Putting together good clean up crew

gemini9 · May 19, 2014

Lol how about I do one side of the tank with cc and the left side with cc?

Pete polyp · May 19, 2014

teckademics said:
How would the 60/40 hold up over time? Would the sand rise on top over time or would the crushed rise on top? Or would it keep a nice mix? I just recently did a 50/50, half Fiji Live Sand and half Crushed Coral and am fairly curious of how it will turn out long term.

The cc makes its way to the top. Thus is why I prefer 100% sand

Bpain05 · May 19, 2014

Don't buy crabs until there is food for them to eat. When you are ready to buy I recommend the brown leg or orange-tip hermits. They have been the best eaters/scavengers for me.

Pete polyp · May 19, 2014

gemini9 said:
People always tell me how k e is better kr worse than the other but I think imho it has to do with how often you vacuum your substrate. Sand and cc both can be nitrate problems if not cared for.

You do not vacuum a sandbed that's 4"+.

Bpain05 · May 19, 2014

I don't vacuum my sand bed that is only 2". You are asking for trouble if you get that sand stirring.

Pete polyp · May 19, 2014

VicD81 said:
With a DSB you can actually see the the end result of the nitrogen cycle. The microfauna in the sand convert the nitrates into nitrogen gas which you see bubbles slowly escaping the sand and popping at the surface of the water.

This is correct

VicD81 · May 19, 2014

Ive yet to touch my DSB. Its at 4.5". Thats what the CUC is for. Ive only skimmed the very top when I had a bad cyano prob.

Pete polyp · May 19, 2014

VicD81 said:
Ive yet to touch my DSB. Its at 4.5". Thats what the CUC is for. Ive only skimmed the very top when I had a bad cyano prob.

Exactly!

gemini9 · May 19, 2014

Confusing lol

VicD81 · May 19, 2014

gemini9 said:
Confusing lol

Understatement!

gemini9 · May 19, 2014

Ok so my crushd coral bed. Should I vacuum that out kr leave it be? When I do a wc I vacuum it clear to the bottom

Pete polyp · May 19, 2014

VicD81 said:
Understatement!

Haha

Pete polyp · May 19, 2014

gemini9 said:
Ok so my crushd coral bed. Should I vacuum that out kr leave it be? When I do a wc I vacuum it clear to the bottom

Personally, I would remove as much as I could with a slotted spoon or something like that. If you can siphon it out that would make it easy.

How much is in there?

gemini9 · May 19, 2014

Ive got about 2 or 3 inches of cc

gemini9 · May 19, 2014

What kinda trouble do you get stirring up the sand

VicD81 · May 19, 2014

well since you have nothing in there you'll just go though a mini cycle. no big deal. I Think...

Pete polyp · May 19, 2014

I think you may have an ammonia spike that lasts a couple days. It surely won't hurt your nitrates lol.

Pete polyp · May 19, 2014

If your wallet isn't a concern then I would suggest using aragalive sand. I always mix in 20lbs to the other sand. My 29 has 40lbs ocean direct, 20lbs aragalive. My cycle took 6 days with live rock. Ammonia topped out around .75ppm.