Live Sand

[GhostKnife]

Well I am going to order a couple more odds and ends tonight. What type of live sand do you prefer or have used and are liking? Everything from color to granule size. Also how much should I use for a 75 gal. reef tank. What depths are good to have and should depths vary throughout?

 

[melosu58]

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

Here is a good read on sandbeds. Mine is white and is about the size of sugar granules. I really dont like the real fine stuff because it blows around to easy. Here is a sand bed calculator as well as other calculators.

FantasyReef Calculators

 

[Ziggy953]

Here is what I'm using in my system. It's fine but not too fine similar to what Mike was talking about. This was dry sand. Live sand is not worth the money. All you need is a cup of sand to seed your sand and you will be in business.

120lbs of sand.

 

[GhostKnife]

Thanks Zig. Thats what you got two bags for yours. Could I get a bag dry and a bag live?

 

[Wy Renegade]

All the LS in a bag will provide is bacteria. As stated, you're better off purchasing all dry sand IMO and then "seeding" the sand by going to a fellow reefer or a LFS and aquiring a cup or pound of real LS. You get a much better assortment of try sandbed critters as well. That said, some internet sites do claim to sell try LS, but again you have to be careful, as sometimes their LS is no better than what you get in the bag.