RubixCube
Aquarium Advice Activist
I would like to get some comments on what type of substrate to use. Crushed Coral or Sand?
CC or DSB?
- Thread starter RubixCube
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RubixCube
Aquarium Advice Activist
Also, what are the pros and cons of each?
RubixCube
Aquarium Advice Activist
OK, yes, the less work the better. Now... what type of sand could i use?
Bearfan
Aquarium Advice Addict
Southdown play sand (available at Home Depot) for the base and live sand (not the stuff in plastic bags from your LFS, but real live sand from somewhere like www.livingrocks.com) on top.
Biggen
Aquarium Advice Addict
I think Bearfan meant www.liverocks.com as the link. They have pretty goo deals on LS.
Boxster
Aquarium Advice Freak
Isn't with the sand, you would still have the detris and you would stillneed to vaccum lightly to get rid of it?
Bearfan
Aquarium Advice Addict
DOH! www.liverocks.com is correct. I am fortunate the livingrocks wasn't an inappropriate site.
RubixCube
Aquarium Advice Activist
Is there a brand name that I could go by when looking for the live sand? What should I be looking for. Also, I live in eastern Canada and im not sure if any of the stores around here carry Southdown, is there a place I could order it or do anyone know of a good substitute. I have some sand here from when I had a fresh water, one bag of fine and one bag of medium, is that any good?
Bearfan
Aquarium Advice Addict
I don't recommend the live sand in the bags. I think it is pretty bunk. I would order from www.liverocks.com for the good stuff. Even with shipping, it's less than my LFS charges for live sand.
Biggen
Aquarium Advice Addict
Boxter wrote:
Not if it is a DSB. Vacuuming a DSB would probably kill all the infauna in the bed that actually helps make the DSB work. That infauna eats all the "junk" that fall and gets into the DSB so you actually never have to worry about. If you had a shallow sand bed, then you would have to vacuum it regularly.
RubixCube wrote:
No there isn't any "brand". The "live sand" that they sell in the LFS in bags isn't really that live at all. It contains no "critters" and probably no bacteria as well. You can ask your LFS or a local reefer you know to give you a good cup of sand out of an established tank. Make sure any sand you get comes out of a coral tank, though. That way you can be assured that the sand should not have any copper in it from any previous medications. That will help seed your bed with "critters" and you will have LS in no time. If you can't do this, then you can buy "kits" on the internet that come all the critters so you can seed you own bed. I got mine from www.inlandaquatics.com
I couldn't find Southdown either, so I broke down and bought Caribsea Aragamax sand from the LFS. It was very expense. I think it was around $25 for a 30lb bag. But that is all I could do. If you are wanting a DSB, you need to make sure the sand you buy has a certain grain size. If you don't know what your old sand is made off and its grain size, you should buy something else. Here is a great article on DSB and it will explain everything you need to know:
http://www.rshimek.com/reef/sediment.htm
Not if it is a DSB. Vacuuming a DSB would probably kill all the infauna in the bed that actually helps make the DSB work. That infauna eats all the "junk" that fall and gets into the DSB so you actually never have to worry about. If you had a shallow sand bed, then you would have to vacuum it regularly.
RubixCube wrote:
No there isn't any "brand". The "live sand" that they sell in the LFS in bags isn't really that live at all. It contains no "critters" and probably no bacteria as well. You can ask your LFS or a local reefer you know to give you a good cup of sand out of an established tank. Make sure any sand you get comes out of a coral tank, though. That way you can be assured that the sand should not have any copper in it from any previous medications. That will help seed your bed with "critters" and you will have LS in no time. If you can't do this, then you can buy "kits" on the internet that come all the critters so you can seed you own bed. I got mine from www.inlandaquatics.com
I couldn't find Southdown either, so I broke down and bought Caribsea Aragamax sand from the LFS. It was very expense. I think it was around $25 for a 30lb bag. But that is all I could do. If you are wanting a DSB, you need to make sure the sand you buy has a certain grain size. If you don't know what your old sand is made off and its grain size, you should buy something else. Here is a great article on DSB and it will explain everything you need to know:
http://www.rshimek.com/reef/sediment.htm
RubixCube
Aquarium Advice Activist
Ok, yes, im very interested in the DSB. Do anyone know if www.liverocks.com ships to Canada?
RubixCube
Aquarium Advice Activist
RubixCube said:
Very good read indeed. I am defiantly going to go with the DSB now. The only concern I have is being able to get my hands on some live sand. I haven’t seen it around here. What I may have to end up doing is just buying some of the bulk sand at the lfs and using some "Live Sand Activator" like this http://www.ipsf.com/#anchor47277 Do anyone have any objections to this procedure?
BillyZ
Aquarium Advice Addict
what part of canada are you from? perhaps someone here is from your area or close enough to make it worth a drive?
RubixCube
Aquarium Advice Activist
Im from Newfoundland.
Why do lfs say that in order to get maintain the PH properly, you have to use CC? I have some sugar fine sand here that i had for a freshwater tank, would i be able to use this if i had some way of activating it?
Why do lfs say that in order to get maintain the PH properly, you have to use CC? I have some sugar fine sand here that i had for a freshwater tank, would i be able to use this if i had some way of activating it?
Bearfan
Aquarium Advice Addict
As long as DHL ships there, I would imagine they would. Msg Zack on this, or post the question under liverocks.com section under sponsors.
RubixCube
Aquarium Advice Activist
So. I can go out and just buy some fine sand for a "base" and then add the live sand to the top and thay would work?
HoopsGuru
Aquarium Advice FINatic
You asked for "cons".
I wouldn't necessarily describe it as one, but since you are leaning towards a DSB you should make it a point that each year or 2 years you should "recharge" the sandbed with some more livesand. Not all of the critters are able to sustain a population, and this IMO can help elimate some of the problems witha DSB down the road. Exchanging sand with local club members is a good, cheap way to do this.
I wouldn't necessarily describe it as one, but since you are leaning towards a DSB you should make it a point that each year or 2 years you should "recharge" the sandbed with some more livesand. Not all of the critters are able to sustain a population, and this IMO can help elimate some of the problems witha DSB down the road. Exchanging sand with local club members is a good, cheap way to do this.
Bearfan
Aquarium Advice Addict
Basically, as long as your base sand is a caribbean sand, which has oval granules as opposed to rectangular, you can use any. Southdown is just one of the popular ones, New Castle is the other one you hear about. The live sand will make the "dead" sand live in six months or so.
RubixCube
Aquarium Advice Activist
is it possibile to make CC "Live"?
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