gravel vac removes, once you seen the colour of the water that a vac/syphon removes from the sand bed you'll never be without one ;-)

weird!!! I think a sludge extractor is the next purchase... cause Im already doing 20% water changes every week. I guess Im on my own for this one!

thanks though

 

[Mr Miagi]

x39 is probably fine, and it wont be too much. Unless your inhabitants get covered in sand, then Id agree, scrap the x39, LOL. A gravel vac sounds like a wise idea. If you already do WC's weekly or fortnightly, it wouldnt hurt.

 

[Nalaundi]

x39 is probably fine, and it wont be too much. Unless your inhabitants get covered in sand, then Id agree, scrap the x39, LOL. .

I chose not to do the x39 because of the corals Iwant to keep.... mushrooms and open brain coral who need less rather than more water movement. do you think they would be ok in that?.. there wouldnt be a big enough area of lower water flow. ( Ive tried numerous configurations for the rock and the powerhead. I do keep a lid on my tank (glass canopy) because the water evaporates sooooo quickly without it. (at least a half gallon a day without the canopy) so that limits the filters to the back and makes putting the filters on the sides. I dunno.... Im at a loss on how to configure my tank. I did what the books say and made the x pattern but with three flow sources instead of the 4 sources...