Why Sand And Not Cc?
- Thread starter Pooks
- Start date
Rock Anemone
S.C.U.B.A. :)
Crushed coral collects waste and excess nutrients which can lead to water problems and overall tank problems. With sand, you'll have the option of keeping various snails and critters which will help keep it clean and healthy.
Rock Anemone
S.C.U.B.A. :)
How long has the system been setup for Pooks?
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
Re: Why Sand And Not Cc?
Both of these substrates can provide a home for beneficial infauna: CC is better for larger pods while sugar size sand is better for worms and smaller pods.
The main reason 5" of sand might be a better choice than 5" of CC is because 4-5" of sand creates an anaerobic zone for denitrifying bacteria to thrive. With CC you'd probably need to have a deeper bed to create such a zone.
Both sand and CC can collect detritus over time.<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9461067#post9461067 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pooks
can anyone explain to me why i should empty my 5" of cc and replace it with sand????
Both of these substrates can provide a home for beneficial infauna: CC is better for larger pods while sugar size sand is better for worms and smaller pods.
The main reason 5" of sand might be a better choice than 5" of CC is because 4-5" of sand creates an anaerobic zone for denitrifying bacteria to thrive. With CC you'd probably need to have a deeper bed to create such a zone.
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
Change it out rather than adding sand to it. The larer CC with come to the surface overtime and you have gained nothing, plus it looks ugly.
AquaReeferMan
Got Reef?
Yeah I made the mistake of using crushed coral when I first started my tank. I always had high nitrates due to the fact that everything would fall in the cracks of the CC and I had nothing to clean it out. Once I changed to sand my nirates dropped. I have about 4 inches. You will have a more complete nitrogen cycle using sand like Gary M stated. If you are running a reef tank I would change it over. If it is a fowlr I wouldnt worry about it.
Dogfaced Puffer
New member
I will be changing out from CC to sand eventually. I am dreading that project. The best way to do it, but will definitely be a chore is to remove half the cc on one side and replace it with very good live sand or to be safe as to not start another cycle, completely clean dead sand. Then wait a week or two to let your critters migrate. Then change out the other side.
Sounds like fun, right?
Sounds like fun, right?
I'm very interested in the correct process/substrate, I have a stocked 40 gal FOWLR that's been up for 3 months, I used crushed coral to begin with and am about to swith to sand for looks only, I have no interest in keeping corals. I was about to order 40lbs of live sand, but should I go with dead sand to avoid another cycle? I have about 35lbs of live rock in the tank now?
Travis L. Stevens
Active member
Read here and a few posts down. It covers the pros and cons of different substrates: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=8104083#post8104083
michaeldaly
New member
You can buy very fine crushed coral, which in my opinion looks just as good as sand.
Dogfaced Puffer
New member
To answer your question mikedup - the addition of live sand may have accumulated detritus and nutrients as well as micro fauna and subsequent die off in transport and just in general which may possibly cause a cycle. You probably have plenty of micro fauna in half of your present substrate and rock to handle your current ammonia production. Maybe your rock alone can handle it. In which case you can change out all the cc at once with dead sand. It’s hard to say.
BradsOcean
Active member
cc collects stuff and creates nitrates! 
