CC VS Sand

[garnet13aj]

I bought CC for my tank because that is what the book I was reading suggested, but I've read a lot of posts on here say that sand is better...What is are the benefits/drawbakcs of each?

 

[b-town]

Good Qu. I would like to know too!?!?

 

[wicked1]

i'm just a beginner so i can't really tell you pro's & cons but from what everybody in these posts suggests to stay clear of cc.
I mixed ls with cc and i was told to switch it to all ls before i got to far into it with livestock and such. which i bit the bullet and did so. it only took a couple of hours and a few mouth fulls of salt water from sucking through a garden hose

cc will hurt any fishs or inverts that crawl on the substrate and also makes your trite/trate levels messed up,but thats all the help i can give

 

[velvetchs]

One of the drawbacks to CC is that it is easier for waste to be trapped in it (just due to the shape of the crushed coral). It requires vacuuming on a regular basis. Yes, your nitrates can be high if you don't clean it, but that can be control by cleaning it.
FYI - I have the dreaded undergravel filter AND a mix of CC and sand BUT I perform regular tank maintainence (weekly water changes and vacuuming). My nitrates are below 10ppm.
Hope this helps.

 

[patandlace]

Sand is much better and eisier to maintain IMO. CC traps food and waste and could cause the nitrate's to be high.

 

[garnet13aj]

Good to know, my CC is pretty thing only about an inch or so, so I might keep it in there contrary to popular recomendation and see how it goes

 

[rslinger]

It gets dark to your tank really loses the bright look then. Even with regular vacuming mine did this i just switched my 55 last week could not be happier. The sand in my 30 always stays clean.

 

[wicked1]

check this old post i had a couple of weeks ago- it has some pretty good info.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/239346/what-should-i-do

 

[cymbal67]

if its not too late, go with live sand... it will help with nitrate issues. cc can trap trates in.