what substrate mix?

[turboTSI]

I got a 40lb bag or aragonite...now I know I need more then just that.. but I have heard of puttin ghte larger stuff on the bottom then the aragonite on top that way u dont get any toxis built up in the bottom that can ecape in a "bubble" and crash the tank... now what do u guys recomend for setting up the substrate.. now deep for a future reef tank. and what layers of what?

Dave

 

[Bearfan]

I recommend dead caribbean sand, then live sand. No aragonite.

 

[turboTSI]

ok well I already got the aragonite.. it is the Carb-Sea Aragonite sand 40lb bag

now do u just use the caridean sand no bigger rock etc for the bottom..

Dave

 

[Bearfan]

I think if you use Aragonite, people only use Aragonite...

 

[turboTSI]

ok thx

Dave

 

[Bearfan]

You may want to find someone who uses cc as a substrate and ask them, I did my research and went dsb.

 

[turboTSI]

... I dont know half of thoses abreviations

Dave

 

[brndfrb]

i was using crushed coral or CC but then went DSB (deep sand bed) Much better and looks much nicer. If you can find southdown sand or old castle sand use that . As long as it says tropical play sand from the carribean sterilized etc. Southdown has a picture of a little boy on it and it is a blue and red bag.

 

[turboTSI]

ah ok.... I was going to do a DSB... so how many pounds of sand so I need for a 55g to have a nice DSB?

Dave

 

[Atari]

If you look at the top of the page you'll see the link for calculators.. I believe there's one for sand beds in there too.

BTW, it has to do with the footprint of the tank not the volume. A tall column tank could also be 55 gal but obviously would need much less sand than yours for the same depth.

EDIT: Hmm, the calculator on this site gives a totally different result to the one at garf.org.. is it just me or does anyone else get that too? Is it because one is for sand and the other for aragonite?

 

[Sparky]

i was using crushed coral or CC but then went DSB (deep sand bed) Much better and looks much nicer. If you can find southdown sand or old castle sand use that . As long as it says tropical play sand from the carribean sterilized etc. Southdown has a picture of a little boy on it and it is a blue and red bag.

I am also in the process of doing the same thing right now.

 

[turboTSI]

yeah I will deff go with a DSB.... so should I just use like 120lbs?

Dave

 

[Sparky]

If you go here, you will be able to calculate exactly how much you will need based on how deep of a bed you want.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/calcs2.php?type=sanddepth

Mike

 

[turboTSI]

thx that makes a nice calculator

Dave