Sticking with Crushed Coral CC

[jackal4eva]

Alright, there's a lot of information for switching CC to Sand... But now how about some recommendations for those people who are not going to switch: what can they do to make things better?
Some thoughts from my readings:
1) Remove some CC from a deeper CC base to create shallow one --> this way less stuff gets caught and more gets cleaned when you vacuum (1 inch or so?)
2) biweekly gravel cleanings with your water change
3) Hermits, crabs, and shrimps to clean the gravel. Maybe an engineer goby to rearrange
Thoughts and comments please!

 

[bang guy]

Large bristle worms would be a great detrivore. I wonder if Fighting Conch can handle CC??

 

[lesleybird]

Hi, I think that crushed coral is fine as long as you vacuum it every two weeks when you do a water change. I have not had any problems with mine. A lot of people who advocate sand don't like to vacuum the substrate because they think it is too much work. With sand, if it is too fine (less than 1 mm.) it cannot be easily vacuumed without sucking it out of the tank. I say if you already have CC and are not having any problems with it then leave it alone. I do have a lot of brissle worms to help keep my CC clean also. I have to put a fish net in a bowl when I vacuum it as this catches the baby worms so that I can put them back into the tank. Lesley

 

[k9-fish]

don't your fish eat the worms?

 

[jackal4eva]

Any thoughts on where one can get bristle worms? I have not been able to locate them...

 

[sheracr123]

I have had cc in my aggressive tank since it's start up. With it being an aggressive tank and my fish being pigs, I have had a little higher nitrates than I would like. But with more frequent water changes and a "thorough" vacuuming, I meean really stirring up the cc, it has come down a lot. Alot depends on what fish you have in there and whether you can add a clean up crew.
K9- most fish don't eat bristle worms. There are just a few that do. I know a 6 line wrasse is supposed to and I think there are a few others too.
Jakal- most bristle worms come as hitch hikers on live rock.

 

[jackal4eva]

What about adding some macros to a sump or refuge?
Any comments on reducing the amount of CC in the tank?

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by jackal4eva
What about adding some macros to a sump or refuge?
Any comments on reducing the amount of CC in the tank?
Yeppers
Afterall nitrates are ions which freely move everyplace in the water. Sand, Crushed Coral, rocks or whatever, the livestock will still have a bioload which results in nitrates. Uneated food will product nitrates regardless of the substrait. So adding plant life will decrease nitrAtes regardless of the substrait. Overfeeding will increase nitrates regardless of the substrait.
Seems to me that CC or sand can both be anaerobic and therefore have that means of processing nitrAtes. But if plant life is present and therefore processing the nitrates, that anaerobic action of either is irrelevant.

 

[jackal4eva]

What about cerith snails, nassiarus snails, nudibranches, and other traditional sand critters... what will they do in a CC bed?

 

[bang guy]

Most traditional critters will become injured from the sharp edges of CC.

 

[jackal4eva]

so what about in nature when there is a pebble or crushed shell/rock/coral bed?

 

[bang guy]

When you next get the chance sift through the crushed coral at the base of the reef. You won't find a lot of critters. They mostly reside in the fine sand.