Crushed Coral Substrate
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Since I have moved the other 3 turts outside to the pond, I now have my 2 DBT’s in the 150 gallon. I would like to re-do the tank for them. I want to add the crushed coral for the bottom but is there anything I need to know? I have 2 Marineland Magnum Pro filters on it and 2 pumps for circulation. Will this interfere with any of the filtration or anything? I’d like to do this today, any help is appreciated! Thanks in advance!! I also posted on TF, sorry for the cross-posts! Crysti
Crysti, my DBT’s love the coral but I don’t buy the crushed. I buy the puka shells about the same and sometimes called croal also just not crushed. They chew on it and carry it around. I use to buy the crushed but I found I lost alot of it with pond or tank cleaning. Since it is a bit on the high side $ I and my turts prefer the shells well that look like shells or pieces of them. It actually gives them something to do. I also don’t just vacuum it out of the pond and it doesn’t just get sucked up by a filter. Easier to clean and reuse also. Just look for the biggest pieces you can find, they love it. They use to like the crushed also but I had to replace it too often. This is just what I have found. The crushed,whew will also take a ton of rinsing. Lisa
In a message dated 7/8/07 1:40:55 PM, lisaannlee@… writes: The crushed,whew will also take a ton of rinsing. I think Lisa meant to say that when it is new, the crushed coral will need to be rinsed alot, which is very true. I use crushed coral for a Fly river and he likes it alot, but doesn’t nible on it; perhaps he would on shell and I might try that next (thanks Lisa). The main reason I used coral was as a water buffer, but I do a 70% water change twice a week, so I doubt it really helps after a while. I also wonder if shell would have the same benifit? Dimitri************************************** See what’s free at http://www.aol.com.
Hi Lisa, thank you for the tip!! I just got back from the fish store here in Lakewood and they are having a 20% off sale next weekend SO when I saw one 50# bag was $39.99 I decided to wait, since the guy said I’d need 1 lb / gallon. lol (we have 150 gallon)!! And we had picked up the finest grain they had!! I’m SO glad we didn’t get it now, lol!! Yeah, that was my main concern, the cleaning of it and whatnot… the larger pieces make more sense to me. 🙂 Thanks so much!! I’m bummed, I wanted to start on it today but will wait for the sale, lol!! Crysti — In diamondbackterrapins@yahoogroups.com, “Lisa Lee”
Yeh, it’s pricy. But I have had my 50lb bag of the shells or pieces of shells in my pond for 4 years. Of course some of it does go uo into my pond vacuum but it was a great and fun investment. Mostly just watching my macros go in and out of the pond with it in their mouths. It is just now getting where I need a new bag. My tanks I pretty much use no substrate but when I do it is the shells. My turts munch on it alot. But I did try the crushed, and it just wants worth the cost vs the lost due to filtering and probably the turts eating it. It is very expensive but I love it, appearance and yes suppose to be good for them. To address Dimitri, I’m not sure that it would do what you want it to,maybe when you first get it. I really buy it more for just plain turt fun, and appearance. Yes I did know however it was suppose to be good for them. But for water cycling the larger pieces would probably not be as efficient. I do think they munch off enough to get a bit of calcium from it though. And yes Crysti the washing of it, either size is time consuming,very dusty stuff, for the first rinsing. But the larger also recycles easier after a good tank cleaning. After you see the larger coral (puka shells) different brands, different names, then you can decide. It is eye candy and more…Lisa
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