Detritus Storms help the tank?

[Dewman]

I have been removiong detritus like this for a while.
I will hook up my fluval and then use the output to blow the detritus off the rocks, then I use the other hand and use the intake right behind it to suck up the cloud of particles. It works great, but I have to do it often (once a week PITA).
But I have noticed that the first 5 or 6 hours after one of these storms I create, my tank looks spectacular. All the polyps are fully extended and the softies are all perked up and waving. The xenia is full and lush and pulsing hard...

Any explaination for this... happen to anyone else?

 

[Anonymous]

not only may the detritus contain little bits of food that haven't broken down yet, but many of the microorganisms that feed off the detritus are also fed upon by your corals-by stirring them up into the water column, you are giving your corals a nice tasty snack :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

i will usually blow my rock and corals with a turkey baster every now and then and see similiar results. i don't feel the need to vacuum up detritus though. is it thick in your tank? anyone else do this vacuuming?

 

[Dewman]

Only thick in spots. I only vaccuum it back up so not so much of it settles on the live rock. It tends to clog the pores in my rock.

There are tons of dropping all over the floor of the tank, and I don't know WHAT is making them. They are green and curled up like bird crap, except longer. I wish I could find my Tiger tail cuke...or that the other guys in the tank would get to work on that stuff...

Rrrrrghhhh :evil:

 

[SPC]

How active is your sand bed Dewnan? Do you have many of the mini brittle stars?
This is probably not very scientific, but I notice that when I feed my tank, any food that hits the bottom has sand stuck to it within minutes. I think I am seeing the sand but in essence it is probably the small critters in the sand which have attached to the food.
Steve