The infamous substrate question

[Chris3859]

OK...the chronicle starts Saturday. In the old tank, I am using Carib Sea LS. It's ok, but Goby keeps the sand in the water column more than on the tank bottom. Aragonite (good CaCO3 buffer), crushed coral (why do people hate this so much) or more Carib Sea. Chime in guys and help me decide. This will be a reef tank with a few fish. Mainly my faithful boy Goby and his playmate Bubbles. My 4 year old daughter named the yellow tang this for obvious reasons.

 

[lcstorc]

Love Bubbles's name.
The reason most people don't like crushed coral is because it traps detrius that then breaks down and turns into amonia/nitrite/nitrate.

 

[surfzone]

Crushed Coral also is something that is impossable to get clean no matter how much you rinse it out.

 

[Chris3859]

Thanks Lynn. She just had to watch Nemo when we set this tank up and decided on what fish to have. She constantly bugs me for a clown fish. I am reluctant to give in, but those baby blues fill up with tears when I say no. OMG...I'm a terrible dad...LOL I just talked myself into a clown!

OK...back to the subject...no CC, that leaves the Carib Sea LS I guess. So not my first choice though.

 

[slakker]

Aragonite gets my vote... I have a same goby as your avatar and he's about 4 inches long and he sifts the bed continuously... never have murky water problems after about a week. In the first week, all the really fine particles get suspended by his filtering and is in the sump now or skimmed out.

I had to take my nicely anchored crocea off the tank bottom because he keeps burying it... that and he also takes the 1" conchs and hermits and tosses them unceremoniously about it the tank! Very funny to watch...

 

[Chris3859]

HaHa, yeah mine hates the cirth snails. He tries to flip them over and peck them to death. When I move them, he follows my hand and then spits sand on them! He leaves the turbos and conches alone though.

 

[jstorey]

I have Aragaonite in mine with the same goby and a blue spot jawfish. no issues at all. The sand bed stays clean and white and the water clear.

 

[burning2nd]

My CC stays nice... but i have high flow... and i often mess with it.