JessiMommy
Fish Fanatic
Hello yet again....
A lot of you have mentioned using crushed coral either as a substrate or added to my current substrate to help maintain the pH of my tank water. I would like to know if I can or should use the coral exclusively or just add it to the little rocks I am currently using. If it is possible to use it exclusively as the substrate how on earth would I change from what I have to the coral? Wouldn't I upset the bacteria? Also if it is just something I should use either in the filter or as an addition to my substrate how much do I use? Will the more I use sway my pH too rapidly? Or does it not make a difference?
If I do just stick with the substrate I have now I read somewhere that you should have it no more than 1/4 inch deep on the bottom. Is this true? I probably have it 3/4-1 inch thick on the bottom. I read that the more substrate you have the more broken down food & waste gets trapped in there and that could be causing some of my algae problem. If this is true & I want to reduce the amount of substrate how do I do that without interfering too much with the beneficial bacteria? I do have a bio wheel. Should I just take a little out every day or so?
Last question... When I replace my filter do I have to buy the actual cartridge that is made for my Eclipse system? Or is it possible to just purchase the floss material separately & put that in the place where the cartridge would go? The cartridge contains carbon which I've been told is not good after about 3 weeks anyway.
Thanks so much for all of your wonderful help!! I find out way more here than I do at the LFs!
A lot of you have mentioned using crushed coral either as a substrate or added to my current substrate to help maintain the pH of my tank water. I would like to know if I can or should use the coral exclusively or just add it to the little rocks I am currently using. If it is possible to use it exclusively as the substrate how on earth would I change from what I have to the coral? Wouldn't I upset the bacteria? Also if it is just something I should use either in the filter or as an addition to my substrate how much do I use? Will the more I use sway my pH too rapidly? Or does it not make a difference?
If I do just stick with the substrate I have now I read somewhere that you should have it no more than 1/4 inch deep on the bottom. Is this true? I probably have it 3/4-1 inch thick on the bottom. I read that the more substrate you have the more broken down food & waste gets trapped in there and that could be causing some of my algae problem. If this is true & I want to reduce the amount of substrate how do I do that without interfering too much with the beneficial bacteria? I do have a bio wheel. Should I just take a little out every day or so?
Last question... When I replace my filter do I have to buy the actual cartridge that is made for my Eclipse system? Or is it possible to just purchase the floss material separately & put that in the place where the cartridge would go? The cartridge contains carbon which I've been told is not good after about 3 weeks anyway.
Thanks so much for all of your wonderful help!! I find out way more here than I do at the LFs!
