imfsub12

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Ok please be nice to me on this.. as i just want some info on the subject.. and yes i'm new.. please don't blast me for this.

I just got a tank 29 G got 50 lbs of crushed coral with a mix of bigger dead coral.. LFS said this was fine to run.. i would have to do reg maint on the CC clean it and so on.. as i couldn't get sand from the store...

I understand live sand is better.. but will i still do ok with crushed coral.. i dont' want to throw my money away after i just got it 3 days ago!!!

Will i still succeed???? or fail? i'm just running Fish and LR and will later go to some easy coral... nothing to fancy... just want some nice clown fish in the tank..

:?:
 

The_Orca

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Hey Imfsub29 get rid of the CC. I had it for about a year and a half. I had Cyano all the time. That’s red slim algae. I upgraded my 55 to a 95 and went with sand. Guess what everything is great. CC is very porous and allows debris to build up and bad things happen with that. Before everything cycles try and change to sand. In the long run it will be well worth it.
 

The_Orca

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OH yeah regular sand works fine.You don't have to buy Live sand. If you know anyone that has a salt tank ask them for some sand in return for your new sand. live sand helps but if you buy regular sand and add some live rock to cycle your tank you will be fine. it takes some time but done right you will be happy and save a few bucks. Trust me you will spend the extra bucks you save on something else. LOL
 

mr_X

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i have crushed coral and sand mix and my tank runs fine. the problem is, it looks ugly. i chose it due to the fact that i got it for free, and now i wish i never introduced it to my tank. it will eventually turn dark due to algae, and you'll be sorry. :?
 

imfsub12

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well for our first tank.. it will be fine for.. as we arn't in our apartment for ever.. will be moving once GF is done school so we will do sand later...

just have to make sure we clean it
 

SnowManSnow

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i had cc in my current setup for a few months and it is nearly impossible to keep clean. I just switched over to caribsea sand and it's much easier to maintain.

if you dont have anything in there yet take EVERYONE'S advice that has been there and done that and go with the argonite.

B
 

shavo

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first thing, orca? well versed reef talking mofo? good for you! i like your tank BTW when are you posting for others to see??

and Mr.X, it seems you are able to complain about free stuff somehow. only because it was from the shavs i bet. once again beggers can't be choosers and as far as it looking ugly i think the sand bed is the least of your worries. haha i do love the science project I can not cut it down by any means....

IMFSUB12, serioulsy i would reconsider doing the crushed coral for a reef tank. I had it and changed to sand, first thing is it looks much much better and second the crushed coral held dirt like none other. it was annoying and you will be happier and less mantenance. So you have to buy some sand, no biggie me, X, and orca are all pushing above or around 100 gallon tanks and a 29 gallon i don't think would be that big of an expense really to buy some sand for it. it's up to you but I really would just buy some sand you be happier about it later.
 

mr_X

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why do you insist on taking the fact that my crushed coral looking ugly now(it wasn't when you gave it to me) personally?
can you agree with me that it is ugly now, and that this guy imfsub12 should use some nice fiji pink or somthing like that instead? :roll:
 

habsfan

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I'm going to break in here and maybe you guys can help a fellow Keystone stater out. I too have CC. in my 50 G tank that has been up for three months now. I have the normal cleaning crew(snails, hermits) and a clown and a royal gramma. I was thinking of replacing my CC with sand.
1. If I replace cc with sand will I lose my nitrifying bacteria and cause an ammonia spike?
2. What kind of sand do you recommend? I think a previous replay said argonite. My CC has aronite it it.
3. Doesn't the CC help the buffering capacity?

Let's go Phils!
 

trido

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imfsub12":1d0mm79o said:
so i just have to clean it more often

Yes, I have CC in my 30G and simply vacuum it bi-weekly with my water changes and I am able to keep the cyano at bay with much ease. A good skimmer, good circulation, not over feeding, and regular maintanance should keep things in check.

I have a SSB with aragonite in my 120G and it gets just as dirty and requires the same maintanance as the CC IMO.

Unless you have a DSB with plenty of life, your sand bed will require some cleaning from time to time. :wink:
 

mr_X

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i don't know if my feeding habits are extreme or not, but i had sand in my 75 and it never turned dark like this crushed coral. each granule turned dark like my rock, and no amount of vaccuming will remove it.
it's a hard crust over top of it.
my sand bed, which is about 60% CC and 40% fiji pink, is all full of tube worms and different sorts of life, and it kills me to vaccuum it. :cry:
 

trido

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mr_X":1ntagmyj said:
i
it's a hard crust over top of it.
and it kills me to vaccuum it. :cry:
I believe that any type of SB whether shallow or deep will solidify if you dont have enough critters to keep it stirred up. From what I have heard, a solidified sand bed is a bad thing. I am fighting the same thing in my tank. It is slowly getting vacuumed out during WC's and I am working toward BB.
 

shavo

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I switched over my 125 from crushed coral to sand. I actually noticed a small amonia spike but I do not believe it was from the sand, I did major altercations with my live rock and had them out of the water for some time. and it was olny minor. I do not think you will have much to worry about switching over to sand. if so do some water changes and keep up on it for the short term you should be fine.
 

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