Substrate

PEMfish · 01-05-2008, 07:26 PM

I have 1" of fine crushed coral. There is a lot of debris in the top half ( were I know no bacteria lives) every time I clean. Now I know you have to have a deep bed ( 3" -4" ) to have anything useful. But would siphoning clean all 10lbs of my year old bed be a good or bad thing?

Scouter Steve · 01-05-2008, 09:15 PM

At one inch I would clean it all. Fact is I would ditch the crushed coral and get sand instead.

PEMfish · 01-05-2008, 10:00 PM

Clean it all is what I thought too. I like the look of the larger and the removal process and paying process make sand not worth it.

Edd13 · 01-06-2008, 02:29 AM

i had a tank with crushed coral ... it became a nitrate factory ... it was imposible to get my nitrates to drop ... but then i moved to sand and it stablized ... just my experiance with the stuff

PEMfish · 01-06-2008, 11:36 AM

hmmm[trying come up with an intelligent reason to keep CC]mmmmm, I see...

WELL FINE!

lol

prow · 01-06-2008, 02:54 PM

i voted "siphon it all out, it'll be good" as in all of it, CC and all, it will be good

PEMfish · 01-06-2008, 06:20 PM

People who said no, why? Its only 1 inch deep.

prow · 01-06-2008, 06:30 PM

even at 1" deep the size of CC collects lots of stuff and allows lots of O2 in, which provides both lots of surface area and food for bacteria to grow for aerobic bacteria to grow but provides a energy source aswell. very well may end up with nitrate issues and algae overgrowths. cyanobacteria aswell if you dont provide enough flow with in the CC, maybe even if you do.

bluespotjawfish · 01-06-2008, 06:35 PM

I would clean it all, but I would rotate so that you don't do it all in one cleaning. You might do your normal cleaning, and then focus on a smaller area for a deeper cleaning.

prow · 01-06-2008, 06:47 PM

ahhh, good point bluespotjawfish. skipped right over that. only voted and read what was after my post

PEMfish · 01-06-2008, 07:07 PM

Well, No matter what I do, I won't do it all at once. As far as nitrates and algae, I've been fine so far.

prow · 01-06-2008, 07:10 PM

well if its working for ya, dont fix it

PEMfish · 01-06-2008, 07:22 PM

But, but, the dirt!

prow · 01-06-2008, 07:27 PM

i would clean it, work on getting it all out. but thats because i like to setup my tanks different. doesnt mean if you like CC it can not work

....i would always clean CC. but if you have had this going for a year without cleanning it and everything is all good, then in this case i would not disturb it.

PEMfish · 01-06-2008, 09:33 PM

To clear up some confusion, the CC isn't going anywhere.

View Poll Results: To clean gravel or not to clean?
Yes, siphon it all out, it'll be good	11	44.00%
No, you'll kill bacteria and release toxins	14	56.00%
Voters: 25. You may not vote on this poll

01-05-2008, 07:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
PEMfish Golden Moray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 2,460 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Substrate I have 1" of fine crushed coral. There is a lot of debris in the top half ( were I know no bacteria lives) every time I clean. Now I know you have to have a deep bed ( 3" -4" ) to have anything useful. But would siphoning clean all 10lbs of my year old bed be a good or bad thing? __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef tank; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-opciones.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

01-05-2008, 09:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
Scouter Steve Neon dottyback Join Date: May 2006 Location: Somers Wisconsin (Kenosha County) Posts: 683 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Substrate At one inch I would clean it all. Fact is I would ditch the crushed coral and get sand instead.

01-05-2008, 10:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
PEMfish Golden Moray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 2,460 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate Clean it all is what I thought too. I like the look of the larger and the removal process and paying process make sand not worth it. __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef tank; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-opciones.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

01-06-2008, 02:29 AM	#4 (permalink)
Edd13 Star Polyps Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Los Banos Posts: 151 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Substrate i had a tank with crushed coral ... it became a nitrate factory ... it was imposible to get my nitrates to drop ... but then i moved to sand and it stablized ... just my experiance with the stuff __________________ "Hi ... my name is Ed ... and I'm a Reef Addict ..." "How much deeper would the Ocean be if sponges didn't grow in it?" “My speck is inhabited by ponies that eat rainbows and poop butterflies” "I'm not a geek... I'm a 10th level Paladin"

01-06-2008, 11:36 AM	#5 (permalink)
PEMfish Golden Moray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 2,460 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate hmmm[trying come up with an intelligent reason to keep CC]mmmmm, I see... WELL FINE! lol __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef tank; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-opciones.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

01-06-2008, 02:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
prow Tridacna maxima Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 4,276 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate i voted "siphon it all out, it'll be good" as in all of it, CC and all, it will be good __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html my clamicle..........http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...my-tank-d.html

01-06-2008, 06:20 PM	#7 (permalink)
PEMfish Golden Moray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 2,460 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate People who said no, why? Its only 1 inch deep. __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef tank; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-opciones.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

01-06-2008, 06:30 PM	#8 (permalink)
prow Tridacna maxima Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 4,276 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate even at 1" deep the size of CC collects lots of stuff and allows lots of O2 in, which provides both lots of surface area and food for bacteria to grow for aerobic bacteria to grow but provides a energy source aswell. very well may end up with nitrate issues and algae overgrowths. cyanobacteria aswell if you dont provide enough flow with in the CC, maybe even if you do. __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html my clamicle..........http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...my-tank-d.html

01-06-2008, 06:35 PM	#9 (permalink)
bluespotjawfish Tridacna maxima Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Utah Posts: 4,296 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Substrate I would clean it all, but I would rotate so that you don't do it all in one cleaning. You might do your normal cleaning, and then focus on a smaller area for a deeper cleaning. __________________ Lorraine To BB and all Bluespots - Journey of the 2nd Year ...The 2nd Year - Photoshow Check out Mr. BJ and friends... Mr. BJ's Aquarium - PhotoShow

01-06-2008, 06:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
prow Tridacna maxima Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 4,276 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate ahhh, good point bluespotjawfish. skipped right over that. only voted and read what was after my post __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html my clamicle..........http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...my-tank-d.html

01-06-2008, 07:07 PM	#11 (permalink)
PEMfish Golden Moray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 2,460 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate Well, No matter what I do, I won't do it all at once. As far as nitrates and algae, I've been fine so far. __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef tank; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-opciones.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

01-06-2008, 07:10 PM	#12 (permalink)
prow Tridacna maxima Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 4,276 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate well if its working for ya, dont fix it __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html my clamicle..........http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...my-tank-d.html

01-06-2008, 07:22 PM	#13 (permalink)
PEMfish Golden Moray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 2,460 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate But, but, the dirt! __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef tank; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-opciones.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

01-06-2008, 07:27 PM	#14 (permalink)
prow Tridacna maxima Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 4,276 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate i would clean it, work on getting it all out. but thats because i like to setup my tanks different. doesnt mean if you like CC it can not work....i would always clean CC. but if you have had this going for a year without cleanning it and everything is all good, then in this case i would not disturb it. __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html my clamicle..........http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...my-tank-d.html

01-06-2008, 09:33 PM	#15 (permalink)
PEMfish Golden Moray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 2,460 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate To clear up some confusion, the CC isn't going anywhere. __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef tank; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-opciones.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

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