crushed coral ques????

I have about 40lbs of crushed coral in my 90 gallon...the problem is that everyday I wake up and the crushed coral is covered in algae (looks like brown hair algae) and i constantly turn it over but the algae just comes back..The live rock doesnt really have nuisance algae growing on it,,just the substrate....should I remove it from the tank??? also I found this LIVE AQUARIUM SAND 50LBS - eBay (item 120380446916 end time Feb-21-09 05:12:04 PST) on ebay does it look like a good deal>>>>thanks

 

How old is the tank? What are your params? It sounds like some type of diatom algae. Changing the "sand bed" isn't going to fix this issuse. It may hurt more then help.

 

the tank is about 1.5 years...parameters are fine nitrates 0 except phosphates I have to get a tester but am going to build a phos reactor soon....I think the prob with cc is that food and what not get trapped in it and the clean up cannot sift it around as they could with sand..and by getting stuck in the cc could be causing the phosphates??...I was thinking about removing the cc and gradually adding the live sand as not to jump start a large cycle..not to mention the additional biological filtration...thanks

 

CC is horrible stuff,i used it in my first tank,can't be turned over like sand.When i tore that tank down,it was gross what garbage was in there.BB for life,for me

 

yea i think im gonna get rid of it thanks

 

have you tried using a gravel vac.
becareful making the switch, there could be some toxic* stuff built up in the substrate

*i mean toxic to the tank not to you, well it probably isn't good for you either if it gets in your mouth.



i have to say don't buy all live sand its pretty much a waste of money, a small amount will suffice

 

yea I used a gravel vac but I constantly have to clean it because of the build up. I was planing on gradually siphoning portions of it out during regular water changes and then gradually add sand to the tank...hopefully it wont get in my mouth!!! but i was looking at the above link from ebay and it looks like a great deal for sand...

 

are you sure you want atlantic ocean sand. you could probably get the same sand from your beach in nj. it looks like the sand at virginia beach.

i have a feeling this is just a couple guys picking up sand from the beach.

the beach isn't the best place to get stuff for our tanks, its full of polution and waste. waves are natures skimmers.

but i suppose you wash it.

 

if you are changing it slowly then I dont think you need to worry about using LS, it will turn alive in you tank. As stated, its a waste of money.

 

crushed coral is actually that bad? i currenly have some caribsea seaflor stuff...or is it not that same thing?