newbie here, not confident with my LFS advice.

[Sguzik]

I have had a Fish only saltwater tank running for a little more than 6 months now. when doing research through my LFS, the owner there reccommended I NOT use live sand saying it is too difficult to maintain, and sold crushed coral type of substrate, he also told me that tap water was sufficient to get started...As I have learned more, I am a little frustrated with the advice. I am now using RO for all water changes, will that be sufficient? or do I need to start from scratch? As for my Substrate as soon as I get my LR ordered and cured will this substrate be ok? or is that a neccessary change?

Oh yeah, and a NEW LFS has also been obtained.

Thanx for any help.

 

[tunaluver]

i think youll be ok with your water.. as far as the substrate.. your probably gonna get responses both ways on that. depends on wat you want to keep and little to do with wat you like better

 

[Amphiprion]

Crushed coral is not my preference. If anything, it has to be maintained more than any sandbed, siphoning detritus from the spaces beneath it.

 

[six.line]

I think the deal with sand is getting de-nitrifying bacteria. Deep sand beds are beneficial for that. (This issue is hotly debated.)

I like a deep sand bed because it houses all kinds of beneficial bacteria. Small sand particles mean more overall surface area which means more bacteria. I've got some nassarius snails that run around and stir it up, and a good number of bristleworms that eat all the detritus.

I'm not sure I've heard of any solid benefits of crushed coral, though I know people who use it and who do fine. I'm sure you'll survive either way-- though my recommendation is a deep sand bed with smaller particle size.

Tap water, especially in the VERY beginning when you cycle is probably pretty harmless... I guess it depends on how vigilant you are about what goes in your tank. I cycled with a 15 gallon with tap water, however ALL water changes and top offs are done with RO.

I think you'll be ok, but if you want to satisfy your urges just do some water changes, say weekly 25%.

HTH

 

[Sguzik]

so the substrate will suffice in my 55 gal? with 75# LR, and the water is good as I have made a number of 10-20 % water changes with the RO?

 

[six.line]

Yes, it will suffice. I think you'll be fine.

The crushed coral might get on your nerves, or you might love it. You'll find out.

 

[BenH98]

I started my 25 g tank with 100% tap water (~90ppm). After about a month, I gave in and got an RO/DI unit and have been using that ever since... Everything is fine

Just keep doing water changes and top offs with your RO water and eventually the tap water will be gone

 

[Steffish]

Just like you, I had a crushed coral base at the beginning (per Lfs advice). It is amazing how much detritus it holds, thus after a year and a half, I had algae problems and ended up switching for a sand base. I wish I had done it earlier.

 

[IslandCrow]

I've been pretty happy with sand, and I've also heard many people swear by just going with nothing (bare bottom). From what I've read, unless you're doing a deep sand bed (I'm not), it doesn't really have any great benefit to the biological cycle. That is to say, it's only that anaerobic layer of sand a few inches down that's going to convert your nitrates to nitrogen gas. I like the way it looks, though, and other than stirring up the detritus with one of my powerheads once a week, it doesn't require any maintenance at all. My father has crushed coral, though, and he doesn't seem to have any real problems with it with minimal to no maintenance. The detritus is more apparent, but he has plenty of bristle worms crawling around to keep that under control. . .though the bristle worms are getting a bit out of control, but that's another matter.

 

[angelsj247]

mine is mixed with crushed coral and live sand

 

[Mrs.kbmdale]

We have a 75g full reef with a 5-6 inch dsb, I love it. We also have a 29g with about an inch of crushed coral mixed with the big black gravel/rock stuff you buy for a freshwater tank. It has maybe 10lbs of rock in it, 5 mollies, and a crapload of cheato. We siphon the substrate in that one once a month. Some times once every couple of months. The tank is absolutely SWARMING with copepods and amphipods and bristleworms and little feather dusters. I like it, though I wouldnt have it in my reef.

If you keep the crushed coral, then you're gonna need to siphon the substrate at least every 2 weeks. BUT, if you haven't put rock in yet, then I'd go ahead and change it out, before you load the tank then decide in a couple months you don't like it, then its gonna be a PITA. You dont have to use LIVE sand if your getting live rock, everything'll be ok.

HTH,
Bree