Coral Chip or Live Sand

[Rajandra]

Hi, im planning to change the sand in my tank because the current sand creating massive cloudiness due to sand shifting fishes and the wave maker. It is so fine sand that it’s also scratching my DT glass.

But Im confuse weather to use coral chip or bigger size live sand. What is the different between these both? What is the best brand available for value for money?

My tank is both LPS and SPS dominated.

Thank you for your feed back and advice.

[moscowites]

People may prefer sand to coral chips simply because of the pleasure of viewing but to me personally, coral chips are better because they help in maintaing the PH and KH level?

[Gouldian]

Hi bro,

If I were you:

• I will use coral sand that is slightly larger - e.g. if you are currently using Grade 0 or 1 coral sand, change to grade 2 or 3
  
• I would not use coral chips as they are porous and will trap detritus
  
• I don't think coral chips will be able to assist in the buffering in the main tank because - 1) they will be coated will organic materials and slime 2) coral chips will only start melting if the pH drop below 7 and by the time your pH is 7, your tank will be in big trouble.
  
  For coral sands, you can either get:
  • Without Brand - Cheap but must rinse through several times to ensure that they are clean, some careful reefers will even go through the sands with a strong magnet to remove any metal
    
  • Branded commercial sands - Usually market as Live-Sand. These are cleaner compare to the former but is slightly more pricey. They are several brands available with the LFS.
    

  Hope that helps.

[Rajandra]

Hi bro,

If I were you:

• I will use coral sand that is slightly larger - e.g. if you are currently using Grade 0 or 1 coral sand, change to grade 2 or 3
  
• I would not use coral chips as they are porous and will trap detritus
  
• I don't think coral chips will be able to assist in the buffering in the main tank because - 1) they will be coated will organic materials and slime 2) coral chips will only start melting if the pH drop below 7 and by the time your pH is 7, your tank will be in big trouble.
  
  For coral sands, you can either get:
  • Without Brand - Cheap but must rinse through several times to ensure that they are clean, some careful reefers will even go through the sands with a strong magnet to remove any metal
    
  • Branded commercial sands - Usually market as Live-Sand. These are cleaner compare to the former but is slightly more pricey. They are several brands available with the LFS.
    

  Hope that helps.

  Thanks for the explanation. I think I will be going for coral sand. Is there any other significant characteristic this branded live sand has that we can’t get in the “no brand” live sand? How about the claims that the branded live sand has more beneficial bacteria than the others?

[Gouldian]

Thanks for the explanation. I think I will be going for coral sand. Is there any other significant characteristic this branded live sand has that we can’t get in the “no brand” live sand? How about the claims that the branded live sand has more beneficial bacteria than the others?

On a hobby scale, we are not able to determine the claims by the brand thus you just to take it with "a pinch of salt". But what we can observe is that the branded live sand are definitely cleaner as they have been pre-washed.

For me, if I am setting up a nano tank, I will use branded live sand; if I am setting up a large tank, I will use the no brand sand and top up with a packet of branded live sand.

[Rajandra]

On a hobby scale, we are not able to determine the claims by the brand thus you just to take it with "a pinch of salt". But what we can observe is that the branded live sand are definitely cleaner as they have been pre-washed.

For me, if I am setting up a nano tank, I will use branded live sand; if I am setting up a large tank, I will use the no brand sand and top up with a packet of branded live sand.

Noted. Thanks.