if i were to set up a tank with crushed coral as the bottom subtrate for the aquarium and keep a flowerhorn in it how much crushed coral do i put in the tank? Can i do the whole bottom coral, does it have to be a mixture with other subtrate? Ive never done it and heard its awsome for flowerhorn tank!

I don't think so. I heard that crushed coral will lower PH in your tank which mean it's not good for health conditions. Though, some claimed that it will make you FH, Arowana contribute more reddish, but I don't see any prove.

To explain more about this, crush coral will slightly rise PH to your tank. Soon right after, it's turn to the same value or even less. At this process, your fish could be faded.
Then after that for long long long time, PH will rise again to the constant rate. However, crush coral is not recommended for freshwater tank since it have some bad minerals for FH. (That's what I've heard.)

really? I just googled it and it says that it will raise your ph and is great subtrate and it keeps tank stable......this is wrong? Just need to be sure i was also looking at white agronite sand which is sand and coral mixture so isn't advised either then?

- If you carefully google, you'll find a post shown the problem from crushed coral. And said that ph raised and stabled do NEED time. But before that stage, it could have fluctuation of PH value.

- Then if you search up again you will find these ;

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84113

http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_adjusting_pH.php <<< read the comments. Cloudy tank in the long run just like other people said.


Everything has pros and cons, this crush coral could be one of the best example. Then, sand might be good but need siphon to clean them every month. <<< really hard working for me. Personally, I use soil for plants but that's not good for coloring the fish too. So, the answer might be just river rock and sand.

BTW, if you really wanted to find a good conditions for Flowerhorn, use minerals and vitamins.

Here I attached is minerals use secretly among expert in Thailand. It keep balancing the PH, reducing stress, better digestion and immunity. Therefore it will lead to a better color as well. Unfortunately, nothing like this in USA.

THE FIRST LINK YOU GAVE ME WAS A REFERANCE TO A SALT WATER AQUARIUM I HAVE FRESHWATER. DO THE COMMENTS ON THE MARINE AQUARIUM IN THAT LINK STILL APPLY TO A FRESHWATER? SEEMS ODD AND THE 2ND LINK YOU GAVE ME SUGGESTS THAT CRUSHED CORAL IS GOOD. kINDA CONFUSED HERE ON WHAT YOUR HAVING ME CHECK OUT ON THESE LINKS. ANY HOW THOSE VITAMINS AND MINERALS YOUR SUGESTING AREN'T ACCESSABLE TO ME IM IN THE US SO I'M STILL CONFUSED!

Crush coral will raise your Ph because it is a base made of calcium carbonate derivative of lime stone and it will not lower your Ph. Peat fiber, driftwood, co2 will lower your PH, but depending on your water source if your using tap water it will be a little higher then 7.0 since there is more minerals and dissolve solids in it.

I do not recommend using crush coral as your substrate, but rather a media to help raise Ph up in your filter gradually. The agronite sand your are referring to is the same as crush coral composition just in a finer grain.

As for mineral stones it is only beneficial if your water source does not contain any sort of mineral or dissolve solids which can be found in tap water. Fish don't utilize it much because it passes through the gills rather then being absorbed through the blood line.

DAVID MY PH IN THE TAP WATER STRAIGHT OUT THE SINK IS 6.0......WIERD. i HAVE TO PUT THE WATER IN A BUCKET WITH THE STRAIGHT 7.0 POWDER IN IT JUST TO GET THE PH UP PRIOR TO PUTTING IN TANK. READ THAT FLOWERHORNS PERFER A HIGHER PH THAN 7.0 BUT THAT 7.0 IS FINE TOO. SO WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST I DO KEEP IT A LIL MORE STABLE? tHERE GOES MY CORAL IDEA BOO I THOUGHT IT'D BE PREETY.

What I give you can be apply to Freshwater aquarium, pal.

PH rate still go in the same way that say it's good in the long run (NOT IN THE SHORT RUN BECAUSE THE PH WILL NOT RISE IMMEDIATELY.)

- AND - I ASKED YOU TO SEE THE COMMENTS DOWN THERE TO SEE IF SOME OTHER PEOPLE USE THAT, AND HOW THINGS GO AFTER USE THEM. AND THE RESULT IS NOT GOOD AS WE EXPECTED IF WE USE AS SUBSTRATE BECAUSE IT WILL GET DIRTY TOO EASY.

So, you said that you wanna use as your substrate, that's why I said no.

oh gotcha so what your saying is no dont use it and you can sell me stuff in pic above?

http://www.flowerhornusa.com/forums/index....ushed+coral+pic

http://www.flowerhornusa.com/forums/index....ushed+coral+pic

http://www.flowerhornusa.com/forums/index....ushed+coral+pic

No!!, I'm not a seller. I just give you an opinion that mean to help you. I don't have any benefit to show this picture to you except to explain you what we do in Thailand.

I wanna say that my country have that product contain of natural minerals from river which help you dealing with PH and color problems.

I'm not sure where to find it in USA too. It's kinda like local products actually. And I don't think I can shipped to USA because there're too many laws about the products like this in your country. So, I wish that you could find something like this around your place.

Plus, I show the picture because I know that my English is not so good to explain what to wanted to. Or may be my head is spinning too much all the time.

thanks anthony the only reason im asking bout this crushed coral is because i'm redoing a small computer room in the front of my house. We have laptop so we are just gunna set up printer and modems in the closet and break down compter desk. room is small so we want everthing in it to be white! We're taking out computer desk, putting the 125 in it and painting the stand and canopy stark white, getting a stark white leather futon, painted all the shelves stark white and putting a flat screen adjasent to the futon. On the walls my man has all his expensive sports stuff up, signed basket and base balls, signed jerseys, and all his sport collections, wanna put something bright in tank like white sand/coral and do a bright saltwater back ground aand bright throw pillows on futon......it'll look efffin sweet in there. Picking all white for the room to open room up a bit and that will make tank and sport stuff pop out. what yall think bout my decorating skills? You think it's wierd to paint stand white or you think it'd be tight in there?

I like black stand but thats just me do it and show us what it looks like lol

No worries Kane, it's good to have a different perspective from someone from a different country... rock on!

whats up guys i will take pic 4 sure give me awhile to get is all set up i gotta put all my stuff and water ect in the 55 then break the 125 down and get it all painted up ect

The all white thing sounds cool. You can use all crushed coral as a substrate if you wish just keep in mind (especially with kamfa) that colors of a FH sometimes reflect their surroundings.

sweet well i was planning to buy a background that resembles a salt water theme with bright reds blues yellown ect. hoping this will assist in coloration going to a fish store that i just found out about to check it out see what they have. .....Aqua workz....in sac...guess he's getting flowerhorn in on wed im going in today to check out sand and backgrounds and how healthy his tanks look.

his shop

http://www.aquaworkzaquarium.com/

his craigslist add

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/for/1863307710.html

anyone heard of this place?

i have a 55g tank and i put about 10lbs of just crush coral and it kept my ph level stable to 8.0. so from my experience, you should do it. my flowerhorn is really healthy and really active. just make sure to do a lot of water change. i do mine every 4 days about 20%. hope this help.

+1 I've been using crush coral and have never had issues. For FHs, you want a higher PH so this really does the trick without all chemicals.

ok update on the coral.....in my 55gal i used 25lbs agronite and 25lbs coral heres the pic and ph is stable at 7.8 testing daily and ph is still the same its been a week now!

the 55 is temperary i broke the 125 down for the remodel lol.