vacuum LS?

[karajay]

My lfs suggested CC instead of sand, reason being that it was still necessary to vacuum sand and it would get sucked up and ruin your pump. Any truth here at all?

 

[tony detroit]

Try sand sifting organisms, or buy a macro package from somewhere where you can get beneficial sand bed organisms. If you just have sand it will look like **** after a few months, throw a buncha critters in there and you won't need to vacuum it. I don't know if vacuuming a sandbed is even possible, the sand would just travel up the tube to the catch bucket. Hermit crabs help a ton too.

 

[nm reef]

A well established DSB with micro fauna diversity should never need to be vac'ed...crushed coral will because it can not process the waste products quick enough. Sorry...but your LFS is wrong on this one...at least in my opinion. No matter how you look at it a well established DSB is far better than a crushed coral substrate.

NMREEF website
“Whiskey for my men...beer for my horses.”
nmreef@cox.net

 

[dzones]

If I may say so, I just got into this myself and went by all the advice my lfs gave me and after I got the whole system setup (125gal) I am having to take it all down and start over again. They suggested CC and a UGF. I am now today removing all of that and replacing it with sand and adding some ls and lr.
I wish I had of found this place before I started and I would have saved myself a lot of time and money.
These guys are the ones who know what they are doing...right here on this board.

 

[bheron]

Dzones, I am in the same situation as yourself. Started my tank based off of prior knowledge and the LSF. I really can feel for the LSF industry but there's no denying the amazing wealth of knowledge on this site. I've never felt so informed on one topic, ever.
Thus, I am also scrapping my tank and starting over. Luckily I took my time and my losses aren't huge - three of my original fish from over a year ago are still around.

 

[firefishspike]

I use both, but CC as decoration, my gf made mountains out of them, two of them in fact next to the live rock mountain...it looks really neat, but anyways, I control the population of bristols in my tank to clean my CC and I have a good bit of sand shifters so my sand is clean......I don't do anything but do a wc now and then, everyone is happy, nice little eco-system going on......it's your choice, there is always an effective and easy way for everything....

 

[lesleybird]

Hey, I like the crushed coral because I can vaccuum it. I don't have the sand because you will suck it up if you try to vaccuum it. It is a matter of personal preference. You didn't need to remove the crushed coral just because a lot of people on this board like sand. My brissle worms keep mine clean, but I still vaccuum a lot of junk out of it every two weeks. All of the fish books I have read recommend either! Lesley

 

[karajay]

Thanks for the info. I'm not considering switching out my CC for sand in my current setup, just thinking it'll be a nice touch in my next one!

 

[elan]

Originally posted by karajay
just thinking it'll be a nice touch in my next one!
I cant wait to try something completely different in my next setup too....

 

[stillfrodo]

One thing that I am glad I did was research research and more research before going to LFS. I had thought I had found a reliable dealer. But it seemed everytime I went in there it was a different setup procedure on everything that went against the most popular and proven methods here on this board and in Palettas book. I am sticking to asking numerous questions to the most experienced people on this board and buying equiptment and live stock online.

 

[dzones]

I could not agree with you more stillfrodo. I quess in my situation it could be summized as such:
"Going to my local pet store asking for saltwater advice would be like going to McDonalds and asking them how to cook filet mignon ."