crushed coral

[zibnata]

Is crushed coral substrate such a bad thing ?I really am debating whether or not to do something about it. Can I live with it ? I have a tank with Fish and corals. Can I put sand over the coral ?If I need to change it what is the easiest method, though I would rather not. I have a 55 gallon tank,50 lbs LR. Fluval 304 cannister filter,protien skimmer . The LFS where I bought the setup from says sand can screw up the filter.

[LiQuiD]

Well, the crushed coral (which is usually more crushed oyster shells then coral) is good for slowly adding calcium into the tank (not enough to count for anything but I figure it had to have some good), really is not the easiest place for copepods, small stars, etc. to live in. The main thing with live SAND, is that it has first, more surface area for the good bacteria you want to grow on it, and second, the pods like it better (easier for them to dig, hide, etc.) which in turn makes more pods, which in turn makes good LS. You can start out with it and add the sand into it. I have a 50/50 mix in a tank that I kind of like, so don't worry for now, but it won't be the best live substrate until you add the sand.

 

If you have a 55, you should do a DSB (Deep Sand Bed, which I will not explain now, do a search). It would be very benificial. Don't listen to the LFS guy who never should have sold you the 404 to begin with (Although I still have one laying around here somewhere). The sand will mess up the filter if you use it to suck up the sand like a vacuum, but other then that, there should normally be no sand being able to get into the intake.

 

Go to home Depot and get yourself a big bag of Southdown and pour about 4" in the tank, the rock should seed it but I would still throw a cup of good live sand in to get it going faster.

[zibnata]

Thanks , but none of the home depots around here ever heard of southdown, CT or NY. Can I just put live sand ? thanks

[tinyreef]

you should be careful of starting out with cc and then moving to sand tho. i agree with liquid that it can be done but you have to take care that the sand doesn't completely smother the cc at one shot or calcify into a thick bed sealing the cc below to rot.

 

if you do go cc first and then sand i would suggest spotting the sand or lightly sprinkling it to allow a more uniform mixture. your sifters should be able to then accomplish that churning process. i would do this very slowly too (over the course of months or weeks at least). or, just go with the sand as liquid suggests.

 

btw avoid a deep cc bed (>1") imo. otherwise you may be forced to remove it (significantly or all) to avoid decay issues later.

 

LS is fine but $$$. get most of it dry and seed it with a small amount of LS or just with LR imo. or maybe dave's still running his xmas LS special.