crushed coral

[jasno999]

Jasno999 isn't testing his water quality. As I said before, if you don't test, then theoretically, your water tests whatever you choose the results to be.
Once again, you avoid the advice of experienced members of the site and you look to verify your wrong answers with someone who doesn't even really know his parameters.

BUY SOME BOOKS!!! Simple reading will stop you from posting stupid questions. Every thread started by you could have been answered in the first 100 pages of Volume 1 of The Reef Aquarium.

Wow my friend you need to relax. IT was a simple question that was asked and I don't think any question should ever be labled as stupid. There are no stupid questions- it is better for him to ask the question and see what we all have to say. Not everybody purchases books or likes to read. Some people don;t even know there are books out there on the subject. And in other cases you can find authors dissagreeing on subjects jsut like we are right now.

I agree I have not tested my tank water i na while. I have not done that because after testign it for months and months and realizing everyhting was in the normal range and the coral was doign great I realized it no longer needed to test as much. I can go home tonight and do a test. I am 99% sure the water parameters will all be in the normal ranges. And if I do that then what will you all have to say????

You are askign me my parameters cause you want to find a way to dissprove what i have said. That is fair and I will go and test my water. But if it is normal then will you agree with my point??? I doubt it but lets see what happens....

Some people don't like crushed coral and some do. As I have said you don't want only crushed coral in your tank but to have a little can be a good thing. at the least a little crushed coral should not be a bad thing if you take care of your tank. Sure go with sand only and you should be fine- I am not here to argue with that. I jsut think crushed coral truley does help buffer the tank and help maintain PH. Sure it is not the end all to your PH issues but it is not goign to cause yoru nitrates to go thru the roof and your tank to become toxic as some would like you to beleive...

Remember there are different ways for people to achive the goal. In this case the goal is a healthy tank with a good balance in terms of water parameters. I may go about gettign there in one way and somebody else might take a different route to achieve that same goal. If both ways work then it is what it is.... YOu can't say a person is wrong if their method is working, their tank is in great condition and their parameters are all normal.

So let me check my parameters tonight and prove that my tank is in fine condition.

 

[loismustdie]

Don't tell me to relax when you're the one typing in bold print. I'm perfectly calm and just trying to help someone out.
There is such a thing as a stupid question. I've asked them myself. Usually after some reading and research, most questions are answered for you. Stop getting all offended.
If your water tests "perfectly", which I'm sure you will say it does, regardless of the actual readings are, I'd tell you the pH should be fairly normal in any tank, unless you've got a serious problem. Hell, a halfway decent protein skimmer can balance pH in a tank. The issue here isn't so much pH as it is the nitrates and maintenance he is adding by what he says he wants to do.
You tested water for months and it tested in a normal range so you stopped? You can look through threads and see what you can test for for a short period of time and what should be tested for more often. I won't go into that here, except to say pH should be known at any given moment. A pH monitor is really a more time and cost effective method than test kits. Your other thing about no longer testing is something we also don't agree with and again we are trying to help Rick understand that there are things he needs to test for weekly, even in a well established tank.
Rick has been asking a lot of ?'s here. I know myself and Kris (nanoreefer) have been trying to help him. We are also trying our best to stick with good sound advice which has been backed up by other members. We've spent a lot of time typing in advice for him and I don't think it's necessary for a guy who really doesn't know what his parameters are jumping in with how good his water quality is. Look how many people told him to avoid his idea, before you jumped in saying how great your tank is with it. At his experience level and what he looks to achieve, odds don't fall in his favor for the idea he had.
I'm not saying you shouldn't post your opinions. They are obviously welcome here, but don't start going after others who feel you are wrong and are stating something without facts.

 

[jasno999]

Don't tell me to relax when you're the one typing in bold print. I'm perfectly calm and just trying to help someone out.
There is such a thing as a stupid question. I've asked them myself. Usually after some reading and research, most questions are answered for you. Stop getting all offended.
If your water tests "perfectly", which I'm sure you will say it does, regardless of the actual readings are, I'd tell you the pH should be fairly normal in any tank, unless you've got a serious problem. Hell, a halfway decent protein skimmer can balance pH in a tank. The issue here isn't so much pH as it is the nitrates and maintenance he is adding by what he says he wants to do.
You tested water for months and it tested in a normal range so you stopped? You can look through threads and see what you can test for for a short period of time and what should be tested for more often. I won't go into that here, except to say pH should be known at any given moment. A pH monitor is really a more time and cost effective method than test kits. Your other thing about no longer testing is something we also don't agree with and again we are trying to help Rick understand that there are things he needs to test for weekly, even in a well established tank.
Rick has been asking a lot of ?'s here. I know myself and Kris (nanoreefer) have been trying to help him. We are also trying our best to stick with good sound advice which has been backed up by other members. We've spent a lot of time typing in advice for him and I don't think it's necessary for a guy who really doesn't know what his parameters are jumping in with how good his water quality is. Look how many people told him to avoid his idea, before you jumped in saying how great your tank is with it. At his experience level and what he looks to achieve, odds don't fall in his favor for the idea he had.
I'm not saying you shouldn't post your opinions. They are obviously welcome here, but don't start going after others who feel you are wrong and are stating something without facts.

Fist off the bold type was just cause I did not realize I had it turned on. Was not meant to be take in any different way. I could understand if I had typed everyhting in all CAP but I did nto do that...

I dissagree with you 100% on the statment that this guy is asking a stupid question. If you don't like the question, think it is stupid or don't want to be part of the discussion then ignor the post and go read other posts.... YOu don't have to tell somebody that they are askign stupid questions... That does not benifit anybody.

I was actually jsut discussing this very topic with one of the moderators and some of the more senior members here. The discussion was on how it is nice to have a board where members can coem and ask question and people can give answers based on their experiences. There are multipul ways to do things and they shoudl be shared.

I don't mind the way you do things and I never said what you do was bad or wrong. But you are tellign people that the way I do things is wrong and in reality what I have been doign works fine and has never caused an issue in my tank.

YOu are a senior member here- So it amazes me that you are tellign a person that they are askign stupid question and that you are being so mean to a member. If oyu want to help him then offer your help. Leave the crap out of the discussion and don't tell people they are stupid... If you don't like it post someplace else and let the rest of us help him out.

Discussion is good and talkign it out is a good thing. Like I said I never said your way of doing things was bad or wrong.

 

[NYreefNoob]

jasno dont pay it no mind. only dumb question is one not asked, if he doesnt like my post or thread's he doesnt have to read or to respond. yes he has given me his opinion. and thats what it is a opinion. and i know fw is nothing like sw. i made the refferance this is what is used to maintain my fw ph. do i have time to read? no do i like to read ? not really unless there is a set of bunny ears on the front or one of my daughters books. i have learnt this people have opinions people that spent a ton of money to get where they are have stronger opinions about certain equipment or items.{ funny thing i had a sw tank about 12 yr's ago. no skimmer hardly any water movement and had 2 clowns maybe 10 lb's of live rock for almost 2 yr's { nothing died} and i have a regular light for it} i am asking if anyone has done or used this method. he has yet to say he has used crushed coral, so really not to be an ass but he really cant give me the advise i am looking for. as far as my other threads. yes i do ask alot of questions some making no sense{ puff puff pass threads} i do plan to go with a larger tank. and curious to who use's what and how they like it or dont like it. and build the best tank my wife will let me lol she gets first dibs on pay check. so with this being said i still am contiplating using the coral unless someone here has used it and has had a bad experiance. extra work to maintain it ? id rather spend less $$$$ and a little more hands on time anyways to maintain my tank

 

[nanoreefer22]

Fist off the bold type was just cause I did not realize I had it turned on. Was not meant to be take in any different way. I could understand if I had typed everyhting in all CAP but I did nto do that...

I dissagree with you 100% on the statment that this guy is asking a stupid question. If you don't like the question, think it is stupid or don't want to be part of the discussion then ignor the post and go read other posts.... YOu don't have to tell somebody that they are askign stupid questions... That does not benifit anybody.

I was actually jsut discussing this very topic with one of the moderators and some of the more senior members here. The discussion was on how it is nice to have a board where members can coem and ask question and people can give answers based on their experiences. There are multipul ways to do things and they shoudl be shared.

I don't mind the way you do things and I never said what you do was bad or wrong. But you are tellign people that the way I do things is wrong and in reality what I have been doign works fine and has never caused an issue in my tank.

YOu are a senior member here- So it amazes me that you are tellign a person that they are askign stupid question and that you are being so mean to a member. If oyu want to help him then offer your help. Leave the crap out of the discussion and don't tell people they are stupid... If you don't like it post someplace else and let the rest of us help him out.

Discussion is good and talkign it out is a good thing. Like I said I never said your way of doing things was bad or wrong.

Look now he never called anyone stupid, but he did say this is a stupid question. He seems to be after an answer than ONLY you provided him with. Everyone knows this is by far the worst way to keep your pH at a suitable levels.

Understand what Chris(loismustdie) is saying. In order for the crushed coral to even begin to buffer the pH it has to DISSOLVE. At the pH found in a salt water tank that's simply never going to happen. The pH needs to be much lower as he pointed out around 6.5.

If your pH is even bordering on that you're having problems with your tank to begin with and trying to put a bandaid on it thats just gonna get wet and fall off. All you're doing by putting crushed coral in your tank is giving yourself one extra thing to maintain, which is something most if not all of us try to stay away from.

Yes, he's a "Senior Member" but then again everyone with 100+ post is. If you would take the time to understand the chemistry behind what Chris was pointing out you would see that the crushed coral is just a waste of time.

Nyreefnoob is new to the hobby and why would we point him in the wrong direction or tell him to do something that wouldn't make a difference?? Theres just no point in that.

On the flipside he does seem to avoid the advice that is given by experienced member on the board and go right to the one person that thinks what he is doing is right, when they are only beginning to learn about the hobby. By no means does he have to take our advice, but its just a bit annoying to see him look over sound advice and just go to the one thing that he wants to hear, which is why even I was trying to avoid his posts.

-Kris

 

[nanoreefer22]

he has yet to say he has used crushed coral, so really not to be an ass but he really cant give me the advise i am looking for.

You're saying it yourself here, you're looking for only the advice/opinion that you want to hear. Only the one that will back up what you already think is right.

I'm done .
Have a nice night.
-Kris

 

[NYreefNoob]

i am not avoiding any advice at all i am taking in all thoughts like i said i have a tank now running. and in the process of buying for my upgrade{ yes i could stay with what i have size wise} but i know me and i know ill get a bigger tank so why not do it while tank is still pretty fresh? and really only advice you 2 have given is dont use coral and make my tank the best it can be. so since it is obvious that i am going to upgrade anyways why not make some refferance's to what i need { i will have only softies in tank} i plan on a 36" wide tank not sure of total water amount more than likely a 65g i have a etts deluxe so a new skimmer is out of the question. i have a current 130w compact and i know ill need more light so suggestions ? do i really need a kalk mixer ? do i really need to run a calcium reactor ? and so on. like i said i have seen 3 superb tanks from here. i dont plan to go proffesional with this, but to have a nice tank { not a show tank }

 

[loismustdie]

I never called him stupid. I said he has asked stupid questions he could have answered by reading and research. Calling him stupid would be "there's no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid people". Which was never said. I also said that I've asked stupid questions as well. Does that mean I said I was stupid too? Stop trying to be the PC police.
Your feathers are clearly ruffled. Stop for a minute and think of the advice you have given on a few threads... I've read them. Disagree with about all of it. You see... I feel this hobby is a privilege and not a right. It is on us to do the best we can with the live stock we've selected. Just dump it in/I don't test/my water is fine/my corals thrive/etc. really aren't the answers we look for. We look for techniques that work, for more than one person who actually test their water, show good results, have great tanks and we go from there. That's what separates an experienced reefer from the others.
As for the mods and senior members... they're just feel good titles. I see them as pointless. What makes a guy with over 100 posts a "senior member"? It's a misleading title. Some interpret that as "senior reefer". Some mods don't even have tanks. This is not meant to be an insult to any of them, just saying what I feel about this statement:

I was actually jsut discussing this very topic with one of the moderators and some of the more senior members here.

YOu are a senior member here

You know why I consider myself a senior member? Because on the drop of a dime, I've been there for several members who needed help. I've spent several days of my time off helping with upgrades, tank moves, picking up products, putting things in tanks, helping those who had tank crashes, etc. I also do my best to give sound advice. I've been wrong before and I've asked stupid questions. I've gotten mad at other members. What it comes down to is that we try to give the best advice possible. I set up a 55 gallon SPS reef for under $600 and it was a beautiful tank, that doesn't mean I would tell anyone else to do it. It was a ton of work. Overall, Rick is looking to set up a tank on a budget. He wants it to be as self sustainable as possible. We are trying to give him advice on how to do that. His plan would have added more work that was unnecessary. If you do a search on crushed coral on the internet, more often than not, you will see it has no place in a reef.
Your problem with me and my tact isn't helping this thread. If you've got a problem with me that doesn't help this thread in any way, we can PM our issues. Stop wasting time on this thread. It was dead by post 3. There has been enough good, sound advice to help rick on this topic.

 

[NYreefNoob]

good then when i go to do my transfer i am calling loius to come help me :cheekkiss . like i said i respect everyone's thoughts and opinions and i am on a budget. so my wife says so. i know dont buy junk just to get by. thats why i am looking to see what other's have for light as far as t5 or pc dont plan to ever go with mh and if i do need the kalk or phos or cal reators if i keep up on water changes and testing ?

 

[loismustdie]

You don't need a kalk mixer or calcium reactor. Randy 2 part is very cheap and with the purchase of a doser, you are looking at a quarter of the cost of a calcuim reactor and kalk mixer with very good results.
You need better lights.
SSB with aragonite sand will provide a sufficient buffer for your tank. No need for crushed coral.
Your skimmer is SUFFICIENT for the larger tank. Save your money for a better/more efficient one.
Get a good return pump. Ehiem is one of those products that pay for themselves.
Get the tank drilled.
The list is too long. Have you read Kris (nanoreefer) tank thread? Very good and informative. You will learn a lot from it.
BTW... I would be glad to help you.

 

[Vision06]

Calcium reactors and mixers and many other products were made so the hobbiest had less work to do. It sounds like you want good results with little husbandry, So in your case you do need all of those things.
I have used crushed coral in my tank.
when I first set my tank up I bought crushed coral. It gets dirty fast and holds all the crap and gasses in it. If you plan on getting a 65g then have fun cleaning all the crushed coral.
You can mix some with argonite sand, but why do that? unless you like the look. If you like the look then mix it like Jasno999 said.
Ask some of the members if you can go to their house and see their setup. Alot of ppl on this site have get togethers or meet regularly. See if you can meet up with some of the members, you will be surprised on the things you can learn by seeing things first hand, then asking questions.

 

[NYreefNoob]

coral

thats what i was looking to get answered.i have 2 different seachems calcium additive a complete and a reef cal, as well as iodine only used it 3 times but corals seemed to have better color and to have opened up more i feed zooplanton and phyto once a week. do i need to ? as well as i feed krill to anenome's and feeding suggestions ? i have polyps,zoa's mushrooms and a green bubble tip and a pink lta. ty rick

 

[NYreefNoob]

coral

vision i have been to 3 people's, i live in peekskill and doesnt seem to be many people around here, maybe ill have to make a trip to the city so i can see a few different tanks for some idea's. i would love to get input from people with soft only tanks on what they have and use

 

[loismustdie]

dosing is good. Did you read my last post on page 3? Randy 2 part. I personally don't like phyto. Most of what you keep can be target fed less often with some cyclopeeze. This will end up being more cost and time effective for you. I cannot speak for feeding anemones since I do not keep them.

 

[loismustdie]

Also, very true... there is a difference between soft only and other tanks. Your skimmer will be sufficient, even for LPS. I'm focused on your anemones though.
Again, I would look to getting better lights soon and and after that, look to buy a more efficient skimmer. There are so many models out there that are reasonably priced and are far more efficient. Your electric bill should count in the overall cost of your tank.

 

[Vision06]

If your ever in my area, you are more than welcome to stop by to see my setup and bullshit for a bit ( provided I'm home).

The best way for you to get a good answer on your setup is to break it down. Make a list of what you have already, figure out roughly what you plan to keep in the system, Decide on how much you want to get your hands dirty (well wet in this hobbie). After you get your list you can post it up and ask ppl on here what they think you should/could change for better results.
You seem to want a great setup fast. Dont feel bad. I wanted the same when I got back into the hobby. Take a step back, take a deep breath and plan all of it out.You may have to save up for some things.
I promise you with the great advice from ppl on MR and a little patience you will have a nice tank in no time.

 

[jasno999]

Stop trying to be the PC police.
Your feathers are clearly ruffled. Stop for a minute and think of the advice you have given on a few threads... I've read them. Disagree with about all of it. You see... I feel this hobby is a privilege and not a right. It is on us to do the best we can with the live stock we've selected. Just dump it in/I don't test/my water is fine/my corals thrive/etc. really aren't the answers we look for. We look for techniques that work, for more than one person who actually test their water, show good results, have great tanks and we go from there. That's what separates an experienced reefer from the others.

My friend like I have said time and time again there are a variety of ways to setup and run a tank. In many ways we still don't even know a whole lot about SW and what is best in terms of tryign to get our tanks to reflect the ocean... YOu may not be aware of this but if you go on other boards you might see what I am saying: There is a new idealogoy out there in the SW world. That idealogy is that "LESS IS MORE". I am a firm beleiver in this and many people are finding this to be a very good way of takign care of their tanks.

The concept is that the less we try to minupulate, change and adjust our tanks the better. People that beleive in this typically do not do water changes as frequiently and don't test every day like others do. THey leave things alone and watch their tank and the items in it.

Now my guess is that you would nto agree with this method of care. And that is fine I am not faulting you in any way for that. But this way of thinking can't be wrong if it is working for people..... YOu can't tell me that the peopel that follow it are not good at the hobbie if they are keeping great tanks.....

So remember there are always different ways of doing things and just because somebody does not follow your way does not mean they are wrong.....

 

[Deanos]

:backtotop

 

[Deanos]

I can go home tonight and do a test. I am 99% sure the water parameters will all be in the normal ranges. And if I do that then what will you all have to say????


So let me check my parameters tonight and prove that my tank is in fine condition.

Any news on this? Specifically nitrates.

 

[32Bit_Fish]

Guys,

Sorry for the jump in.. Would you guys recommend using baking soda to raise the PH? It is very cheap. I have a friend use baking soda on his FW and probably is a bad idea for a reef?

Thanks