Sand -- How deep?

[joeyfromlawrenceville]

Thanks for the response on what kind of sand, Deciding how much to buy I need to know depth of sand bed. 1" adequate? or somewhere between 1 and 2?
Sorry I'm ignorant to sand bottom tanks
Thanks,

 

[roka64]

If you want sand sifters, I would go with 2 maybe 3 inches. Personally, I like a little deeper bed, but that is just me. One word of advice, if you are getting sifters, make sure your rock is placed firmly on the tank's bottom, to avoid the rock from shifting/falling over (especially if you get a pistol shrimp/shrimp goby combo...nudge, nudge...).

 

[melosu58]

How Sandbeds REALLY Work by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

 

[joeyfromlawrenceville]

How Sandbeds REALLY Work by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

Thanks for the article. There is a lot going on under the sand.I will assume these DBS are the ones I see 4-6" deep in some aquariums. I think I'm gonna go a couple inches deep and put this package in, what do ya think?Sand Bed Stirring Team | Pet Solutions

 

[Innovator]

I would nix the sandsifting star since they can deplete a sandbed's fauna rather quickly and opt for nassarius snails.

 

[joeyfromlawrenceville]

I would nix the sandsifting star since they can deplete a sandbed's fauna rather quickly and opt for nassarius snails.

Thanks for the info, I am new to this and appreciate any advice I can get. i take it that fauna is a good thing to have?? what is it?, good bacteria or something? I have never heard that term.

 

[Ziggy953]

My sand bed is as deep as 4" in some areas of the tank but for the most part it averages about 2.5" deep. I agree with innovator about the nassarius snails. They are great at keeping the sand bed stirred.

 

[Innovator]

Fauna in aquarium terminology usually refers to the benthic (bottom-dwelling, sea-floor, etc.) invertebrates that reside in and around a sandbed and rock structures. A dsb acts as a waste management site where the fauna helps to consume, dispose, or shift of waste. Even if a dsb is not in place, the "critters" will still exist and continue to work regardless of functionality.

 

[joeyfromlawrenceville]

Fauna in aquarium terminology usually refers to the benthic (bottom-dwelling, sea-floor, etc.) invertebrates that reside in and around a sandbed and rock structures. A dsb acts as a waste management site where the fauna helps to consume, dispose, or shift of waste. Even if a dsb is not in place, the "critters" will still exist and continue to work regardless of functionality.

Thanks, I tried Wikipedia, not much help. Your definition is much better. Basically, all the living things in the sand bed that need to be there to consume waste