Need to make decision FAST: sand or no sand in fuge

JeffersonReef · 03/30/2007, 04:11 PM

Looks like I will be working on my new sump/fuge over the weekend. I will be moving from my old 20g fuge and 20g sump to a larger single tank with fuge/skimmer/return areas. I need to decide wether I am going to have a sand bed in the fuge this time! I am leaning towards eliminating it.... here is my reasoning:

*the purpose for the fuge is #1: nutrient export. I also want it for pod population.

*I am thinking about eliminating the sand altoether in the fuge, and just adding several lbs of live rock (rubble and smaller pieces). I will also harvest macro algae here. I may even add a small frag rack somewhere in the tank, depending on space and lighting.

Anyway, anyone have any comments or suggestions? Anything I should consider? FYI, the footprint on the fuge area is likely no larger than 24"x15"... im not exactly sure. I dont know if a DSB would do any good with a footprint this small... and flora/fauna dont nescessarily need a sand bed to thrive. What do you think?

gemini aquarius(t) · 03/30/2007, 04:15 PM

i would do mud or sand for sure especially if u want a good pod population just do like 4 inches of sand then a layer or two of rubble and some macro

supernareg · 03/30/2007, 04:34 PM

i have a DSB in my fuge, with rocks scattered around and cheato growing.

do the DSB, it'll help with nitrates.

Gooli · 03/30/2007, 04:56 PM

dude...u dont need sand...rock and cheato and be done with it

gps · 03/30/2007, 05:28 PM

Have either sand or mud in fug. Besure to use egg crate to leave some empty dead space on the bottom of the fug for anaerobic bacteria, which help to remove nitrate.

TrojanScott · 03/30/2007, 08:28 PM

Another vote for NO sand. Unless you have a LOT of flow in there, in my opinion, it's a place for nitrates to go nuts. I had it, and removed it. Pods need no sand. They'll be all over the acrylic, and in your chaeto. Don't bother with sand or mud.

dragonforce · 03/30/2007, 09:12 PM

Go for the sand if you wanna max the life and capabilities your fuge can do.

golfish · 03/30/2007, 09:19 PM

6" of sugar size sand......that's what's going in my tank when I redux it this summer...I'm going to use 8" in the fuge.

tomconk · 03/30/2007, 09:28 PM

yes to sand...

oosurfin · 03/31/2007, 06:04 AM

i had sand in the fuge compartment of my sump/fuge and i had placed it in a removable container. well i did a major cleaning in my sump a few weeks ago. let me tell you when i took the sand container out, the water left in it instantly turned BLACK. i was amazed at the amount of filth that settled in the sand. very literally there was almost 1/4" of detritus in the bottom of the 5 gallon bucket i had drained the water into before chucking the sand. i let the detritus settle the bottom of the bucket and it was sick. my tank already looks cleaner after removing the sand and my cheato is a much tigher mass as well. like everything else in the hobby, different things work for different people, for me sand is a big NO. i plan on doing bare bottom in my next tank actually. like i said to each his own

DRC69 · 03/31/2007, 08:38 AM

No sand. Just LR and cheato. That's what I have in mind.
JMO.

JownsenJesus · 03/31/2007, 02:23 PM

Ive got a DSB in mine, went from 100+ nitrates to undetectable in a month. But Ive also got chateo, and calurpa in there with some nice rock. LOTS of pods and cool stuff growing in there I dont get to see in the tank.
oosurfin: the black stuff in the sand sounds like it was hydrogen sulfide, which is produced in anoxic regions of the sand bed. Toxic to fishies but can be easily degassed. Was there a rotten egg smell with it??

03/30/2007, 04:15 PM	#2
gemini aquarius(t) Always Learning Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hollywood, FL Posts: 5,099	i would do mud or sand for sure especially if u want a good pod population just do like 4 inches of sand then a layer or two of rubble and some macro __________________ -Xavier Blue Thumb Aquatix @BTAquatix

03/30/2007, 04:56 PM	#4
Gooli Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: West Los Angeles Posts: 3,746	dude...u dont need sand...rock and cheato and be done with it __________________ "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. " - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 180g SPS

03/31/2007, 08:38 AM	#11
DRC69 Oh Well Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: RSM, CA Posts: 3,430	No sand. Just LR and cheato. That's what I have in mind. JMO. __________________ Thanks, D Current Tank Info: "A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have" ----- Thomas Jefferson

03/30/2007, 04:11 PM	#1
JeffersonReef Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: May 2006 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 1,698	Need to make decision FAST: sand or no sand in fuge Looks like I will be working on my new sump/fuge over the weekend. I will be moving from my old 20g fuge and 20g sump to a larger single tank with fuge/skimmer/return areas. I need to decide wether I am going to have a sand bed in the fuge this time! I am leaning towards eliminating it.... here is my reasoning: the purpose for the fuge is #1: nutrient export. I also want it for pod population. I am thinking about eliminating the sand altoether in the fuge, and just adding several lbs of live rock (rubble and smaller pieces). I will also harvest macro algae here. I may even add a small frag rack somewhere in the tank, depending on space and lighting. Anyway, anyone have any comments or suggestions? Anything I should consider? FYI, the footprint on the fuge area is likely no larger than 24"x15"... im not exactly sure. I dont know if a DSB would do any good with a footprint this small... and flora/fauna dont nescessarily need a sand bed to thrive. What do you think?

03/30/2007, 04:34 PM	#3
supernareg Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,610	i have a DSB in my fuge, with rocks scattered around and cheato growing. do the DSB, it'll help with nitrates.

03/30/2007, 05:28 PM	#5
gps Moved On Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Placentia Posts: 1,417	Have either sand or mud in fug. Besure to use egg crate to leave some empty dead space on the bottom of the fug for anaerobic bacteria, which help to remove nitrate.

03/30/2007, 08:28 PM	#6
TrojanScott Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Lake Forest, CA Posts: 2,229	Another vote for NO sand. Unless you have a LOT of flow in there, in my opinion, it's a place for nitrates to go nuts. I had it, and removed it. Pods need no sand. They'll be all over the acrylic, and in your chaeto. Don't bother with sand or mud.

03/30/2007, 09:12 PM	#7
dragonforce Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Laguna Niguel, 92677 Posts: 587	Go for the sand if you wanna max the life and capabilities your fuge can do.

03/30/2007, 09:19 PM	#8
golfish Team RC Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Alta Loma, Ca Posts: 6,776	6" of sugar size sand......that's what's going in my tank when I redux it this summer...I'm going to use 8" in the fuge.

03/30/2007, 09:28 PM	#9
tomconk Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 648	yes to sand...

03/31/2007, 06:04 AM	#10
oosurfin Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Lost Wages NV Posts: 801	i had sand in the fuge compartment of my sump/fuge and i had placed it in a removable container. well i did a major cleaning in my sump a few weeks ago. let me tell you when i took the sand container out, the water left in it instantly turned BLACK. i was amazed at the amount of filth that settled in the sand. very literally there was almost 1/4" of detritus in the bottom of the 5 gallon bucket i had drained the water into before chucking the sand. i let the detritus settle the bottom of the bucket and it was sick. my tank already looks cleaner after removing the sand and my cheato is a much tigher mass as well. like everything else in the hobby, different things work for different people, for me sand is a big NO. i plan on doing bare bottom in my next tank actually. like i said to each his own

03/31/2007, 02:23 PM	#12
JownsenJesus Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Mission Viejo, CA Posts: 503	Ive got a DSB in mine, went from 100+ nitrates to undetectable in a month. But Ive also got chateo, and calurpa in there with some nice rock. LOTS of pods and cool stuff growing in there I dont get to see in the tank. oosurfin: the black stuff in the sand sounds like it was hydrogen sulfide, which is produced in anoxic regions of the sand bed. Toxic to fishies but can be easily degassed. Was there a rotten egg smell with it??