rubble as a substrate?

[daveverdo]

I am getting tired of the sand in my tank. It varies in depth from 1/2 inch to 2 inches. I am just not happy with the way it looks. I do not really like the look of bare bottom either. I saw a tank a little while ago somewhere (don't remember where) that had rubble on the bottom and it didn't look that bad.

Any pros/cons of rubble as a substrate?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[tropills]

I think it would look pretty cool, the only con I can think of is debris getting trapped under and in it. But with it being heavy you could really increase the flow at the bottom and keep it suspended so your tank could filter it out.

 

[naprestsleep]

I know some LFS use the large calcium reactor media as substrate in their frag tanks, its pretty close to rubble size(if you got small pieces of rubble).

 

[tmz]

Generally it makes a mess over time unless you siphon it regularly,ime. I've used both rubble and the large calcium reactor media in a couple of 30 g breeder frag tanks with high flow and wound up taking it out after about six months and have much better results with the fine sand used to relpace them.

 

[Johnny C]

I use the ARM Calcium Reactor Media (extra coarse) in my frag system and I personally like it a lot. It's super easy to gravel vacuum and IMO helps with stability as far as some parameters go. I love the look of fine sand in my display tank but the coarse media I used to dislike is actually working out extremely well. I will admit, it's a very expensive option. My 4x2' tank has over $250 in substrate! :eek2:

 

[MarkKlier]

I always liked the coarse grain substrate, especially since I could clean it. The sand is very hard to clean (at least for me).What is the difference between coarse grain substrate and what is used in a calcium reactor.
Thanks
MK

 

[tmz]

What is the difference between coarse grain substrate and what is used in a calcium reactor.
Thanks
MK

Whether; sand , crushed coral, or calcium reactor media;they are all predominantly aragonite( crystalized calcium carbonate).
Purity is often vaguely claimed by media mongers as a selling point. Since in a calcium reactor the aragonite will dissolve,whatever the calcifying organism that made it sunk in it,includingO4,magnesium, strontium, other toxins, will be released along with the disassociated calcium and carbonate. If and how the sellers could know what's in the crystals isn't very clear.
A small amount of aragonite dissolution may also occur in localized low ph tank conditions, due to bacterial activity thus adding minute amounts of calcium carbonate along with whatever else is trapped in the calcium carbonate crystals.

 

[MarkKlier]

Thanks Tom. That generally was my take on it. I did not know how much quartz could be in these things, depending on where it was taken from.
MK

 

[tmz]

Hi Mark,
Don't know how quartz , would weather in a marine tank but I suppose it could be a source of some diatom supporting silica.
Some calcite and dolomite might also be present and the dolomite might add a little magnesium when it dissolves.