Crushed coral !

[nyfynest22]

I put about a 4 inch or so deep sand bed in my fuge with crushed coral was this a good idea? i heard it was better to do crushed coral do to the fact that its not a nitrate trap.

 

[bizarrecorals]

They sell sand now that won't cause nitrate problems, any subtrate will do if you keep proper maintance on top of it.

 

[Bob 1000]

I only use live rock and my seagrass no substrate.. They all become nitrate and phosphate sinks in the long run.. I've been BB for years in the fuge/sump..

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Crushed coral DOES become a nitrate trap

 

[SevTT]

I put about a 4 inch or so deep sand bed in my fuge with crushed coral was this a good idea? i heard it was better to do crushed coral do to the fact that its not a nitrate trap.

Crushed coral can indeed become a nitrate trap. However, it also hosts pods and certain types of life really well, and can be worth it in a refugium, where you can always just vacuum it out without worrying about screwing up your display. I'm going to create a significant rubble zone in my sump for this purpose -- and so I can just throw frags of soft corals in and let 'em take root. However, without abundant and varied life, it's just a massive detritus sink.

A thin layer of crushed coral over a thick layer of oolitic aragonite might be the best of both worlds.

 

[bizarrecorals]

you have to maintain crush coral like any subtrate, keep it clean, you'll be fine

 

[jerl77]

1+++++++

crushed coral does become a nitrate trap

 

[basiab]

Crushed coral is supposed to be worse in becoming a nitrate trap than sand. I have crushed coral in my display (24 gallon) for about a year and so far no problems.

 

[nyfynest22]

i just have it in a ref, if any problems ill just take it out.

 

[Master Shake]

you have been given bad info. first of all a deep "sand bed" isnt a sand bed with crushed coral. second crushed coral is so much worse than sand for a nitrate sourse. the purpose of a deep sand bed is to lower the nitrates. Anaerobic bacteria at the bottom of the sand bed use the nitrogen and take it out of the system. i would take the crushed coral out and and either give it a real deep sand bed or put in mineral mud. either way take out the crushed coral nothing but problems

 

[masterswimmer]

David, did we talk about this crushed coral gig? I don't remember. I mean we've only talked about one or two topics :banghead: Refresh my memory.

R

 

[nyfynest22]

lol thats one issue we never discussed russ. give a call when your not busy and lets chat.

 

[cmor1701d]

. Anaerobic bacteria at the bottom of the sand bed use the nitrogen and take it out of the system.

I know you know this, just mistyped it. . .

Anaerobic bacteria at the bottom of the sand bed use the nitrate and produce harmless nitrogen. That's the bubbles you see coming from the dsb.

 

[SevTT]

you have to maintain crush coral like any subtrate, keep it clean, you'll be fine

Not really. You have to maintain crushed coral a lot more than you would, say, a sandbed made of oolitic sand.

 

[Imbarrie]

I have heard of deep sand beds giving of bubbles of sulfer dioxide also. That is bad, right?
If so, how do you disscourage that and encourage the process that produces good bubbles?


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