Need Help Picking The Best Sand/Substrate!

[reilly2524]

Hello, I'll be setting up my first tank and I need help picking a substrate. I have caribsea fiji pink and special grade in mind but i really dont know what is best. I will have two jabeo pp4's and my return pump does 400-800 gph. I will mainly have LPS and softies with maybe a couple SPS. I would also like to be able to gravel vaccum the sand but not have it get sucked all the way though the siphon (so I can clean the sand but not have to replace it with every water change). What do you all recommend?

[mcgyvr]

I recommend special grade and to never gravel vacuum sand

[RobZilla04]

^ Agreed

Even with a special grade you will inevitably vacuum up much of the finer particles over time. This isn't a big deal. If you find that your sand bed is getting to thin for your liking, simply add more.

[cincyjim]

Recommend special grade as well!

[reilly2524]

Now what about special grade vs eden reef flakes? Also a factor to consider is I forget to mention that I will be getting a watchmen or yasha goby and a pistol shrimp, would they be ok with special grade or reef flakes? Last thing do you guys recommend getting it live or not?

[davocean]

Caribsea seaflor special grade dry

[reilly2524]

Originally Posted by davocean

Caribsea seaflor special grade dry

does the dry stuff need to be rinsed?

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by reilly2524

does the dry stuff need to be rinsed?

Yes it certainly does... Simple process though..

Take outside.. open bag.. stick garden hose in bag.. plunge it up and down for a good 15 minutes letting the water just pour right out the bag..

[Superstretch18]

I prefer the wet bagged stuff, just so I don't have to do the rinsing. I hate rinsing sand...

Agree that the special grade is best... I've never seen reef flake before, but the special grade is great for any burrowers. Having the mixed grades helps support their caves.

[top shelf]

Another vote special grade

[reilly2524]

alright I'm set on special grade. I just need to know no if I should get the live or the dry stuff.

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by reilly2524

alright I'm set on special grade. I just need to know no if I should get the live or the dry stuff.

dry is always a better choice unless that live sand is taken straight from a proper marine source and not left to sit "damp" on a warehouse shelf for an unknown amount of time..

[RobZilla04]

Wet claims to have the beneficial bacteria to start a cycle already inside (don't rinse the live sand). Dry you can seed with a product or just some fish flake food. You'll want to rinse the dry thoroughly as previously stated to keep your tank from being a cloudy mess. That cloud of dust will settle on everything and it'll take you a couple of times cleaning out before it is gone.

[GQuinn]

I like the Carib sea Natural Reef. Has a nice mix of particle size

[vhuang168]

Dry special grade.


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[reilly2524]

Does the live really help the cycling time that much? I will be using bio spira anyways. If it doesn't make a big difference then I'll go with the dry. But if there is a pretty big difference then I'll go with the live. I also read that I could go to my lfs and ask for a cup of their sand they have in their tanks and seed my dry sand with that. Any thoughts?

[mcgyvr]

The bio spira will be far more effective at attempting a shorter cycle than the "live sand"..

I find "live sand" to contain a considerable amount of dead organic material that causes the "ugly" stages to be worse/longer..

A cup of sand from the LFS isn't a bad idea and likely won't hurt..

go dry..

[reilly2524]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

The bio spira will be far more effective at attempting a shorter cycle than the "live sand"..

I find "live sand" to contain a considerable amount of dead organic material that causes the "ugly" stages to be worse/longer..

A cup of sand from the LFS isn't a bad idea and likely won't hurt..

go dry..

alright and for the dry, best way to rinse it?

[nereefpat]

Originally Posted by reilly2524

alright and for the dry, best way to rinse it?

"Simple process though..

Take outside.. open bag.. stick garden hose in bag.. plunge it up and down for a good 15 minutes letting the water just pour right out the bag.. " (Mcgyvr, post 8)

[reilly2524]

Originally Posted by nereefpat

"Simple process though..

Take outside.. open bag.. stick garden hose in bag.. plunge it up and down for a good 15 minutes letting the water just pour right out the bag.. " (Mcgyvr, post 8)

water from the hose is fine? doesnt have to be rodi water or salt water?

[nereefpat]

Originally Posted by reilly2524

water from the hose is fine? doesnt have to be rodi water or salt water?

I certainly wouldn't waste saltwater on it. The hose is fine. There won't be enough tapwater left over to hurt anything.

[ryeguyy84]

Originally Posted by nereefpat

I certainly wouldn't waste saltwater on it. The hose is fine. There won't be enough tapwater left over to hurt anything.

if you want to go one more step, rinse the sand then leave it to sit in a bucket with RODI water for a few days. Change the water daily until Phosphates are at 0. . . or just dump it in, you'll be fine.

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by ryeguyy84

if you want to go one more step, rinse the sand then leave it to sit in a bucket with RODI water for a few days. Change the water daily until Phosphates are at 0. . . or just dump it in, you'll be fine.

You won't have phosphate bound up in carib sea special..

[ryeguyy84]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

You won't have phosphate bound up in carib sea special..

Is that what makes or special :-)

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by ryeguyy84

Is that what makes or special :-)

Its special because they say so.
My mom says I'm special too