Crushed Coral > Sand

[Kaneda215]

BC14
Media rack with filter floss, purigen, chemi pure elite.


I've got an algae problem in my BC14 (12 weeks). I've done everything in my power to fix the problem including:
-increased up to 20lbs of fully cured LR
-upping the stock flow to MJ900/Koralia Nano
-ditched bioballs, oceanic filters, sponge
-added inTank media rack. filter floss, purigen, chemipure elite
-cut feeding to every other day
-cut lighting cycle by 1 hr. 10k=6.5hrs, actinic=8.5 hrs
-decreased livestock down to 1 firefish, 11 snails, 1 shrimp, 1 conch, corals
-I've been using distilled water, and am now purchasing a spectrapure CSPDI unit for RO/DI.

Film algae is still increasing and covering the new LR, so I obviously still have a nitrate/phosphate problem. My bioload is not that large at all being firefish and CUC.

So I look to my crushed coral, which has and will be the bane of my existence. I feel the need to slap myself every time I recall the fact that for some retarded reason, I listened to the people at PETCO during my startup.

Anyway, it's a detritus trap as everyone knows, and I feel that my nitrates would go down drastically over time if I removed as much as possible without having to move corals and my LR setup (which took me hours to figure out)... and replaced it with 1" of sandbed.

As far as the removal process, I refuse to move my LR and inhabitants to remove ALL of the CC. I realize this would be the best way to go about it, but I simply cannot do it because everything is placed perfectly and I doubt I can replicate it. In other words, I'd rather deal with the sight of algae than ruin my current rockscape. Anyway, this last Saturday I removed probably 40% of the CC and did a water change. Tomorrow I'll remove everything I can, other than what's under the LR, and place the new live sand at the bottom. Does this sound ok?

1. Any specific brand of sand bed? I'm looking at: Nature's Ocean Bio-Activ Live Aragonite Reef Sand.
2. Yes I know the idea of live sand that has been bagged and sitting for awhile is probably flawed, but I want to stick to live sand because I won't have to rinse it to eliminate chances of sand storm. It's as easy as placing the sand at the bottom and it's good to go?
3. Am I going to see another cycle?

Here's my process so far. Please let me know if I'm missing something, or if my order of events is retarded:
1. Turn off pumps
2. Unplug power head (I have it pointed away from the vents on the BC, I figure I'll get more dust through the floss this way)
3. Plug in thermometer (don't want temperature to drop too much)
4. Remove CC in sections (don't want the rock to slide)
5. Ziploc bags of LS, place at bottom, slowly pour to area of removed CC
6. 1 gallon siphon half way through
7. Repeat steps 4 & 5 to the remaining half
8. 1 gallon siphon at the end
9. Add new water
10. Change floss next day
11. Plug powerhead back in
12. Punch algae in the chest
13. Another 2 gallon WC on Wed

Clown is no longer there
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8873/downloadhy.th.jpg (http://img291.imageshack.us/i/downloadhy.jpg/)

[Beandawg]

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing right. What you are describing is not right, and sounds like MORE of a hassle. Don't worry about your rock placement. You'll never get it the same, but you might make it even better this time. Grab the bull by the horns and erase that petco recommendation from your tank for good!

[Anemonebuff]

Just stir sections of the sand bed to release the detrius. I have fine sand and CC mixed. I have aslo seen may pristine tanks with CC and sand with large chunks in it. An 1-2" deep is fine. I think you need to do some water changes with the RO/DI water and use a turkey baster to blow the detrius out of the rocks. You may want to use some GFO as well.

You also need to tell us what your tank parameters are. What's your Mag, Alk, and pH. Algae thrive when these parameters are low and PO4, NO3, and silicates are high.

I actually need the CC mix because the powerheads blow the fine stuff around.

[thegrun]

A few things:
1. Using "live sand" may cause a new cycle due to all the dead organic material that is likely in the bag. You will be adding a large bio-load that your tank may not be able to process.
2. The use of live sand will not eliminate the possibility of a sand storm. You need to wash it the same as dead sand. If you still elect to use live sand, dump some in a bucket, add saltwater and swirl it around pouring off the muddied water. Continue until no more sand is in the water column.
3. The best method I have found for adding clean sand (dead or alive) is to turn off all pumps and dump the new sand down a clean long neck funnel (oil change type). You may need to chase it with some saltwater to get it to flow.
4. I would only change out 1/3 of the crushed coral a week. This will reduce the detritus and other junk you stir up and allow the critters that live in your crushed coral to migrate into the new sand.

[Kaneda215]

Thanks for the responses. One other possibility I've taken into consideration, is just living with the CC. I'm taking down the tank in 5 months due to a relocation, and being only 3 months in is it really even worth it? I've already removed a decent amount, so the amount of detritus trapped may not be an issue?

If I chose to leave the CC in, are there any suggests other than vacuuming it during WCs? Any CUC members that work really well w/ CC? I have 2 Nassarius snails in there that don't seem to move much at all.

[Anemonebuff]

Do you have tank parameters?

I think there is more to the story than just CC.

[Anemonebuff]

Cukes are slow and will not pass the CC through their digestive tract.

[Kaneda215]

Nitrates are at 0, phosphates are near 0. What are Cukes? PH near 8.1, alk is fine.

[Anemonebuff]

Cucumbers. That's what I thought you were referring to when you said CUC's.

Nassarius snails are not that great IMO. As a matter of fact I am letting my snail population dwindle to zero. I am keeping algae and waste at a minimum with GFO, water changes and carbon dosing(vodka).

Use some GFO, do more water changes(stir the CC in small areas when you do them).

If your tests are not showing zero, you have po4 and nitrates that are being consumed by your algae.

Get your Alk up to a 9-11 range and your pH should hit 8.2-8.3 by the end of your light cycle. I noticed that a higher Alk(which usually keeps pH up at 8.2-8.3) helped keep my algae/cyano at bay. As soon as my Alk and pH dropped they would make a comeback.

[Anemonebuff]

How old is the tank BTW?

[Anemonebuff]

I looked at the photo and it looks pretty new. This could just be a part of the cycle.

What's you Ca?

Looks like you need to get some coralline algae growing.

[chimmike]

You used the wrong symbol in your thread title. What your thread title implies is that crushed coral is better than sand, which most people disagree with :)

[Kaneda215]

You used the wrong symbol in your thread title. What your thread title implies is that crushed coral is better than sand, which most people disagree with :)

Haha I realized this after... or maybe it was a ploy to get more readers?!

Anyway tank is 3 months old, so maybe this film algae is just a phase. For some reason I'm thinking on leaving the CC in there (it's only probably on average .25-.5" deep).

I've seen a little purple coralline actually growing on one of my rocks. How exciting.

I just upgraded to PC-Rs too, which should be coming in any day now. I'll test for Alk and PH again right after my lights go out tonight. How do you raise your Alk?

[sslak]

Nassarius snails are not that great IMO.

I'm gonna have to disagree with that. I think they are fairly helpful to those who run a sand bed, but I doubt they would do well in Crushed Coral.

I like having something to stir up the sand bed to keep it from building up detritus and avoid the potential of toxic pockets of junk being trapped in there.

Nassarius snails do a great job at keeping the sand stirred up without making a huge mess. They are easily my favorite snail...

GFO, Carbon dosing, and water changes don't remove poop from your sand bed...it just removes the nutrients that are suspended in the water column. I'm sure you have a great system, but snails certainly can't hurt.

[Anemonebuff]

Haha I realized this after... or maybe it was a ploy to get more readers?!

Anyway tank is 3 months old, so maybe this film algae is just a phase. For some reason I'm thinking on leaving the CC in there (it's only probably on average .25-.5" deep).

I've seen a little purple coralline actually growing on one of my rocks. How exciting.

I just upgraded to PC-Rs too, which should be coming in any day now. I'll test for Alk and PH again right after my lights go out tonight. How do you raise your Alk?

Leave the CC you have and at that depth you can stir up the detrius without crashing your tank. 3 months is a very immature tank and is still in the process of becoming established.

Coralline is a good sign.

To raise alk use a buffer that does not over raise pH.

I use this:
http://premiumaquatics.com/aquatic-supplies/SEA-366.html

[Anemonebuff]

I'm gonna have to disagree with that. I think they are fairly helpful to those who run a sand bed, but I doubt they would do well in Crushed Coral.

I like having something to stir up the sand bed to keep it from building up detritus and avoid the potential of toxic pockets of junk being trapped in there.

Nassarius snails do a great job at keeping the sand stirred up without making a huge mess. They are easily my favorite snail...

GFO, Carbon dosing, and water changes don't remove poop from your sand bed...it just removes the nutrients that are suspended in the water column. I'm sure you have a great system, but snails certainly can't hurt.

I had a DSB years back and I had nassarius snails. I do not think they had much of an impact. I had about 30 of them to start and they dwindle over time until you do not see tham anynore. My tank looked just as godd without them. I liked the fighting conchs best. Worms and bacteria have more of an effect IMO. Even with nassarius snails those pockets will exist, just do not disturb too much of the sand bed and you will be fine.

I am not saying snails hurt, but they are not necessary for a successful system. I find that turbos and astrea snails just knock corals over and scratch them up with teir shells.

[Kaneda215]

So do I leave the CC....

or go ahead with my change?

If the consensus is that the nitrates produced from the CC wouldn't be a problem, nor is it a cause for the algae (yes I will continue to vacuum)... then I'll be more than happy to keep it.

[Anemonebuff]

I do not think that leaving the CC will be bad. A shallow bed stirred, not vacuumed will be fine. If you vacuum it you will deplete the good critters in the bed.

Any sand bed will harbor detrius, you just need to do "clean" the CC more often.

I think your problem is that the tank is not that mature and needs to stablize. Just keep up with the water changes and add some GFO for good measure.