Sand Quantity For A New Tank?

[ShinySideUp]

Firstly, I have used this guide in the past for the use of gravel; half a kilogram of gravel per litre of water and it seemed to work ok. However, I have decided to move to sand as most of my fish are bottom feeders, loaches, corys eyt. and I gather not as much sand depth is required because of the dangers of gas build up. Assuming I would previously have used 30 kilos of gravel for my 60 litre, 120 by 40cm tank foorprint what amount of sand should I use? I suspect that the same weight would be used as sand would be more dense but I thought I'd first better ask the experienced.

Secondly, I have a few plants I want to transfer to the new tank and as I use bogwood I want to try to get them to grow attached to that rather than planted in the substrate. What material should I use for binding whilst the roots get a foothold?


Cheers in advance

Martin

 

[StandbySetting]

120*40*6cm = 28800/1000 = 28.8L * 1.6Kg/dcm[sup]-3[/sup] = 46.08Kg of sand.

6cm being the average substrate depth.

 

[ShinySideUp]

120*40*6cm = 28800/1000 = 28.8L * 1.6Kg/dcm[sup]-3[/sup] = 46.08Kg of sand.

6cm being the average substrate depth.

6cm seems very deep. Is that a good depth for sand? I was thinking more like 3-4cms, but then I know little about sand properties in aquaria.

 

[StandbySetting]

People generally have it sloping, you can always apply the same equation, just change the average depth value.

 

[hackmaster]

I've used 2 25k bags in my 6x2 playsand from b n q and it covered nicely

Probably coulda done with 3 bags but this works ok

 

[Aqua Tom]

Gas build up is a myth.

 

[OldMan47]

6 cm of sand strikes me as very deep. I figure 1 pound of sand per gallon of tank for a reasonable depth. That would be 0.25 Kg per litre. About half of what you have used for gravel. For planting your plants on bog wood, just tie them on with fishing line. If you decide to plant your plants in the substrate, try placing a small plastic tray in the bottom of your tank and fill it with potting soil. Then a thin layer of sand will keep the potting soil from floating around the tank but it will give you a great planting medium.
The gasses will build up but I have not seen any problem for my fish when I disturb those gasses. The bubbles rise to the surface and are gone.

 

[Tizer]

got about 4cm at the front of mine up to 12 at the back

 

[ZoddyZod]

i've got around 10cm in mine so that it caps the cat litter underneath.

I would think 6cm is the bare minimum if you wanted to have any rooted plants.

 

[OldMan47]

3 cm potting soil covered by 1.5 cm coarse sand. You can tell it is fairly shallow in total by comparing to that bottom trim strip. The trim covers up the potting soil almost completely.

If I wanted to plant in the substrate, that added depth of potting soil comes into play as stated. Otherwise I feel that 4 cm is plenty for the bottom cover.

 

[ZoddyZod]

The difference between course and play sand will probably make a difference here. The play stuff in the UK is so fine that it is very easily disturbed. You could not cap anything with it using only 1.5cm.

 

[mishmash]

I've used 2 25k bags in my 6x2 playsand from b n q and it covered nicely

Probably coulda done with 3 bags but this works ok

And in a 6' x 2' tank, those two bags work out a lot less than the equation posted above doesn't it ? Or has my maths completely escaped me. That calculation seems extraordinary, I have a 94litre tank which would indicate a requirement of 47kgs of sand. Really ? In a riverreef 50 ? It would half fill the tank.

 

[StandbySetting]

You've probably miscalculated.

Using the 6*2 figure quoted by a previous poster their substrate depth will be approximately 3Cm.

It's worth bearing in mind the figure I quoted for the density of sand - 1.6Kg / dcm[sup]-3[/sup] is for silica sand and is an average, it does vary slightly.

 

[hackmaster]

I've used 2 25k bags in my 6x2 playsand from b n q and it covered nicely

Probably coulda done with 3 bags but this works ok

And in a 6' x 2' tank, those two bags work out a lot less than the equation posted above doesn't it ? Or has my maths completely escaped me. That calculation seems extraordinary, I have a 94litre tank which would indicate a requirement of 47kgs of sand. Really ? In a riverreef 50 ? It would half fill the tank.

Yep that's right it is roughly 3cm bit that's all you really need unless your planting