Starting up....just one question!

[BlueRam22]

Okay, So i have everything I need, and today I was going to go and buy the salt and sand but I don't know if I should invest in the sand. some books so it is good others say it is not necessary. I was just going to get the water and everything going and then I was going to add the live rock on April 4th(thats pay day). Would it be okay do just get the salt water in there and not put sand in there. It would be running without any live rock in there for over a week, would that be okay, if i didn't use a sand bottom. Also, I was going to use a tank that was a freshwater before that, the fish in the tank got ick and I had to use a blue chemical to get rid of the ick, would it be okay to use that for a nano-reef orwould all the animals die? I am open for any suggestions, please please please help!

 

[parker313]

As long as the medicine didn't have copper in it, you should be just fine. It's the copper in some FW meds that's bad for the SW environment.

I don't understand - you don't want ANY sand at all? I've never heard of doing a tank with just LR and bare bottom... Is that what you meant?

 

[sammydee]

I think he might mean LIVE sand - in which case, no it is not essential. The sand will be seeded by the live rock.

 

[parker313]

It would be running without any live rock in there for over a week, would that be okay, if i didn't use a sand bottom.

That quote was what made me think he was foregoing sand altogether...

I would add regular marine sand, it's not too expensive - far less expensive than live sand plus you get the buffering properties not found in "regular" sand. One 5lb bag was adequate for my 10g nano.

 

[StingrayKid]

Another option is crushed coral. Live sand is kinda expensive, although regular sand as Parker313 said works well also.

 

[leon]

quite a few people opt for no substrate at all, and let coraline algae grow all over,. This has its pro's and con's. Pro's being can be cleaned easy and have debris syphoned off/out, get a cool looking bottom...eventually!
con's - having no substate will give no buffer effect for your ph, cant host any micro life, cant have certain inhabitants that need a substrate, such as some wrasses, sandsifting stars ect., it takes a long time to grow the coraline over the bottom, and imho sand/crushed coral looks better and more natural!.
leon.

 

[steelhealr]

Hi...I'd definitely not go 'barebottom', although this seems to be a new option. I've been doing a lot of reading (thanks to parker313). I don't think you'll go wrong either way, ie, live sand or aragonite. Live sand may kick start your cycling quicker and may carry some 'hitchhikers' which could add some good things to your tank (or bad). Any other sand substrate will eventually get colonized by your live rock ( which is a must ) and become 'live'. Good luck. SH

 

[parker313]

Another thought, after reading Leon's post... If you're doing a nano, then I'd recommend adding sand, even if it's just regular SW sand. Even though it's "dead" sand now, it will get seeded quickly from your LR. Once you have live sand, it will help to stabilize the parameters and host the beneficial life forms. In a nano, where they have the reputation of being rather unstable, you want all the help, stability-wise you can get

 

[steelhealr]

Agree with Parker. In addition, as I understand, the sand substrate can have the ability to convert nitrate to nitrogen gas and lower the nitrate levels...a little different than our FW tanks. SH