Removing crushed coral from aragonite coral mix

sleepercivic88 · 01/27/2006, 12:03 AM

When I first set up my tank I did the stupid thing of thinking a crushed coral araganite mix was a good idea.(did not read as much as I should have at the time) I currently have a 46gal bow front 30lbs of aragonite and 15 of CC. My question has anyone here removed CC from their current subtrate and which method works best for you. Im thinking of justing using my net as a sifter. Should I be fine adding more aragonite later. I think im going to have to rinse it well so I dont harm any live stock with silt.

any suggestions

I have 5 various snails, 2 true perc clowns and 5 blue leg hermit crabs

I hate learning after i messed up. (trial and error sucks) lol

Yames14 · 01/27/2006, 12:40 AM

IMO using a net to sift the substrate in the tank would cloud your tank quite a bit. Another idea might be to siphon the subustrate out of the tank while doing a water change. If you have a large net that you can place at the end of siphon over the bucket, you'll catch the CC outside the tank and the sand will end up in the bottom of the bucket. Then you can place the sand back in the tank. You won't have any problems adding more aragonite later.

Also, don't worry about mistakes. Without them, how would we learn what works and what doesn't.

good luck

Red Serpent · 01/27/2006, 12:57 AM

I did this same thing to my 55 gal. I removed all my livestock and live rock to buckets and drained the tank.(saved all my tanks water) Then I just scooped out the cc. You can use a semi fine sceern to sift your substrate with and rinse what is left with salt water to remove as much junk as possible. Yes you can add more very well rinsed aragonite later. Remember to do a finnal rinse with salt water so you don't mess with the SG or Kill any micro life in the sand that gets coverd up. If it was me I would add the sand to the tank when you remove the cc.Then the fish and inverts only have to go through one stress ride and not two. Also watch for algea or cyno blooms after you make this change. (freed up lots of nutrients for the sands)Keep a close eye on chem levels and bio load to because of the reduction of your biofilter for about a month after the change. Hope this helps You and good luck.

01/27/2006, 12:03 AM	#1
sleepercivic88 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Arvada, CO Posts: 30	Removing crushed coral from aragonite coral mix When I first set up my tank I did the stupid thing of thinking a crushed coral araganite mix was a good idea.(did not read as much as I should have at the time) I currently have a 46gal bow front 30lbs of aragonite and 15 of CC. My question has anyone here removed CC from their current subtrate and which method works best for you. Im thinking of justing using my net as a sifter. Should I be fine adding more aragonite later. I think im going to have to rinse it well so I dont harm any live stock with silt. any suggestions I have 5 various snails, 2 true perc clowns and 5 blue leg hermit crabs I hate learning after i messed up. (trial and error sucks) lol

01/27/2006, 12:57 AM	#3
Red Serpent Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Henderson, Nevada Posts: 96	I did this same thing to my 55 gal. I removed all my livestock and live rock to buckets and drained the tank.(saved all my tanks water) Then I just scooped out the cc. You can use a semi fine sceern to sift your substrate with and rinse what is left with salt water to remove as much junk as possible. Yes you can add more very well rinsed aragonite later. Remember to do a finnal rinse with salt water so you don't mess with the SG or Kill any micro life in the sand that gets coverd up. If it was me I would add the sand to the tank when you remove the cc.Then the fish and inverts only have to go through one stress ride and not two. Also watch for algea or cyno blooms after you make this change. (freed up lots of nutrients for the sands)Keep a close eye on chem levels and bio load to because of the reduction of your biofilter for about a month after the change. Hope this helps You and good luck. __________________ Some times you have to pick up the pieces of someone elses failures to make some thing GREATER. Current Tank Info: 55 gal Reef Tank, 75lbs Live Rock, 50 lbs Sand, 15 gal DiY Refugium/Sump, Killer hang on overflow by Hurricanefilters, Lighting with Ordit 4x65watt power compacts

01/27/2006, 12:40 AM	#2
Yames14 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 46	IMO using a net to sift the substrate in the tank would cloud your tank quite a bit. Another idea might be to siphon the subustrate out of the tank while doing a water change. If you have a large net that you can place at the end of siphon over the bucket, you'll catch the CC outside the tank and the sand will end up in the bottom of the bucket. Then you can place the sand back in the tank. You won't have any problems adding more aragonite later. Also, don't worry about mistakes. Without them, how would we learn what works and what doesn't. good luck