substates

[mikey3000]

i have crush coral as of right now but i heard that since it has small holes it hold on to food which creates more ammoina
should i mix with live sand or reg sand
or is it best to get rid of the crush coral and just put sand...
i have a 30 gallon tank
also would the filter get damaged with the sand i have a fuval on it...?

 

[thomas712]

I don't know that per pebble so to speak that crushed coral will be able to trap food in its pores but crushed coral will hold on to more detris than other substrates. In other words it will trap more food and wastes driving your nitrates up. If it were me I would perhaps change to sand, get rid of the crushed coral.
Sand might clog your canister filter at first but that will be a matter of maintanance.
Sand has a far greater ability to hold onto the benificial bacteria than crushed coral, it has more surface area.
http://www.vafishfreek.com/substrate.htm
Thomas

 

[mikey3000]

what about the ph
the crush coral buffs the ph...
should i get rid of it completly...
should i buy all live sand or all reg sand the really white kind...

 

[thomas712]

Yes CC will buffer the ph but, Are you keeping corals? Southdown sand or other agranite sand is Calcium carbinate based from what I have been told. If you will be keeping corals you will need to suppliment the Calcium and Alalinity anyway.
PH is something that I do not worry about a heck of alot. If you keep your calcium and alkilinity in check the ph will fall into place.
Thomas

 

[mikey3000]

yea i do have corals
so let me get this stratight
if i take out all the crush coral and put it sand the sand will take out calcium
i thought corals needed calcium???
so what type of sand do i use
live sand
white sand

 

[thomas712]

Whoa! no. Sand does not take out calcium, Calcium carbonate sand has got buffer capacity. However depending on the needs of your system your corals and live rock, coralline algea, will use up the calcium and alkilinity and most of us use a cal + alk suppliment to keep those levels maintained.
As to what type of sand to use. Do you live on the east coast? Most easterners have some access to southdown sand. Your lfs should carry agranite sand in different grain sizes.
Thomas