I have a very basic DSB question -- can a DSB composed of less finely crushed coral function as a filter [like live sand]? By less finely crushed coral I mean the coral that is the size of a very small pebble, several millimeters in length and width. It seems from what I could find so far that it probably doesn't, and will function more as a detrious trap, and therefore I should use a gravel vacuum on it regularly to help keep my nitrates low.
dsb only really works if the sand is relatively fine, at least the top layer anyway. but if you use disimilar sizes, the finer stuff on top will eventually work its way down. live sand is fine enough, you don't need to go sugar find or Oolite grades. coarse gravel do become detritus trap, as well as not providing the proper oxygen-poor environment for the anerobic bacterias.
i had a cc substrate.....the problem was that even if you vacuum it, you can't vacuum all of it.....my firefish lived under a large rock.....when i moved that rock, i was shocked at all of the garbage that was in that cc.....and they were only in the tank for a few months
when i was vacumming, i was always bummed, cause i knew i was also vacuuming out the good stuff as well
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ive still got some small smooth coral rubble running, prob about 1/4 to a 1/2 the size of a tic tac , i belive i wouldn't use this for an entire tank floor, (even though i am using it for that right now in a smaller tank with 1 fish & 2 piece LR) i would prefer to use it as a feature in its own right. but in saying that we are basicly refering to the compact issue here, the finner the material, the more compact it becomes correct!
while were talking substrates, you guys ever use that carib sea aragonite florida stuff? Ive found on one of my tanks that it hardens under the live rock. kinda like clumps and makes a sandstone type stuff. kinda sucks removing later. But on the other hand with the seachem stuff Im using in the other tank, the stuff is more uniform and works pretty good. so is uniformity of the grain size the trick to this?
while were talking substrates, you guys ever use that carib sea aragonite florida stuff? Ive found on one of my tanks that it hardens under the live rock. kinda like clumps and makes a sandstone type stuff.
Most likely this isn't the sand itself- this is a dead area in your tank. Boost the flow in that area and you shouldn't have this problem.
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