c/c VS. l/s--again.

[flamehawk]

The more I think about the responses I got from my last inquiry on crushed coral as substrate, the more I continue to wonder why?....If l/s is considered superior by some due to it's live biological benefits and hidden criters which keep all balanced then I don't understand why the same can't be said about cc. You see cc also builds the same bacterial and critters benefit as l/s. When I go into the c/c in my tanks , it is rich w/ pods, worms etc. Isn't this in essence the same characteristics as l/s and as such supplies the same benifits over time. Doesn't the cc really become "live sand". I wish I could address this to the folks who were kind enough to give me their view last time on the c/c issue but unfortunately the posts were lost. Thanks in advance.

 

[trigahappynigerog]

it depends on which substrate you find pleasing. i like ls. someone else might like cc.

 

[fishymissy]

I have wondered the same thing Flamehawk. When I go through the cc in my tank, I'm always disturbing bristleworms, small brittlestars, various pods, etc....
Lately I haven't been cleaning the cc as I used to, now I just do the very top so as not to disturb the occupants.

 

[blueberryboomer]

We had cc in our reef for about 10 months before we changed to ls. We had tons of critters in our cc also but we could not get rid of a nitrate problem we had. We switched to a 4in dbs and have not had a problem since.
CC tends to trap crud, there for causing a nitrate spike. Lisa

 

[mr . salty]

Live sand works at removing/avoiding nitrate problems basically for one reason..It's ability to NOT allow fish waste amd leftover food to become trapped in it.This trapped waste and food breaks down and turns into nitrates.With a sand bed,this waste sits on top,and does not become trapped...A deep sand bed also harbors a special LOW oxegen bacteria that actually breaks down nitrates into harmless nitragen gas.Although there is the possability that a DEEP CC bed may also harbor this bacteria,,,But the trapped waste issue will defeat it's function.....