Crushed Coral

jetski · 02-02-2006, 08:50 AM

Why do people have crushed coral as opposed to live sand?
Is crushed coral dead? Would someone please explain this to me.
I want to have the crushed coral becuase i hear that it is cleaned less frequently, true?

ScruffyRubicon · 02-02-2006, 08:59 AM

Actually you have to clean it more often. Usually vacuumed during water changes.

Chris86 · 02-02-2006, 09:10 AM

I have crush coral and not have any problem with it. Plus my opinion i think it looks better then sand. I had sand in my fw tank before and did not like it at all.It was alway in my filter and a pain to clean. But it's my opinion.

Wiskey · 02-02-2006, 09:24 AM

Crushed coral can be used as a substrate if you don't want a DSB or anything. If you disturbe the anarobic areas of a DSB you can run yourself (and tank) into trouble, crushed coral really does not go anarobic (unless it is really deep), so you can syphon it to keep it clean, but if you don't keep it clean it can be a real mess.

Whiskey

gwen_o_lyn · 02-02-2006, 09:32 AM

I don't care for crushed coral- don't like the look and it's more work to maintain. I have a shallow sand bed that I vacuum monthly. Looks like the bottom of the ocean

ILLBKING · 02-02-2006, 10:43 AM

How is it that you vacume your sand bed, in my FW with sand it just syphons out with the water when I vac it? This was why I went with CC, I thought I would be forever replacing it?

Twitterbait · 02-02-2006, 10:55 AM

You need to use the right sand. Sugar sand will get clogged up in your filter but aragonite sand is awsome. you can totally vacuum it when you need to but the best thing about sand is that it keeps the debris on top so you can get it out. Crushed coral has a bad habit of trapping debris and if you don't move it really good and suck it on a regular basis you can really have a problem with nutrient export. I have tried both ways and Sand is 10 times better IMO. CC may look nice and white but after a while (especially with a big algae bloom) it will stain and turn gray or brown and then you can't clean it very easily. Go with sand and get a sand sifter to avoid anoxic regions and you will be fine. I have NEVER had a problem with it.