Is detritus a problem

[killagoby]

I had my reef tank crash during Hurricane Sandy due to a weeklong power outage so I decided to start over again.

I'm now doing a 70 gallon FOWLR tank with 1 Piccasso Trigger in it. My filtration is 40 lbs of rock in the BB tank, a DSB in 1/3 of my 30 gallon sump, 500 ml Matrix in my Two Little Fishes reactor, and Purigen. I am looking to stay skimmerless with the set-up as well.

My parameters are all spot on reading:

Ammonia- 0 ppm
Nitrite- 0 ppm
Nitrate - 20 ppm

The Trigger is such a messy fish that there is detritus all over the bottom of the tank. I have been trying to syphon it out but it accumulates quicker than I can do monthly water changes to remove it. The tank is BB so it is visible under the live rock. I do have some snails and hermits as a CUC, but I know as the Trigger gets bigger I might lose them. Is the detritus going to eventually pose a problem?

Thanks!

[tmz]

I think so.Rotting organic material is almost always a problem in terms of what it realeases.Siphoning it out and blowing out from under rocks is helpful, ime.

[bertoni]

Some people seem to be successful with using higher flow in the display to move detritus to the sump, which can make cleanup easier.

[killagoby]

Thanks!

[drdoolittle]

I use hight flow in the display and sump, but use a filter sock to filter it. Also, i would slow down on Pellets type of food. Those tend to leave alot more ditritus than meaty food such as PE mysis.

[bertoni]

You're welcome!

[killagoby]

I use PE Mysis, Trigger Formula, whole shrimp, and krill all small servings at a time. The trigger loves to spit them out all over though.

I am trying to wean him onto New Life Spectrum pellet, but he's not having it. He's already spoiled on frozen foods!