Should I Use Crushed Coral ?

[spud13]

should i use crushed coral?
my friend has offered to give me aload of crushed coral for my new tank
i use sand in my 60L and that works great
but reading up, crushed coral can affect your ph is this true?
and do you recomend using it

 

[Maxta]

It will up your pH.

Im no expert, but from what iv been told and read, i wouldnt use it unless your pH is drastically low. People recommend others who have a low pH (very low) to put a table spoons worth of crushed coral in the filter or tank in order to up the pH, therefore using crushed coral as a substrate will up your pH quite a bit.

Isnt it what they use in cichlids tanks? Therefore wouldnt really recommend it unless your pH is drastically low.

Just what i know, like i said im no expert though.

 

[goldencomet]

yeah i made the mistake of using that in my tank whilst cycling but it messes up your ph and gh i think

 

[rdd1952]

Crushed coral is generally used in marine tanks and in freshwater tanks where high pH is needes such as for cichlids. Unless you plan to have one of those, I would not use it as a substrate. It will raise your pH (KH & GH too) too high for most community fish. They could probably adjust to it but no use using it unless you need it.

 

[JackoUK]

Unless ofcourse your like me and have a tapwater pH of 5.0 and then the crushed coral is a godsend.