thinking about trying marine

[LD50]

yaa if im gona do this it will take months of finding deals and everything i want. and do you recommend coral substrate or sand?

coral or aragonite, dont use sillica sand (PFS) or you will have diatoms forever! Also dont waste money on "live sand" its total BS. Save a load and just get dry stuff take some of the money you save and buy more Live Rock to seed your sandbed.

 

[johnmoore55]

ok good to know ill just go with the coral.

 

[Heathd]

ok good to know ill just go with the coral.

Crushed coral, unless you are going to strictly have corals and no fish, is not a good idea unless you really clean it well.

I would just go with aragonite sand. Maybe an "oolite" grade. You can do suger too, if you like a mess every now and then.

 

[johnmoore55]

sorry i meant crushed coral.

 

[FLESHY]

Crushed coral, unless you are going to strictly have corals and no fish, is not a good idea unless you really clean it well.

I would just go with aragonite sand. Maybe an "oolite" grade. You can do suger too, if you like a mess every now and then.

See, I would say the exact opposite. Your water quality is going to be lower, fish can tolerate more than corals can...there is my reasoning. Stay away from it in general.

 

[nonstophoops]

Crushed coral, unless you are going to strictly have corals and no fish, is not a good idea unless you really clean it well.

I would just go with aragonite sand. Maybe an "oolite" grade. You can do suger too, if you like a mess every now and then.

I disagree, I think that oolite will lead to more of a mess. It is very light and any disturbance will leave a sand storm all of the tank. Covering rock and coral. I think that sugar sized sand is the way too go. Small enough that it doesn't trap a lot of detritus, but big enough it stays in place.

 

[FLESHY]

I like the reef-grade aragonite by caribsea...best of both worlds. I did a reef with "sugar grain" and it was a god awful mess too. If you can gravel vacuum it, Im not interested.

 

[johnmoore55]

I like the reef-grade aragonite by caribsea...best of both worlds. I did a reef with "sugar grain" and it was a god awful mess too. If you can gravel vacuum it, Im not interested.

yaa i really dont want to deal with the gravel vac. how do you go about cleaning the aragonite?

 

[FLESHY]

Dealing with the gravel vac is easier than dealing with the DSB tank crash.

You just go back and forth pulling all the gunk out. Couldnt be easier.

 

[johnmoore55]

oh ok i was confused. soo that for my substrate, live rock, good light, sump/ refrugum ( however you spell it), protein skimmer, heaters, air, salt and instrument to read salt level, fish and cleanup crew = saltwater tank?