Tip of the Day – 6/19/2012

There are differing trains of thought when it comes to handling the detritus buildup that usually occurs in the sump area of our aquarium systems, especially if the tank does not have a refugium. For many, the idea is straightforward. See detritus, vacuum it up. For others, this isn’t such a simple choice. This is due to the fact that detritus mounds in the sump house all sorts of beneficial invertebrates like amphipods and bristle worms. For some tanks, pods and other critters are so scarce that the aquarium hobbyist will go to great lengths to hold on to each and every last one they have, even if it means having a slightly dirtier tank. For others, pods and the like are not as important as crystal clean water, so they often get vacuumed out along with the detritus in which they reside. Obviously each aquarium is different than the next, so the general approaches will also very extensively…which begs the questions, where do you fall in this discussion? Get all OCD with the detritus or let the pods have their fun?