Water movement over substrate

The Professor · 01/03/2007, 08:20 PM

I have just started a new 75 gallon tank. This is the first time I am using a substrate, and I jumped right in by getting the carib sea sugar sized sand. Upon filling it with water I got the ensuing cloudiness which cleared up fast due to a quick clean cartridge on an aqua clear powerhead. After firing up my tunze 6100 on its lowest setting it started to upset the sand and cloudiness returned. My question is will the sand ever settle down? I have repositioned the tunze to graze the rock work but am I supposed to have some type of flow over the sand? If so how much, and what is a good way to do this? Thanks for any advice.

rreddick · 01/03/2007, 08:37 PM

It usally takes 2 to 3 days for the sand dust to settle out. You want flow across the tank surface, but not so much it is stirring up the sand. It is a fine line, kust play with the tunze directions, key is just good overall random flow

Ron

The Professor · 01/03/2007, 08:42 PM

Thanks for the response. I have actually heard a reccomendation of putting a layer of slightly larger grain sand over the fine sand. This person had also said that I would always have a problem with cloudiness and fine sand. I hope not!

drstupid · 01/03/2007, 09:08 PM

this may sound silly, but have you tried just aiming the pump so it doesn't stir up the sand bed? deflect the current off of the rock work or something? i have a 6"+ bed of the same sand, and need to carefully direct the outputs of my closed loop so they don't cause a sandstorm.

if one powerhead generates too much flow to keep a fine sand bed, it's probably producing too much flow from one point source anyways. i'm not sure a coarser substrate is really the best answer to your problem. you may be better served with two or more less powerful powerheads generating less flow from more sources. strong laminar flow is not what you're looking for in a reef tank.

rreddick · 01/03/2007, 09:11 PM

Dr Stupid is right on,
Could be to much flow from one source. In my clown tank I have the sugar fine with no problems at all. But it sounds like you are still in the new tank, water, sand phase, so give it a couple of days.

Ron

The Professor · 01/03/2007, 09:49 PM

It is a 4 foot long tank with a tunze 6100 pump. That pump is a monster, well worth the small fortune. I set it at its lowest setting and it disturbed the sand all the way at the other end of the tank. I have set it to flow over the top portion of my live rock. Will my future cleanup crew take care of most of the debris on the sand? Its just a different experience. In my bare bottom tank I used to direct some flow to the bottom to consolidate some excess debris so that when I did water changes it was in one nice pile to remove. Thank you for the advice.

AZDesertRat · 01/03/2007, 09:55 PM

Once bacteria starts colonizing the sand it will stay put. I have Southdown sugar sand with a 1100 GPH closed loop 900 GPH return, a Seio 1100 and 820 all in a 100 G reef with no problems at all. Get some cups of live sand from a few friends to jump start it and it will settle in no time.

The Professor · 01/03/2007, 10:10 PM

Good, I was hoping to hear things along these lines. Thanks.

01/03/2007, 08:20 PM	#1
The Professor Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: United States Posts: 113	Water movement over substrate I have just started a new 75 gallon tank. This is the first time I am using a substrate, and I jumped right in by getting the carib sea sugar sized sand. Upon filling it with water I got the ensuing cloudiness which cleared up fast due to a quick clean cartridge on an aqua clear powerhead. After firing up my tunze 6100 on its lowest setting it started to upset the sand and cloudiness returned. My question is will the sand ever settle down? I have repositioned the tunze to graze the rock work but am I supposed to have some type of flow over the sand? If so how much, and what is a good way to do this? Thanks for any advice.

01/03/2007, 09:08 PM	#4
drstupid Aquarist emeritus Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Narberth, PA Posts: 760	this may sound silly, but have you tried just aiming the pump so it doesn't stir up the sand bed? deflect the current off of the rock work or something? i have a 6"+ bed of the same sand, and need to carefully direct the outputs of my closed loop so they don't cause a sandstorm. if one powerhead generates too much flow to keep a fine sand bed, it's probably producing too much flow from one point source anyways. i'm not sure a coarser substrate is really the best answer to your problem. you may be better served with two or more less powerful powerheads generating less flow from more sources. strong laminar flow is not what you're looking for in a reef tank. __________________ i'm not a real doctor, i just play one on tv. Current Tank Info: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2429266

01/03/2007, 08:37 PM	#2
rreddick Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brewster, MA Posts: 224	It usally takes 2 to 3 days for the sand dust to settle out. You want flow across the tank surface, but not so much it is stirring up the sand. It is a fine line, kust play with the tunze directions, key is just good overall random flow Ron

01/03/2007, 08:42 PM	#3
The Professor Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: United States Posts: 113	Thanks for the response. I have actually heard a reccomendation of putting a layer of slightly larger grain sand over the fine sand. This person had also said that I would always have a problem with cloudiness and fine sand. I hope not!

01/03/2007, 09:11 PM	#5
rreddick Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brewster, MA Posts: 224	Dr Stupid is right on, Could be to much flow from one source. In my clown tank I have the sugar fine with no problems at all. But it sounds like you are still in the new tank, water, sand phase, so give it a couple of days. Ron

01/03/2007, 09:49 PM	#6
The Professor Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: United States Posts: 113	It is a 4 foot long tank with a tunze 6100 pump. That pump is a monster, well worth the small fortune. I set it at its lowest setting and it disturbed the sand all the way at the other end of the tank. I have set it to flow over the top portion of my live rock. Will my future cleanup crew take care of most of the debris on the sand? Its just a different experience. In my bare bottom tank I used to direct some flow to the bottom to consolidate some excess debris so that when I did water changes it was in one nice pile to remove. Thank you for the advice.

01/03/2007, 09:55 PM	#7
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Once bacteria starts colonizing the sand it will stay put. I have Southdown sugar sand with a 1100 GPH closed loop 900 GPH return, a Seio 1100 and 820 all in a 100 G reef with no problems at all. Get some cups of live sand from a few friends to jump start it and it will settle in no time.

01/03/2007, 10:10 PM	#8
The Professor Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: United States Posts: 113	Good, I was hoping to hear things along these lines. Thanks.