pros and cons of crushed coral

[EliWhitney314]

I wanted live sand, but the guy I bought off of gave me crushed coral. I do want a jawfish, and I heard they like crushed coral for their den. What are the pros and cons compared to live sand?

 

[bjohanson1234]

Cons the particles are big and trap detrius. Burrowing snails cant burrow through the crushed coral to keep the substrate clean. Can cause nitrates to be high

Pros, it was free?:dunno:

 

[AdeptMrSniffles]

+1 BJ

con - I also believe it doesn't keep your pH as stable as live sand. Not only will it be harder for burrowing snails to stir around, but it'll be harder for hermits to clean as well.

Pro - it was free and it won't blow around in your tank like live sand will, I've got about 5lbs in my sump because live sand is so light and fine.

 

[EliWhitney314]

well I got 2 bags of live sand. So I guess I have to take the cc out.

 

[dcantucson]

Take it out and take it back pissed off!

 

[Melosu58]

To change it I would do it in sections. First do a PWC and siphon out the CC about maybe a quarter section. Then clean and rinse your sand and slide it down a pvc pipe to where it`s needed. This will help to cut down on the sand storm.

 

[bjohanson1234]

I dont think he has anything in the tank.
If you dont, then it wont hurt to do it all at once. If you do, do it in sections like said above

 

[Bifferwine]

If you don't already have animals, just take all the crushed coral out at once. Your water will be cloudy for a few days, but you'll be really glad you made the switch later on.

Cons to crushed coral? Gets dirty, burrowing animals don't like it, it's hard to clean, it will harm your water quality.

Pros to crushed coral? None.

 

[Ted]

well you could always make rock out of it. Thats what I plan on doing with the cc i took out of my tank.

 

[EliWhitney314]

make rock out of it?

Yeah this has been a pain in my ass. I got the cc from a guy on craigslist, he said it was live sand and when I got there he gave me cc. It was too far of a drive to come home empty handed.

Plus I bought a metal halide light from him and when I plugged it in it shot sparks everywhere. The light wasn't his fault, but I am still out 150 dollars.

 

[dcantucson]

That stinks. Sorry.

DIY rock:

https://www.livingreefs.com/diy-base-rock-la-garf-t19017p2.html

Look at EddieKerns video

 

[EliWhitney314]

link?

 

[dcantucson]

It's working now.

 

[Ted]

heres another vid there are a lot of ways to do it and a lot of different recipes from just sand cc and cement to cc salt and cement I even saw one using elbow pasta.[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRBNpmjMcTI&feature=channel[/ame]

 

[EliWhitney314]

well I have the live sand in my aquarium. Now I just have to get some live rock.

 

[EliWhitney314]

I found a guy selling live rock for 3 dollars a pound. Do I need egg crate on the bottom of the tank?

 

[dcantucson]

Egg crate on the bottom is optional. It helps to raise the rock up off the glass bottom instead of having an inch or two of your rock covered up by sand.

 

[EliWhitney314]

so the rock will not break the glass?

 

[bjohanson1234]

No. Rock wont break the glass unless it falls on to it. When you do your aquascaping, make sure it is stable.

 

[dcantucson]

That's another benefit.