[Marky]

Originally Posted by earlmj

So much true Cebudiver but I do not wish to write whole novels , about one topic.
Lets first tell the people that there is more then one way to "make "coralsand but yet the only REAL Coralsand is made out of coral itself. That is the one I was refering to.. from the Parrotfish. The other types are either a result of Diatome algae or Coralline Algae as you so right have posted here.
TYPE ONE : never round as a ball .. is real Coralsand
TYPE TWO perfect round shaped as a ball ,pretty small and in one case looking like starshaped Birdseed . Made by Diatome Algae or Corallinae Algae

Coralline Algae ( Rhodophyta ) is also known as the outside layer ( Epiphytic)of Calcarious Rocks and is nothing more then a result of calcarious algae deposits.. Just to put it simple for most of the readers ( hope you agree on this one) at time it "solves " (crumbles) and get a new calcium layer around the crumbled piece that can vary in size from less then 0.1 mm to some bigger.. Same procedure as with the Diatome Algae. Lets all not forget it is a process already going on for millions of years , and hopefully millions of years to come..............
The same Corallinae Algae Technique is addapted for building artifical reefs as it goes very rapidly. Beside that also the Acropra type of corals grow very quick unlike some species that have a growthrate of one inch per year only.

Once in Duma I will ( here we go again) give seminars and can show how everything goes and show the difference in types of coralsand. It is very easy to show in an aquarium the whole procedure of the building of Corallinae Algae and also how it gets into becoming Coralsand. Many marine tank keepers around the world can tell you that as well. Very rare is the Birdseed Coralsand . It is completly round but carries a star shape as well. It is found in the Philippines on very few places only ,which I will not reveil . Some Parrotfish do pretty well in captivity and feed on DOGFOOD PELLETS.

Wow. Heavy duty.