Preparing a Sandbed in New Tank

nanafish · 12/17/2008, 08:17 AM

I am trying to figure out how deep a sandbed I need to have in my tank for the ponies. The tank is a 54G that is drilled out and has built in overflow. I was thinking of a 3 inch deep bed - now I am not sure if I need to make it that deep. I would keep some burrowing snails for aeration to the bed. I had seen some substrate that is labeled for the base of a sandbed . Being that the granule size is large enought to allow for some filtration/movement. I was thinking of having that at least 1 1/2 inches deep, then top off with regular substrate. And of the substrate for the top layer- Should I use some Live sand to seed the tank? I plan on placing live rock in the tank as well. Then cap it off with some T5 lighting to help keep the macroalgae I will place in there alive.

Ishkabibble5710 · 12/17/2008, 04:04 PM

Sounds pretty good. Seeding is always a good idea, makes the cycle go quicker. Or at least it seems that way.

12/17/2008, 08:17 AM	#1
nanafish Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: ohio/Col. Station 44028 Posts: 629	Preparing a Sandbed in New Tank I am trying to figure out how deep a sandbed I need to have in my tank for the ponies. The tank is a 54G that is drilled out and has built in overflow. I was thinking of a 3 inch deep bed - now I am not sure if I need to make it that deep. I would keep some burrowing snails for aeration to the bed. I had seen some substrate that is labeled for the base of a sandbed . Being that the granule size is large enought to allow for some filtration/movement. I was thinking of having that at least 1 1/2 inches deep, then top off with regular substrate. And of the substrate for the top layer- Should I use some Live sand to seed the tank? I plan on placing live rock in the tank as well. Then cap it off with some T5 lighting to help keep the macroalgae I will place in there alive.

12/17/2008, 04:04 PM	#2
Ishkabibble5710 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oak Forest, IL Posts: 129	Sounds pretty good. Seeding is always a good idea, makes the cycle go quicker. Or at least it seems that way. __________________ A conclusion is simply the place where you get tired of thinking.