What substrate do you use and why? - Page 2

worm5406 · 02/05/2013, 11:06 PM

OK so I took some pictures tonight...

These show the difference between oolite and fiji pink.

That is a omega one pellet beside the snail.

The last one is a tubeworm coming up through origional grade, which is only a bit larger than oolite.. This is from my new 180. My old 120 (still running) is using original from carbisea.

Green Chromis · 02/06/2013, 09:22 AM

I use a NSB (natural sand bed) collected from the reefs off South Florida. You would be amazed at all the wild life in the sand. Every to 3 years or so I change about 25% of the sand bed to replenish the animals that live in the sand.

Paul B · 02/06/2013, 10:26 AM

You can see my dolomite here

worm5406 · 02/06/2013, 10:27 AM

@PaulB

I see you are using glass in your tank... I Like the coloring it puts off in different light.

Paul B · 02/06/2013, 10:53 AM

Thanks, if you mean the bottle, there are about 9 of them, most of which I picked up while diving here in NY.
I like bottles, What can I say?

worm5406 · 02/06/2013, 10:55 AM

I had a 6pack of coronaettes in mine... but the snails liked the painted label too much and it had little snail mouth lines all over it... hahahaha

Paul B · 02/06/2013, 10:57 AM

Thats cool. Did you ever have one of these?

worm5406 · 02/06/2013, 11:06 AM

I was afraid of lockjaw for my fish.. I always wanted to do that but never did.

What type or any conditioning did you do with it?

Paul B · 02/06/2013, 12:21 PM

I coated it in fiberglass resin

Sk8r · 02/06/2013, 12:34 PM

I use aluminum where it definitely gets wet, no corrosion...

Re sand: I have a real potent pump. I tried superfine sand, and it killed corals. At some effort and over time, I removed the fine sand and replaced with medium grade aragonite, washed, of course---much happier camper, here.

worm5406 · 02/06/2013, 01:05 PM

And Sk8r.... you should know...

I am moving my 120 to a new 180... I don't have any bites from friends on the 120.. I was thinking of just taking it and making it BB and doing coral and frags in there... (I have not been advertising the 120 lately... hahahaha)

twf0369 · 02/06/2013, 01:13 PM

Stay away from the sugar fine sand! This is what I currently have and am waiting for the day to change it out. I know that day will be a huge PITA, so for now I am constantly using a turkey baster to clean everything off. In addition, the water is never clear. There are always sand particles floating around.

EDJFA · 02/06/2013, 02:57 PM

I have the Caribsea Indo-Pacific black, which is actually a combination of black and white. The sand ranges in size from fine white to 3-4mm black pieces of what I'm assuming is volcanic rock. When I had a pistol shrimp, he would use the larger "boulders" to block the entrance to his tunnels.

I looked at plain white sand and it was fine, but everyone had it. Not too many people are using anything other than white. I like unique.

Esage · 02/06/2013, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDJFA

I have the Caribsea Indo-Pacific black, which is actually a combination of black and white. The sand ranges in size from fine white to 3-4mm black pieces of what I'm assuming is volcanic rock. When I had a pistol shrimp, he would use the larger "boulders" to block the entrance to his tunnels.

I looked at plain white sand and it was fine, but everyone had it. Not too many people are using anything other than white. I like unique.

I'm using the same sand.

02/05/2013, 11:06 PM	#26
worm5406 Not afriad to admit wrong Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South of WashDC in Maryland Posts: 7,774	OK so I took some pictures tonight... These show the difference between oolite and fiji pink. That is a omega one pellet beside the snail. The last one is a tubeworm coming up through origional grade, which is only a bit larger than oolite.. This is from my new 180. My old 120 (still running) is using original from carbisea. __________________ Stock:LPS/SPS\|1 hippo\|4 OC Clown\|4 Pepp shrimp\|2 Brittle Star\|3000+ Copepods\|10+ MiniBrittle\|8+ Bristle Worm\|2 Anemone\|100+ mini-feather\|4 boys 14,21,22,22 Current Tank Info: Tank:300g Mixed Reef 300+lb LR\|4" LS\|5x MP40W\|75g fuge\|5x RadionPRO\|RO DB250 skimmer\|Apex

02/06/2013, 09:22 AM	#27
Green Chromis Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: miami,florida Posts: 640	I use a NSB (natural sand bed) collected from the reefs off South Florida. You would be amazed at all the wild life in the sand. Every to 3 years or so I change about 25% of the sand bed to replenish the animals that live in the sand. __________________ Natural Reefer Current Tank Info: 600 gallon Carribean Reef System, ETSS Protein Skimmer, 1.5HP Tradewinds Chiller, Reef Breeders Photon V2+ LED Lighting For The Refugium, Mitra LX7206 LED Lights For Display Tank

02/06/2013, 10:26 AM	#28
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	You can see my dolomite here __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

02/06/2013, 10:27 AM	#29
worm5406 Not afriad to admit wrong Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South of WashDC in Maryland Posts: 7,774	@PaulB I see you are using glass in your tank... I Like the coloring it puts off in different light. __________________ Stock:LPS/SPS\|1 hippo\|4 OC Clown\|4 Pepp shrimp\|2 Brittle Star\|3000+ Copepods\|10+ MiniBrittle\|8+ Bristle Worm\|2 Anemone\|100+ mini-feather\|4 boys 14,21,22,22 Current Tank Info: Tank:300g Mixed Reef 300+lb LR\|4" LS\|5x MP40W\|75g fuge\|5x RadionPRO\|RO DB250 skimmer\|Apex

02/06/2013, 10:53 AM	#30
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	Thanks, if you mean the bottle, there are about 9 of them, most of which I picked up while diving here in NY. I like bottles, What can I say? __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

02/06/2013, 10:55 AM	#31
worm5406 Not afriad to admit wrong Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South of WashDC in Maryland Posts: 7,774	I had a 6pack of coronaettes in mine... but the snails liked the painted label too much and it had little snail mouth lines all over it... hahahaha __________________ Stock:LPS/SPS\|1 hippo\|4 OC Clown\|4 Pepp shrimp\|2 Brittle Star\|3000+ Copepods\|10+ MiniBrittle\|8+ Bristle Worm\|2 Anemone\|100+ mini-feather\|4 boys 14,21,22,22 Current Tank Info: Tank:300g Mixed Reef 300+lb LR\|4" LS\|5x MP40W\|75g fuge\|5x RadionPRO\|RO DB250 skimmer\|Apex

02/06/2013, 10:57 AM	#32
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	Thats cool. Did you ever have one of these? __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

02/06/2013, 11:06 AM	#33
worm5406 Not afriad to admit wrong Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South of WashDC in Maryland Posts: 7,774	I was afraid of lockjaw for my fish.. I always wanted to do that but never did. What type or any conditioning did you do with it? __________________ Stock:LPS/SPS\|1 hippo\|4 OC Clown\|4 Pepp shrimp\|2 Brittle Star\|3000+ Copepods\|10+ MiniBrittle\|8+ Bristle Worm\|2 Anemone\|100+ mini-feather\|4 boys 14,21,22,22 Current Tank Info: Tank:300g Mixed Reef 300+lb LR\|4" LS\|5x MP40W\|75g fuge\|5x RadionPRO\|RO DB250 skimmer\|Apex

02/06/2013, 12:21 PM	#34
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	I coated it in fiberglass resin __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

02/06/2013, 12:34 PM	#35
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I use aluminum where it definitely gets wet, no corrosion... Re sand: I have a real potent pump. I tried superfine sand, and it killed corals. At some effort and over time, I removed the fine sand and replaced with medium grade aragonite, washed, of course---much happier camper, here. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/06/2013, 01:05 PM	#36
worm5406 Not afriad to admit wrong Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South of WashDC in Maryland Posts: 7,774	And Sk8r.... you should know... I am moving my 120 to a new 180... I don't have any bites from friends on the 120.. I was thinking of just taking it and making it BB and doing coral and frags in there... (I have not been advertising the 120 lately... hahahaha) __________________ Stock:LPS/SPS\|1 hippo\|4 OC Clown\|4 Pepp shrimp\|2 Brittle Star\|3000+ Copepods\|10+ MiniBrittle\|8+ Bristle Worm\|2 Anemone\|100+ mini-feather\|4 boys 14,21,22,22 Current Tank Info: Tank:300g Mixed Reef 300+lb LR\|4" LS\|5x MP40W\|75g fuge\|5x RadionPRO\|RO DB250 skimmer\|Apex

02/06/2013, 01:13 PM	#37
twf0369 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Annapolis, Maryland Posts: 106	Stay away from the sugar fine sand! This is what I currently have and am waiting for the day to change it out. I know that day will be a huge PITA, so for now I am constantly using a turkey baster to clean everything off. In addition, the water is never clear. There are always sand particles floating around. __________________ 165 Custom Miracles Rimless Reef Tank and Sump; ATI 8x80w Powermodule w/ Reefbrite LED Blue light; Vertex 180i Skimmer

02/06/2013, 02:57 PM	#38
EDJFA Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: St. Charles, MO Posts: 1,025	I have the Caribsea Indo-Pacific black, which is actually a combination of black and white. The sand ranges in size from fine white to 3-4mm black pieces of what I'm assuming is volcanic rock. When I had a pistol shrimp, he would use the larger "boulders" to block the entrance to his tunnels. I looked at plain white sand and it was fine, but everyone had it. Not too many people are using anything other than white. I like unique.