Calcium Reactor Media As Substrate

[dangalang]

I saw this nice tank on the latest WWC video and was wondering if anyone here uses calcium reactor media/crushed coral instead of sand or bare bottom? I've seen it in person at Neptune's on some of their display tanks.

What are your thoughts? Pros/cons?

 

[Klems]

Neptune has it in many of their display tanks...not sure if it is the best media for smaller / home systems.

 

[ashburn2k]

i used it back in the days when i setup frag tanks, but now i just run bare bottom. no point of going back to tanks with any substrates at the bottom

 

[Turkeysammich]

Michael runs it in his aquarium. He has great success with it. @H2OPlayar

 

[MichaelB]

I personally don't, but I seen aqua plus, used it in several of their display tanks. I have bare bottom currently, but been considering this for the 65 gallon I just got. Intrested in what experience others have as well.

 

[ashburn2k]

the whole idea behind this is, if corals grow into the large substrates, it becomes a frag without u need to work the glue fragging etc.

 

[archibaldsharper]

I really liked using it for big triggers. Gives them sometime to do. Move all the substrate to one side then move it to the other.

 

[Darkxerox]

The other cool part about it is that you get all the little pods and shrimp that live in it since most small fish can't get down there to eat them.

 

[dangalang]

Neptune has it in many of their display tanks...not sure if it is the best media for smaller / home systems.

I'm planning for a bigger tank already hahah! The 60-gallon Innovative Marine that is on the counter next the registers really caught my eye. It uses the calcium reactor substrate and looks amazing to me.

 

[dangalang]

Michael runs it in his aquarium. He has great success with it. @H2OPlayar

Thanks for reminding me, he actually gave me a bit of his substrate to help my tank get started. I should hit him up!

 

[BAYMAC]

the whole idea behind this is, if corals grow into the large substrates, it becomes a frag without u need to work the glue fragging etc.

No the reason I did it was I wanted substrate, but wanted high flow. Many others were doing it when I was, for the same reason.

 

[ashburn2k]

just go BB for high flow!

 

[H2OPlayar]

Thanks for reminding me, he actually gave me a bit of his substrate to help my tank get started. I should hit him up!

There is a bunch from my old tank I can sell you.

 

[BAYMAC]

just go BB for high flow!

And if you don't like the look of bare bottom???? There is a solution

 

[RandyC]

I have used crushed coral as a medium for substrate and I will tell you it is probably worse of a detritus sink than sand. Sand you can siphon and easily mix around to get a lot of the waste in the WC to siphon out. With rushed coral, detritus can’t be suctioned easily and moving it around can possibly scratch glass and will scratch acrylic.

I’ve found in my tanks that carribsea special grade has been the most suitable for me in high flow tanks. I have 3 MP40s and an MP10 in my IM75 and the sand doesn’t move much.

 

[Darkxerox]

You're supposed to vacuum sand? I haven't in 20 years

 

[RandyC]

You're supposed to vacuum sand? I haven't in 20 years

Well, at least your nassarius snails, cucumbers and conches do.

Sea cucumbers prolly wouldn’t enjoy eating big pieces of crushed coral and pooping that out.

 

[Darkxerox]

No cuke either! But yes the conch and bristleworms do work. I'm sure it's all inert by now.

 

[dangalang]

I have used crushed coral as a medium for substrate and I will tell you it is probably worse of a detritus sink than sand. Sand you can siphon and easily mix around to get a lot of the waste in the WC to siphon out. With rushed coral, detritus can’t be suctioned easily and moving it around can possibly scratch glass and will scratch acrylic.

I’ve found in my tanks that carribsea special grade has been the most suitable for me in high flow tanks. I have 3 MP40s and an MP10 in my IM75 and the sand doesn’t move much.

I talked to one of the workers at Neptune Aquatics and they said they don't do anything to maintain the crushed coral substrate, and if I got that route to not to touch it and just let it be.

 

[ashburn2k]

still it's a ticking time bomb.