sand vs cc

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The drawbacks of CC are high nitrates. This is caused by detritus buildup within the substrate. You can keep the nitrates from climbing, however it would mean frequent vacuuming of the CC to remove the detritus. The sand will not have the same buildup. JMHO
 
RMPD109 said:
The drawbacks of CC are high nitrates.

Sorry, I am new... I am trying to move to SW. However with FW I should know what it is. What IS nitrates. Is it from the fish waste or something else?


In ref. to sand... does sand take the waste and manage it better than CC? If so, why would anyone go with CC? Appearance?

Thanks for any input!
Scott
 
You may want to read up on the nitrogen cycle(cycling tanks). It is the end result of ammonia being transformed into nitrites then into nitrates. Nitrates are the least harmful but can still cause problems if they get high. A DSB will actually gain bacteria which will reduce nitrates. CC has been used for years as a natural substrate and does have some buffering capabilities but a buildup of detritus will lead to the high nitrates. HTH
 
RMPD109 said:
You may want to read up on the nitrogen cycle(cycling tanks). It is the end result of ammonia being transformed into nitrites then into nitrates. Nitrates are the least harmful but can still cause problems if they get high. A DSB will actually gain bacteria which will reduce nitrates. CC has been used for years as a natural substrate and does have some buffering capabilities but a buildup of detritus will lead to the high nitrates. HTH

Thanks, I will go with a DSB of 3"-5" depending on tank size.
 
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