sand bed depth

[lsplitte]

how deep does the sand bed have to be if using sugar-sized aragonite? I've heard upto 1 inch or 2 inches. Can someone help before I buy this stuff?

 

[Anonymous]

You'll get a lot of opinion on this.

My opinion depends on what you want your sand bed to do. If you're looking for nitrifying filtration, detritus cleanup, and food production then I's suggest 1/2" - 1".

If you want the above plus denitrification I'd suggest at least 3"; more if you stock fish heavily.

 

[WRASSER]

hey Guy, i have about 100 to 110lbs. of live sand in my 150. I also have a red coris wrasse, formosion wrasse, chisletooth wrasse and a dragon wrasse which all sleep in the sand. i also have a bullet goby. The questions are can i add the play sand from home depot and will it become live sand after while? I dont think i have enough sand, not that i need a lot, but the dragon is making a mound of a nest in the back with the sand and the various loose rocks i have.
thanks for your time 8)

 

[Anonymous]

If your current sand is live then the new sand will quickly become live sand. Just don't add more than 1/2" at a time to allow the criters to form new tunnels. 1/2" a week is a good rate to add sand IMO.

 

[WRASSER]

what is the name of the sand at home depot :?:

 

[MartinE]

Some folks bought Southdown sand at home depot, but I am not sure if they have it anymore, nor how much luck they had with it?

 

[moggyhill]

You need to get the brand Southdown because some of the other sand is so high in phospates and silica.