Aragonite with Crushed Coral

[Delphinus]

I kept sand from a system in a rubbermaid with a nomimal volume of water, a heater, and an air bubbler, and it seemed to keep for a few weeks like that when I was setting up my 75g.

When the tank had SW in it at temperature, I just dropped the sand in and let it settle. I didn't do anything special like rinse it or anything.

So I think it's fine without need to rinse it or sterilize it or anything like that.

Thus, my advice: Throw it in, and let it settle on its own (before putting in livestock). Maybe some live rock and stuff of course.

...

But the oyster shell .... I dunno. I know it's been used to make rock (Kim and Jonathan, notably), and I think it worked out OK, but .... I thought typically oyster shell was laced with phosphates. I think maybe it's OK in small quantities, but I'd be unsure about using it as a staple substrate. But that's just me ... I might be tempted to try it, but, I'd just be "unsure" about it. How's that for a wishy-washy opinion??