Help Substrate

[dhemp34]

I know you experts can reccomend to me a solid substrate..I know aragonite but heck they have standard whish is sugar granule size then the select with is much coarser....I left the store without my sand because i USe PFs for my Cichlid and i know i get some sand when i do my PWC. My concern is the standar aragonite will give me the same issue. Can anyone tell me what i should do ??which would be reco. them most by folks who have establ. tanks? I am also thinking live sand but heres the deal its dead because it dry..they only offered 20% off 44.99 for 40lbs..I'm new and confused..help me out here....I got my salt Instant Ocean and a hydrometer....so thats a my start...want to add sand because i want to get my cycle started soon....

 

[Innovator]

I prefer either Aragamax, Special Grade, Fiji Pink, Bimini Pink, or Super Reef. It's really personal taste at that point...

 

[dhemp34]

is it just that the aragomax a larger granule and better to syphon with less lost...this is really what i'm look for...

 

[Innovator]

Sizes can be found here: CaribSea Dry Aragonite | Aragamax Sugar Sized Sand | Aragamax Select | Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand | Fiji Pink Reef Sand | Flamingo Reef Sand | Bermuda Pink | Grand Bahamas Biome | Super Reef

 

[dhemp34]

if i just use crush coral can i get feather dusters down the line...i have 125 lbs just sitting around..

 

[Innovator]

I would not use crushed coral unless you religiously gravel vac your sandbed (alot of upkeep) and it's not friendly to sandbed fauna. The largest I would go is Super Reef (my personal fave); Stay under 2.0mm ave. large grain.

 

[roka64]

I agree, I tried the CC...I couldn't vac enough of it at one time to get it all clean before my water level got too low....Plus it limits some of your clean up crew to a certain degree.
Folks do use PFS in the SW tanks, but I am like James, I would go with one of those. A little coarser will keep down the initial sandstorm a tiny bit, but it really is a personal preference. Live sand that is dry...not sure how that is still live....

 

[melosu58]

I would also go with the sand. You could get a CUC and let them take care of substrate.

 

[dhemp34]

i guess what i'm really wanting to know is what are yalls experience with the sugar sized? does it create a lot of heck??? i am thinking the aragonite max but its a bit more expensive than the sugar sized standard aragonite....

 

[thincat]

I do all my PWC's through my sump and my sand size is very fine. Since I don't syphon from the DT I have no 'sandstorm" issues.

 

[roka64]

Once it all settles in you should be good to go.

 

[dhemp34]

i added 60 lbs of aragomax very milky

 

[goisles1]

I do all my PWC's through my sump and my sand size is very fine. Since I don't syphon from the DT I have no 'sandstorm" issues.

+1 on that!!

I have NEVER vaccumed my sand. My cleanup crew does a nice job cleaning my sand.

My Goby turns the sand over and the snails and crabs eat all the waste. What teamwork!

I used FijiPink Aragonite.

 

[dhemp34]

i dnt have a sump so i dont have that priviledge

 

[Zer0]

That's alright though. Just because you don't have a sump doesn't mean you still can't have a darn good tank. I don't have a sump either lol.

Also, what size aragamax did you select for your sand bed? And how large is your tank? Because 60lbs is what..? Two bags? Sounds like a good amount of sand in there. Not really sure how big your tank is though.

But here is a little "not to self":

Most people fear nitrogen gases building up beneath the sandbeds, and when they eventually make their way to the surface of the sand and then expell from the sand and in to the tank, they can have harmful effects. Honestly, this is just an overfeared phenomena, because it rarely happens in SW aquariums. However.. That is only the case when your sandbed is within a 4 inch of lower depth of sand. If you have over 4 inches of sand.. is would highly reccomend getting animals that live in and sift your sand because at that depth of sand, harmful gases CAN become a problem. Not saying that this is 100% guaranteed to happen if you don't have sand sifting critters in there.. but it has been known to happen, so you are better safe than sorry. Personally i haven't heard of any stories like this.. and maybe that is a good thing. But i would rather not take my chances, right?

Moral of the story is.. If your sandbed is over 4 inches, i would highly suggest getting livestock that sifts sand, so no harmful gases or anything like that in general, will ever have a chance to accumulate and cause damage.


EDIT**
I'm looking back in the thread now, and i see one of your posts that says you have a 125G tank which your using for whatever it is your doing right now... IF this is correct information, then 60lbs of sand should be fine. I think 2-2.5 inches max depth.. give or take half an inch in different areas of the tank. It's never going to all be the same

 

[thincat]

I have a 5"-6" sandbed for going on 2yrs in a few months and I have Nitrogen gas bubbling out of my sand all the time. That is the reason for the DSB (deep sandbed). Nitrogen is not harmful to your tank. It bubles off straight to the surface and out into the air, What you don't want is dead spots the have Hydrogen sulfite gas building up. This will show itself as "BLACK" areas in your sand. This the the stuff that is bad and can crash your tank. Nitrogen...GOOD...Hydrogen sulfite....BAD.

 

[dhemp34]

its in my 55 and the depth is only about 2.5 inches...not really concerned at all....i do pretty well wil upkeep....

edit.....Its the sugar sized aragamax....my 125 is african cichild

 

[Zer0]

Alright, great information TC. Once again you have enlightened. I did not know of what you said, but now i'm glad i do.

Question though.. by "black" spots.. do you mean on the top layer of the sand, it will present itself as a black color?

 

[thincat]

Yes and more then likely you will see it on the sides of your tank and or top layer.