Detritous Buildup In Display

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T

tanglovers

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Dec 28, 2007
528
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Michigan
Hi All,

Well I am still tweeking my setup to get it the way I want it. The last thing bothering me is I am getting a little detritous buildup in my display tank. I beleive I know the reason but want to see what you guys think.

The display tank is a 520 gallon tank - 96" x 42" x 30". It currently have 3 adult female marbled motoros (13-19" discs), 1 fly river turtle (10" shell), 15 clown loaches (7-9" each), 2 uaru (9" each), 1 black arowana (20") and 3 silver dollars (5-6").

I feed alot and obviously we all know that rays are messy.

I am getting detritous buildup in the corners and it gets picked up periodically and makes the tank look less attractive to me.

My filtration is filter pads. The overflows drain through filter pads and enter the sump. I also have 2 bio reactors (10 gallons each) on the system fed off one of the return pumps. Ammonia levels are maintained great and all the fish are great.

I am guessing I have around 3500 gallons of water flowing from the display tank into the sump. A little less then I would like. Due to the way the company built my overflow, the teeth do not allow more water then this to flow into the overflow box. I can modify (cut out some of the teeth in the box) to allow more water to drain. The overflow box has two 2" drains so it can handle a lot more water then it currently is.

I believe if I have a higher turnover rate (more water flowing into overflow box and through filter pads) it would eliminate this detritous buildup but wanted to get other opinions. My sumps are clean so the filter pads are doing their job.

I have posted a full tank shot below. My overflow box is on the left end of the tank and my returns are on the top right side of the tank. I am getting the gunk building up in the the rear corners of the tank - both by the driftwood and not.

Any thoughts? Just want to get opinions before I modify the overflow box and can not change it back :)

IMAG0175.jpg
 
One more thing, I do have a diatom filter I can hook up to this tank if anyone thinks it would help filter off the gunk buildup.
 
You could add another overflow box on the other side of the tank. Then u can run a bigger pump. Or, you can put a Wave maker in the tank to get more water current in those dead spots...
 
Hard to tell in the pics but the tank is viewable in the front and right side. The existing overflow box runs nearly the entire left side (34" long). If I modify the teeth I can run more return flow (existing pumps are throttled back actually). Maybe I will try the wavemaker type setup first and see what that does for me....I have a couple vortechs laying around.
 
I'm guessing u just need another 2" return line to ur sump... Can u fit another in the overflow? How much fall do u have from overflow to ur sump? I don't think it's ur overflow. I believe u need another line going to ur sump buddy
 
If u don't have enough fall on ur 2" lines, then u won't be able to get max. Output on the 2" lines, I'll double check but I think to get 2400 gph for a 2" u need 36" fall
 
I have enough fall it is around 48". The issue I have when I turn up my return pumps is the level inside the tank rises but not in the overflow box - it is external to the tank. I do have room in the box for another drain if needed but my 2" drains (same drain setup) on my SW tank handles the 5000 gph without any issues but it has a less obstructive tooth setup then this tank does.
 
Ooooo I see u have an external box. I got ya. I don't know for sure on externals man. Would still like to see a pic of the external. Never seen one before
 
Can you just permanently aim a powerhead at the detritus to keep it from settling there?
 
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