Crushed coral Opinions
- Thread starter as1720
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jerryatrick
Active Member
People have found that crushed coral over time becomes a problem with keeping nitrates down. I would use live sand.
debbie
Active Member
Do yourself a huge favor right from the start. Replace the coral with sand and remove the undergravel filter. They do not do well with saltwater aquariums or freshwater in my opinion.
You cannot use undergravel filters with sand either so both should be removed.
No need to take out your water you have in there right now, scoop out the crushed coral and filter and put your sand in.
A good HOB (hang on back ) filter will work well. A power head or two will keep a nice even flow in the tank too.
When you do this and your sand is all in add some live rock. You don't need to add all the rock you want at once. This hobby is expensive so taking it slow is your best bet.
Another piece of advice, do things right the first time. It will save you alot of money and heartache in the long run......
Also, using tap water will cause you trouble too. RO or RO/DI is best. You can search this on the forum and finds lots of feed back about this.
Ask lots of question, this is the best forum for all the help you will need to succeed in this hobby.
Good luck and welcome to the board
You cannot use undergravel filters with sand either so both should be removed.
No need to take out your water you have in there right now, scoop out the crushed coral and filter and put your sand in.
A good HOB (hang on back ) filter will work well. A power head or two will keep a nice even flow in the tank too.
When you do this and your sand is all in add some live rock. You don't need to add all the rock you want at once. This hobby is expensive so taking it slow is your best bet.
Another piece of advice, do things right the first time. It will save you alot of money and heartache in the long run......
Also, using tap water will cause you trouble too. RO or RO/DI is best. You can search this on the forum and finds lots of feed back about this.
Ask lots of question, this is the best forum for all the help you will need to succeed in this hobby.
Good luck and welcome to the board
debbie
Active Member
Don't get discouraged, you need to take things slowly and if in doubt do post questions here first before going out to buy anything that way you will not be disappointed.
If you bought the undergravel filter from the LFS see if you can take it back for a HOB filter instead. The crushed coral, well that I don't think you can take back but hey, it makes nice displays for things in your home like if you use candles. A glass hurricane style vase with some coral in the bottom of it and a nice pillar candle on top of it makes a nice addition.
Make sure you dry the coral out real well, spread it out and let it dry good. Don't throw it out, you would be a mazed at what you can use it for.
I know some people that use it in freshwater cichlid tanks as these fish like high ph.
If you bought the undergravel filter from the LFS see if you can take it back for a HOB filter instead. The crushed coral, well that I don't think you can take back but hey, it makes nice displays for things in your home like if you use candles. A glass hurricane style vase with some coral in the bottom of it and a nice pillar candle on top of it makes a nice addition.
Make sure you dry the coral out real well, spread it out and let it dry good. Don't throw it out, you would be a mazed at what you can use it for.
I know some people that use it in freshwater cichlid tanks as these fish like high ph.
debbie
Active Member
what is an hob filter?
If you look up Aqua Clear filters that is a HOB filter and there are many other brands too.
I plan on using live rock people say that that would be enough. I do have the bak pak bio filter/protien skimmer.
That should be okay then too, I am not familiar with them but have seen them. They look much like a HOB filter but have the skimmer too. Never used them so cannot comment about them.
If you look up Aqua Clear filters that is a HOB filter and there are many other brands too.
I plan on using live rock people say that that would be enough. I do have the bak pak bio filter/protien skimmer.
That should be okay then too, I am not familiar with them but have seen them. They look much like a HOB filter but have the skimmer too. Never used them so cannot comment about them.
as1720
Member
OK thank you!
So i will go get two power heads, live rock and sand!
I just took the CC and UGF out that wasnt too bad!
I see what you mean about the CC and UGF it hold stuff down, all the salt i put in the tank was at the bottm under the filter and CC. I dont think thats a good thing. lol
So i will go get two power heads, live rock and sand!
I just took the CC and UGF out that wasnt too bad!
I see what you mean about the CC and UGF it hold stuff down, all the salt i put in the tank was at the bottm under the filter and CC. I dont think thats a good thing. lol
stanlalee
Active Member
I had a flourishing 30g reef with no problems using crush coral.
You have to vacuum it (I did it every water change which was every 3wks) while sand is relatively maintenence free and it doesn't look as natural as sand but I never had any nitrate problems with it. If used should be a thin layer, just enough to cover the bottom (same goes for sand IMO, it too retains detritus). I used it because I already had it. I have sand now so that tells you which I like best but I never found it to be the evil people say it is. You will also be limited from some livestock that prefer sand (in a 30g that would limited to say jawfish and a few small sand dwellers small enough for a 30g which could be the deal breaker alone). Lose the underground filter, it has no place in aquariums period anymore (I actually had the underground filter too since I was getting back into the hobby and they were common place when I left. when I moved into a new home I took it out during the tranfer and never looked back). Heck lose the crush coral too BUT its not like you cant be successful with it.
You have to vacuum it (I did it every water change which was every 3wks) while sand is relatively maintenence free and it doesn't look as natural as sand but I never had any nitrate problems with it. If used should be a thin layer, just enough to cover the bottom (same goes for sand IMO, it too retains detritus). I used it because I already had it. I have sand now so that tells you which I like best but I never found it to be the evil people say it is. You will also be limited from some livestock that prefer sand (in a 30g that would limited to say jawfish and a few small sand dwellers small enough for a 30g which could be the deal breaker alone). Lose the underground filter, it has no place in aquariums period anymore (I actually had the underground filter too since I was getting back into the hobby and they were common place when I left. when I moved into a new home I took it out during the tranfer and never looked back). Heck lose the crush coral too BUT its not like you cant be successful with it.
debbie
Active Member
You want to make sure that your salt is dissolved really well first before adding it to your tank. So when you have fish in there and need to do a water change you must make sure that it is dissolved in your new water before adding it to your tank.
Before you add the sand in there when you get it, keep the water moving well so it all dissolves before dumping in the sand or else it will get trapped under the sand and that is not a good thing.
When you get the sand, you can buy what they call live sand in bags. I usually comes withsome water in the bag and all you have to do is open and place it in.
Some people use dead sand and seed it with the live rock they add to their tanks. You need to make sure you get the right kind of sand as not any sand is okay for saltwater tanks.
Do some asking and get the right kind of sand brand before you go shopping.
I am from Canada so I am of no help to you in this area, we do not have the same kind of aquarium stuff that you all have there.
If you can find someone on the board that lives in the same area as you and ask them for their help I am sure they would be glad to help you out.
Good luck
Before you add the sand in there when you get it, keep the water moving well so it all dissolves before dumping in the sand or else it will get trapped under the sand and that is not a good thing.
When you get the sand, you can buy what they call live sand in bags. I usually comes withsome water in the bag and all you have to do is open and place it in.
Some people use dead sand and seed it with the live rock they add to their tanks. You need to make sure you get the right kind of sand as not any sand is okay for saltwater tanks.
Do some asking and get the right kind of sand brand before you go shopping.
I am from Canada so I am of no help to you in this area, we do not have the same kind of aquarium stuff that you all have there.
If you can find someone on the board that lives in the same area as you and ask them for their help I am sure they would be glad to help you out.
Good luck
debbie
Active Member
Very beautiful tank and yes you can have a nice tank with crushed coral if you vacum it. Sand is so much easier.
Do you still have this lovely tank??
QUOTE=Stanlalee;2692959]I had a flourishing 30g reef with no problems using crush coral.
You have to vacuum it (I did it every water change which was every 3wks) while sand is relatively maintenence free and it doesn't look as natural as sand but I never had any nitrate problems with it. If used should be a thin layer, just enough to cover the bottom (same goes for sand IMO, it too retains detritus). I used it because I already had it. I have sand now so that tells you which I like best but I never found it to be the evil people say it is. You will also be limited from some livestock that prefer sand (in a 30g that would limited to say jawfish and a few small sand dwellers small enough for a 30g which could be the deal breaker alone). Lose the underground filter, it has no place in aquariums period anymore (I actually had the underground filter too since I was getting back into the hobby and they were common place when I left. when I moved into a new home I took it out during the tranfer and never looked back). Heck lose the crush coral too BUT its not like you cant be successful with it.[/QUOTE]
Do you still have this lovely tank??
QUOTE=Stanlalee;2692959]I had a flourishing 30g reef with no problems using crush coral.
You have to vacuum it (I did it every water change which was every 3wks) while sand is relatively maintenence free and it doesn't look as natural as sand but I never had any nitrate problems with it. If used should be a thin layer, just enough to cover the bottom (same goes for sand IMO, it too retains detritus). I used it because I already had it. I have sand now so that tells you which I like best but I never found it to be the evil people say it is. You will also be limited from some livestock that prefer sand (in a 30g that would limited to say jawfish and a few small sand dwellers small enough for a 30g which could be the deal breaker alone). Lose the underground filter, it has no place in aquariums period anymore (I actually had the underground filter too since I was getting back into the hobby and they were common place when I left. when I moved into a new home I took it out during the tranfer and never looked back). Heck lose the crush coral too BUT its not like you cant be successful with it.[/QUOTE]
stanlalee
Active Member
Originally Posted by Debbie
http:///forum/post/2692964
Do you still have this lovely tank??
No the contents of that tank were transfered to a 100g
then I had a tank break last year and got out the hobby for about 9 months but I do have a new 30g up and running but its just a few months old (long way to go before getting to that old tank level).
http:///forum/post/2692964
Do you still have this lovely tank??
No the contents of that tank were transfered to a 100g
then I had a tank break last year and got out the hobby for about 9 months but I do have a new 30g up and running but its just a few months old (long way to go before getting to that old tank level).
stanlalee
Active Member
Originally Posted by as1720 http:///forum/post/2693279
How did your tank break?
Do i need lighting? I have a eclipse nateral daylight bulb in there now.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/285695/and-you-thought-you-had-a-bad-tank-day
if you only want to keep fish any lighting is fine. You will have to upgrade if you want to keep corals. you probably need to upgrade if you want to grow the purple coraline over the rocks as well.
How did your tank break?
Do i need lighting? I have a eclipse nateral daylight bulb in there now.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/285695/and-you-thought-you-had-a-bad-tank-day
if you only want to keep fish any lighting is fine. You will have to upgrade if you want to keep corals. you probably need to upgrade if you want to grow the purple coraline over the rocks as well.
wfd1008
Member
i have both cc and ls in different tanks, and admit that i kinda lean toward the ls because i like the softer look it give the tank. i haven't had a problem with the cc, but changing out to ls was a bit of a pain, but well worth it. i really enjoy watching my nassarius snails come out of my ls during feeding, "zombies coming out of the grave".
dfabrikant
Member
I use a mix of crushed coral and live sand, I have a fish only tank so I have lots of crabs and never had to vacumm, before I got the crabs there was alot of algae growth on the CC but I have about 8-9 brown legged crabs now and never seen anything even mixed up in the CC, they do a very good clean up job plus I have blue legged crabs, lawn mower blenny, 2 choc chip starfish and urchin, so combined they seem to be a good clean up crew for my fish only tank
dfabrikant
Member
Originally Posted by Stanlalee
http:///forum/post/2693172
No the contents of that tank were transfered to a 100g
then I had a tank break last year and got out the hobby for about 9 months but I do have a new 30g up and running but its just a few months old (long way to go before getting to that old tank level).
wow! this 100g was sooooo pretty, wish I had room for something that size...how did it break?
http:///forum/post/2693172
No the contents of that tank were transfered to a 100g
then I had a tank break last year and got out the hobby for about 9 months but I do have a new 30g up and running but its just a few months old (long way to go before getting to that old tank level).
wow! this 100g was sooooo pretty, wish I had room for something that size...how did it break?