Live sand or Crushed coral?

[fatman]

Sand, less than an inch deep or over three inches deep is the most common recommendation anymore for display tanks. Any thing in between that depth will not do any appreciable denitrification. At levels less than three inches even sugar sized sand will usually become a nutrient trap just not near as fast as a crushed coral bed. If you can get crushed corals that is very finely crushed (1 mm or smaller, preferably smaller) then it would be fine, or as good as aragonite sugar sand. But that is not typically available at retail levels, but must be screen out of a bulk source or created by rock crushers such as those used by geologists and soil/rock assayers used by miners. Unless you have a deep sand bed you would get few elements supplementing your tank from aragonite as the Ph is only low enough deep within a deep sand bed to dissolve even aragonite. Actually deep sand beds (preferably about 8 to 12 inches deep <Anthony Calfo>) work the most trouble free when they are operated remotely and all light is excluded, there are no critters living in the sand (just bacteria), and the water flows over it sfast enough that no detritus can settle on its surface.
If it is only appearances your interested in, then use what looks best and be prepared for more much maintenance and nutrient problems (high nitrates, algae) if you choose crushed coral that is the coarse gravel typically available retail.
If you do put in a deep sand bed, GARF has what is called Grunge, that is full of critters and coraline cover live rock fragments. It is the best innoculant I have found for a deep sand bed in a display tank. Alos any time yu meet someone with a mature tank with a deep sand bed talk them out of a hand full of sand. It is best to periodically reinnoculate (boost) your tanks sand bed with some live sand from different sources.

 

[lcstorc]

I hate the CC in the reef. I let hubby win when we set up the tank and now even he agrees and our other tanks are sand. Much cleaner and nicer regardless of the biological advantages.

 

[BEELZEBOB]

at risk of soundig prickish, why is this even a debate?

other than getting dooped by an LFS, why would anyone use CC?

 

[lcstorc]

Ask my husband. I wanted sand.

 

[Stacef]

at risk of soundig prickish, why is this even a debate?

other than getting dooped by an LFS, why would anyone use CC?

I don't want to sound prickish either.
Did you read the first post????
Jeremy insisted on the look of CC. Me, knowing the benefits of LS as compared to the dooms of CC, said absolutely not, he would not listen to my explanations. So--he said, post it in a poll, whoever wins (me with LS or him with CC) we will do.

I explained that in the first post. Sorry for the confusion.
And, this thread is probably helpful to those just starting out also... :hallo:

 

[BEELZEBOB]

yea i read your first post, but with all the info out there and even just in this thread, i dont see how asthetic appeal outweighs the consequences of using CC.

landed yerself a stubborn one did ya? (enter head smack here)

 

[Stacef]

Hahaha Bob, VERY stubborn. Especially when it comes to the tank, he thinks I just make up stuff because I don't like it, for example... the CC.

But yet he still thinks he's right, but he now realizes with tanks, trust me, I have researched it. When I am unsure of something, I tell him... I am not sure if this is right, but I THINK....bla bla bla.. You think he would learn, I am always RIGHT!