[Future]

Maybe a dumb question, maybe a valid one, but here goes anyway...

After aquascaping and such, I've noticed an increase in junk along the back of the rocks on top of the CC substrate. Now I've always had some here and there in low flow areas, so should I add another powerhead or will the flow be too much for the fish? OR Should I reposition the PH so it hit the rear of the tank as opposed to the front?

Reason I ask is because when a fish swims in front of the PH all you see is the little guy go flying in the stream. I had used it to create surface tension, but realized I wasn't doing much with it just hitting the surface as far as the flow, so the fluval return now does the surface tension where my PH flows downward. Basically it's pushing it, but it's not hitting everything and I'm just thinking abut getting a circulating PH to remedy this.

I read the circulation articles here as well, they didn't help too much

[Bullet]

You could always put another powerhead on a timer. Intermatic makes a timer that allows you to have two different on/off schedules per day. You can place the scedule as close or as far apart as you wish. They're cheap at home depot, Lowes ect.

[Future]

Originally Posted by Bullet

You could always put another powerhead on a timer. Intermatic makes a timer that allows you to have two different on/off schedules per day. You can place the scedule as close or as far apart as you wish. They're cheap at home depot, Lowes ect.

Timers aren't my friends. I just broke the 6th in 2 weeks just trying to get a lighting schedule going..

[Bullet]

Originally Posted by Future

Timers aren't my friends. I just broke the 6th in 2 weeks just trying to get a lighting schedule going..

Would these be the corallife or marineland timers? If so, I never had one that worked for more than a day. The heavy duty intermatic brand ones are hands down 10000% better quality and haven't let me down once in two years.

[Future]

Believe it or not they are Intermatic timers straight from Home Depot..lol

I beat the crap out of things though, so I'm at fault for 2 of them breaking.

[leebca]

Sorry I haven't been able to reply to this post recently. Just got out of the hospital. Had a mystery infection.

I've noticed an increase in junk along the back of the rocks on top of the CC substrate.

Much depends on what the 'junk' is, actually. Add to this that no tank with LR will be 100% in flow, in all areas. That would be a very big challenge.

If the collection of material is detritus and that is the only place it collects, it will be very handy to remove it manually once a week. If it is an organism (microbes) then there might be a different recommendation.

Some marine fishes appreciate a current of various strengths, other seek more calm waters. Whatever the fish, they should have a choice of where to swim when it comes to current and not be forced to swim in the open only where there is a strong current.

[Future]

Sorry to hear Lee, but welcome back!

I've noticed the Chromis like the gentle water flows, so I positioned the PH down so it will circulate the flow below and allow them the upper area for play being the filters have a milder stream.
As for the detritus, and it basically is from my stirring of small areas of the substrate, it's all on top so I just flipped it a bit so it would get caught in the current and sucked through the filter. Guess I'll do this every once and a while until I get a better clean up crew going. Snails only do so much, and I really don't want to go with cleaner crabs. I'm currently looking into other crew members that will thrive on detritus, flake, pellet and algae.

I'm thinking a brittle star or two and shrimp, but have concerns about the damsels seeing them as food. I considered cleaner clams, but have read that they aren't as good as they may seem.

Now, I have seen baby brittle stars, so I'm now trying to dig up info on how to care for them so they grow and thrive as to become a part of that clean up crew I need.