Thanks for the reply.
A 2-3 inch sand bed will be just fine. How much
LR are you planning?
Probably between 30 and 45 lb, depending on what I can find online. Not an abundance of
LFS near me with good marine stuff. One guy has "live rock" that looks like base rock to me - white, no visible signs of anything on it, and he wants $8.99 per pound. I can do as well online.
I'm planning to let the sand and rock cycle a bit, then add some cleanup critters like snails, crabs, etc., while a fish or two are in quarantine for a couple of weeks. Then I'll do a couple (4-5) hardy, peaceful fish like a clown, cardinal, etc.
I've read conflicting things on sand beds. One says no serious sand sifters should be used with a
DSB of 4" or more, since they aerate the sand too much. Other sites disagree. This won't be as big a deal for me, as I've given up on
DSB for nitrate reduction due to the small size of my tank. (I'll try to enlist the help of a sump
DSB, protein skimmer, and water changes.
If this works out, I now have a 55
gal cichlid tank which may become the next home for my critters and their new tankmates ... in a year or two