Best Substrate

heller792 · 05/26/2008, 03:20 AM

Hi guys, Im just about to set up a new 400 litre reef tank and want to make sure I do everything right. Whats the best sand to use, I love the look of sugar fine sand but in my present tank I have crushed coral sand. Please help

Elevate · 05/26/2008, 05:52 AM

well, live sand will greatly reduce your cycle time, start there.

zacharytrimble · 05/26/2008, 07:35 AM

For me, live sand can help the cycle yes...but it seems to be so full of death, even if the bag is supposed to be fresh...I almost feel like it prolongs the cycle because it just has sooo much death in it...even if the bag is within the "use by" date. IF I ever have it to do over again...I would use my liverock as more of the cycling agent in my tank, with only a few bags of live sand which gets me all sorts of good critters in my sand but doesn't overload my cycle with tons of death. See I think live sand is important becdause it gets you a bunch of good critters...but the way I see it...what determines a fast cycle is if the good bacteria can quickly multiply to handle the amount of pollutant in your tank...and with hundreds of pounds of live sand which is just full of death when it's new...that could take a while...get some "almost" cured liverock, and let that cycle your tank along with like, half live sand, half non live sand...that's the way I'm gonna do it in the future.

What I'm doing with my upgrade...is I've got a 75 with 100 lbs live sand that's established...I'm upgrading to a 125 with 40 lbs of plain aragonite sand that's not live...it will avoid me starting a new cycle, and my critter-rich old sand will seed the new sand in no time.

zacharytrimble · 05/26/2008, 07:36 AM

That's 40 lbs more live sand added to the 100 already there by the way...I'm not sure I wrote that right.

heller792 · 05/26/2008, 07:48 AM

The cycle on my new tank should not be a problem as all my live rock and water from my old tank will be going into the new one, also im changing to sump filtration but i will run my cannister filter along with it to give it plenty of bacteria to strat with. How about i get some fiji pink non live sand and seed it with some of my current sand? But I still dont know which is the best sand and is there any advantages with sugar fine sand?

zacharytrimble · 05/26/2008, 10:57 AM

Sugar fine sand is good for a deep sand bed. Use a good mix of sizes for general reef...like .5 to 2 ...sugar size is usually like .5 to 1

05/26/2008, 03:20 AM	#1
heller792 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: wigan Posts: 652	Best Substrate Hi guys, Im just about to set up a new 400 litre reef tank and want to make sure I do everything right. Whats the best sand to use, I love the look of sugar fine sand but in my present tank I have crushed coral sand. Please help

05/26/2008, 05:52 AM	#2
Elevate Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 222	well, live sand will greatly reduce your cycle time, start there. __________________ Genesis1:26a Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea." Current Tank Info: 30 Cube w/ 20 sump

05/26/2008, 07:35 AM	#3
zacharytrimble Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 456	For me, live sand can help the cycle yes...but it seems to be so full of death, even if the bag is supposed to be fresh...I almost feel like it prolongs the cycle because it just has sooo much death in it...even if the bag is within the "use by" date. IF I ever have it to do over again...I would use my liverock as more of the cycling agent in my tank, with only a few bags of live sand which gets me all sorts of good critters in my sand but doesn't overload my cycle with tons of death. See I think live sand is important becdause it gets you a bunch of good critters...but the way I see it...what determines a fast cycle is if the good bacteria can quickly multiply to handle the amount of pollutant in your tank...and with hundreds of pounds of live sand which is just full of death when it's new...that could take a while...get some "almost" cured liverock, and let that cycle your tank along with like, half live sand, half non live sand...that's the way I'm gonna do it in the future. What I'm doing with my upgrade...is I've got a 75 with 100 lbs live sand that's established...I'm upgrading to a 125 with 40 lbs of plain aragonite sand that's not live...it will avoid me starting a new cycle, and my critter-rich old sand will seed the new sand in no time.

05/26/2008, 07:36 AM	#4
zacharytrimble Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 456	That's 40 lbs more live sand added to the 100 already there by the way...I'm not sure I wrote that right.

05/26/2008, 07:48 AM	#5
heller792 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: wigan Posts: 652	The cycle on my new tank should not be a problem as all my live rock and water from my old tank will be going into the new one, also im changing to sump filtration but i will run my cannister filter along with it to give it plenty of bacteria to strat with. How about i get some fiji pink non live sand and seed it with some of my current sand? But I still dont know which is the best sand and is there any advantages with sugar fine sand?

05/26/2008, 10:57 AM	#6
zacharytrimble Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 456	Sugar fine sand is good for a deep sand bed. Use a good mix of sizes for general reef...like .5 to 2 ...sugar size is usually like .5 to 1