another rookie mistake

[dragracer]

Ok, I got info from an LFS before I found this site.......They said crushed coral was so wonderful for a salt water tank. ANd since I found this site, I have learned otherwise. My question is....the tank is 8 months old............how do I go about switching over from CC to sand? I know I can keep the water thats in the tank, and, since I am a rookie, I haven't gotten live rock yet, but I have decor that has algea growing well on it...........Leave that alone? Do I just basically get the water, fish and decor out and dispose of my CC and just put the sand in? Anything help would be a great help. Thanks.

 

[marine fanatic]

The more experienced people will probably have better ideas but I did do a cc to sand change and here is what I did..
Do small amounts at a time, I removed roughly 10-15 pounds of coral and replaced it with the same amount in sand....do this again in a day or 2 until you have completely changed over. It's a pain in the butt but having a dsb is much better than cc...IMO.

 

[dragracer]

Of course its a pain in the butt....if it was easy everyone would have a salt tank. Nah, I love this hobby.......live and learn. I like your idea....BUT....doesn't it make a mess out of the tank that way?

 

[tdragon]

what i would do if i were u is i would out the sand into a big container and fill it up with water (salt if u have the extra) and let it sit for like a week so that it gets nice and saturated with water this way it wont kick up as much then i would take it out and replace in incriments like they said above

 

[wrassecal]

I did the cc to sand switch in my old 55 in one afternoon. I took most of the water, all of the rock and livestock and put them in a rubbermaid container. Then I scooped out all the cc and put it in another bowl. I added the sand, made a big cloudy mess, put the water and rocks back in the milk vat by feel, added the livestock, put the cc in panty hose balls and laid them around to seed the sand for a couple of weeks. Then waited til it all cleared up after a couple of days. Everything survived except my yellow tang which was accidentally killed in a rock slide. If you do a search on this board using "cc" or dsb you will get a lot of folks experience doing what you are about to do. Good luck and you'll love it after it's done.

 

[janelle]

whats wrong with crushed coral? I have fowlr and I just have a thin layer on the bottom of my tank. i havent had any problems with it, my hermits and shrimps keep it clean....thanks.

 

[thomas712]

Originally posted by janelle
whats wrong with crushed coral? -- my hermits and shrimps keep it clean....thanks.
If it works for you and you feel that your water paramiters are OK then nothing is wrong with crushed coral.
Most of use feel or know that sand makes for a much better natural filter containing much more surface area therefore enabling our systems to contain more of the good bacteria, Sand makes a better biological zone. Processes more of the nutrients, looks better to most of us. Will not need to be vaccumed. Does not have sharp edges like cc and is more invert friendly....etc...
Thomas