Can I use regular ocean sand in my 13g with LR?

[smilliej]

I believe the LR hitchhikers will eventually inhabit the LS aswell, is this sufficient substrate for a bio-filtration system? I currently have CC and it is not only unappealing (no effective cleaning crew for it) but i have also been told that CC and under gravel filter are nitrate factories for a Nano sized reef. Is this the opinion of most?
I’ve tried to read as much as I can in this forum, in fact, day and night, I’m becoming a little obsessive...
Help me, I’m trying to rescue my tank, I’ve had little success and am not sure what to do with it… :help:

 

[clown123]

i dont know i was also going to do that same thing but wouldnt it be dead?

 

[littlebuck]

well using ocean sand is not a good idea. since you dont know whats in the sand. unless you gou out in to the ocean about 5 miles and dive done and get it. Also using cc and a undergravel filter does trap nitrates and other stuff i would suggest gonig with LS and also taking out the undergraval filter. But i have never delt with them in sw but in the FW i know there was a bunch of crap in the filter and always was there. Changeing for cc to sand is really not that bad. just make sure you look at the post where people have done the switch. that way you dont cause your tank to cycle.

 

[volunteerg]

I had a nitrate problem in my 75g, I removed my cc and replaced it with a DSB and a nice size clean-up crew.
For a 12 gallon nano, it shouldn't be that costly to pick up a bag of LS from your LFS.

 

[27mtaylor]

From everything I've heard and read, beach sand has too many contaminents to put in your tank. I'm facing the same problem though. I have CC in my tank and my nitrates stay high. I need to make the switch to sand too.

 

[hagfish]

Just buy a pound or two of LS from the LFS and get some aragonite for the rest. It won't cost that much for a 13 gallon tank it there is no risk in the sand itself.
I have actually used an UG filter & CC in a SW tank and my dad has had one in a 55 for about a year. I pulled mine out after a few months and upgraded tanks, but I struggled with hair algae the whole time I had the UG filter and CC. My dad has had real struggles in his 55. He can't get rid of the hair algae, and he has eventually lost almost all livestock that was in the tank. He's going to change the substrate soon. He vaccuums the CC pretty good now and there is always a ton of detritus and other gunk in there.