Fuge Substrate

[danny]

Is crushed coral suitable for substrate in a fuge? I'm assuming that it probably isn't due to some of the same reasons most folks won't use it in their tanks but I'm hearing mixed opinions. Anyone care to chime in? Thanks.

Danny

[Ping]

Crushed coral is only good for making Aragocrete.

[Texreefer]

Crushed coral is only good for making Aragocrete.

if your going to put sand in your fuge then you need to small stuff.. The larger stuff is a detritus trap and will not provide you with an anerobic area for denitrification.

I do, however, like to mix in a few handfulls with my display sand as it creates texture and will grow coralline easily . when the flow patterns in your tank get established, over time this crushed coral helps to create an intersting landscape

[danny]

I thinking I'm going to take out the crushed coral I have in my fuge a little at a time and go with the bare bottom. I had been using miserable mud for awhile but that stuff just makes an awful mess. The stuff I got from AD had a bunch of gold flake particles in it that clogged my skimmer pump. Don't know what that was all about but I decided I didn't need the "bling" in my tank.

Yes - bare bottom fuge filled with macro is what I shall do.

[Ping]

A shallow, one inch or less sugar fine layer of sand will provide a home for bacteria and zooplankton. This will help break down detritus and feed the the bottom of the food chain.

[Squiers007]

Personally I think that a DSB of 3-4" in the fuge is a good idea since it will enable anerobic bacteria to colonize and work to breakdown nitrates. Without a DSB, the only place that anerobic bacteria will grow is deep within large pieced of LR. Now, while most of us have large pieces of LR a DSB is simply an easy way to add more space for them to colonize. In addition, it provides an area to plant mangroves which will also help to remove nitrates and unwanted chemicals as well. There is a lot of debate on this, but I have always had good luck with them and I know others who have as well. Hope this helps.

[dmweise]

I have crushed coral in mine. I just took half of it out though. It seem to only house worms and pods. I'll most likely be switching it to sand mix soon or keeping a shallow crushed coral bed.

[ReefCube]

mud!

[Squiers007]

I used a mixture of mud and LS. I has several different grain sizes and will be great when I plant my mangroves!

mud!