to be c.c. or not to be c.c.

[vazquez66]

I want to switch my cc to dsb
should i remove all my cc or can i mix?
what is that sand that i can get from home depot?
and get some ls from lfs to mix in.
My tank is 38 fowlr 20 lbs lr. I plan on adding more rock after all this sand thing.
I have 3 fish and a fluval 304.
Is it worth it or not, how much should i add.
HOW DO I GO ABOUT THIS?
any suggestions
jay

 

[chris r.]

Yes you should definately switch
Put your LR in a large rubbermaid container filled with saltwater from the tank. Put your fish in your QT tank (if you dont have one put em' in with the LR(Make sure there is a heater in the container and a powerhead)) Then remopve the CC and do what ever you want with it... and then do a DSB about 3-4 inches for maximum biological filtration.

 

[vazquez66]

How about black sand like the Hawaian beaches
Has any body heard of this or researched this?

 

[jsolomon]

If I'm not mistaken, that black sand is lava ash. I dont know how well that would work in a tank, and I dont know where you'd get it unless you brought some back from Hawaii with you. Its a good question though and now I'm curious about the answer. Anyone?

 

[von_rahvin]

it is illegal as well as very bad luck to remove the black sand from the beaches. I do agree it would look cool, but messing with the volcano gods . . . . other thought, if i remember readin somewhere it is not sad per say but instead fine rocks.
I was thinking about dating a chick from hawaii and i asked her if she could get her dad to ship some. SHe said no way in h#

and this is where i got the data from
I would remove the CC and then add the DSB after you have pulled everything out of the tank. It will be a pain but IMO it is something worth doing

 

[fshhub]

one prob about lava ash(black sand), it could and often does have minerals that you may not want in the tank, this is why many of us don't use lava rock either, those minerals could leech into your water, now in the ocean, there is a much higher dilution, so, i am jsut saying to use caution
oh yeah, switch(IMO) 100%

 

[ruaround]

The sand from Home Depot that you are looking for is either Quikcrete play sand or Southdown playgound sand. South down being the better choice but harder to come by.