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Unread 03/11/2018, 11:22 AM   #105
LobsterOfJustice
Recovering Detritophobe
 
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Cary, NC
Posts: 7,443
Not much to update - I was hoping that a few weeks of daily detritus feedings would make the population in the test tank explode but that doesn't seem to be the case. I guess they were more happy in my main system with a constant supply. So I think I'm going to initiate the first test today. Crush up some NLS ich shield pellets containing CP into a powder and broadcast feed the test tank. I will run some carbon to absorb any CP that leaches into the water column.

I think in my tank, the challenge is that I have a constant food supply. I run mechanical filtration, but I have a lot of fish, a lot of flow, and two diamond gobies, so detritus is getting produced (and remains in suspension) just as fast as its getting filtered out. At any given time I can see plenty of suspended particles floating around the DT. I run 3-5x sump turnover, I would like to run more but once you get to high output DC pumps the cost jumps from a few hundred to a few thousand...

I have considered getting one of those small marineland internal diatom filters and running that inside the DT, maybe for a month or two, to try and polish their food from the water.

I'm also thinking about biological competition options. I don't have any of those small feather duster hitch-hikers in my system because I have two angels and a butterfly that eat them. So maybe adding some competition for food source (suspended detritus) could help as well. Either adding some fresh LR rubble to the sump to increase biodiversity, or a few other kinds of ornamental filter feeders - maybe NPS corals/gorgonians, or even something less common like a filter feeding cucumber or feather starfish. If I have a good enough food supply for a few thousand vermetids, there has to be something else less invasive that would also eat the same thing.


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If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right.

I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple."

Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles
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