Crushed Coral???

[saltyliving]

so i was talking to a local guy and he was telling me that peoplr are useing a thin layer of CC. For high flow SPS tanks in instead of BB. Now i am planning a build and was planning to go BB because of the amount of flow i want. but now i dont know. Im sure there is a thread or some other good info on this but i am having trouble locating it. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Boxer_Crab]

I like using a CC bedding just because the thicker grain substrate will get more water flow through it leaving no dead zones in the bed. Will also get a nice purple bottom as well. Sand doesnt get coraline coverage like CC.

 

[nickts40]

I used 1-2 inch crushed coral because I didn't like the look of BB. I have 4 Tunze streams and the 'boulders' will move occasionally, but no sand storms. I also chose if for added buffering. I did set up a remote DSB for pod replinishment and for chaeto.

 

[HaywoodJafragit]

I've used CC since day one and haven't been able to control nitrates so far. In desperation I even built a denitrator coil in January, how naive ... I should have known better before wasting any money.

If I ever rebuild it, it'll definitely be bare bottom.

 

[LPS_Blasto]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12883303#post12883303 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HaywoodJafragit
I've used CC since day one and haven't been able to control nitrates so far.

You have high nitrates because the crushed coral is holding fish poop and uneaten food. The poop and other organic wastes get trapped in the cracks and holes in the CC bed and then those organics rot. Rotten organics turn into nitrates.

How to cure:
Remove CC and replace with fine aragonite sand.

Bigger/better skimmer.

Use a vacuum to suck poop and waste out of the CC bed.

More frequent water changes.

 

[HaywoodJafragit]

Of course, of course, I knew that, thanks for reminding me ; aragonite is not an option with my current flow, I tried already and there were sand dunes in some spots and bare CC spots in others, plus aragonite on top of everything.

My water changes are 10% a week and that's how I keep them hovering the 10-20 ppm range (which is not terrible), but I would like to change water once a month like some people I know do, making 18 gallons of water once a week is getting expensive. I can't even think of that, that's why I said I don't have them under control.

Just to clarify, don't want to hijack the original thread.

 

[erbio]

No need to go into details - CC is bad.