Weird Question Involving Substrate

[eb0]

K So this is my first SW tank, I put a bottom layer of crushed coral substrate about 2 inches deep, then I put live sand about 2 inches on top of it, was this a bad desicion? lol

 

[Max]

no that will do fine live mixed with not live... i wondered that too so i looked it up

 

[eb0]

no that will do fine live mixed with not live... i wondered that too so i looked it up

sweet

i plan on adding more live sand when i put my live rock is there.

 

[bgraber]

Coarser sediments such as gravel or crushed coral are simply too big. Additionally, they have the drawback of being sharp edges that are abrasive to many of the small crustaceans and worms that must crawl through the sediments. Finer sediments can pack so tightly together that they are impervious to most animal movement, creating a layer that restricts animal and water flow shutting down the biological filter.

So I'm wondering if you have the larger broken shell type.. THis excerpt was taken from: R. Shimek, Deep Sand Beds

You have to think about the critters you want to be digging around in the substrate.. Otherwise it sits still and gets toxic over time..

 

[eb0]

lets think of some ways to get rid of that bottom layer of crushed coral...


umm maybe take the fish out for a day and get a like brand new pool skimmer and sift it outta there?

 

[eb0]

or maybe suck the sand out while i syphon or whatever so i get that top layer out easy... then use that sift idea on the leftover stuff? i dont want to take out all the water, like hale im doin that


any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[Navarre]

If you have a sand layer deeper than 2 inches then be very careful This is not deep enough to harbour the necessary bacteria to complete the nitrogen cycle. If you dont intend using its for this then dont make it so deep or you may find that areas will build up under the sand that will become highly poisonous. If you have a larger grainsize then this will help a little as it will allow oxygen to penetrate deeper.
If you want to run a DSB then make sure its more than 5 inches deep. Try not to place live rock directly on the sand as it will create stagnant areas and toxins will build up. WHen running a DSB i would not recomend a sand sifting goby and under NO circumstance should a Sandsifting starfish be used as they will sterilise the sand of all living critters. This will severly hamper the sand and cause a toxin rise as ther will be no small creatures to help with the filteration.

The sand in my 130 gallon system is 1.5 inches deep. Just enought for burrowing fish (wrasses) to find shelter at night and my sand sifters seem to like this depth also. If i was to run a DSB (which i dont as i feel they are very delicate systems and should only be used in sumps... fantastic system though if indeed it is kept stable).

 

[eb0]

Yea I don't want a deep sand bed I don't think

But I'm still going to get rid of that crushed coral

 

[ostrow]

I'm going both ways on this. If you don't want a DSB then why get rid of it? If you do, I think you can get away with adding the extra 4" of sand but well, why take the risk. As for getting it out, I'd take everything out of the tank and then remove the substrate then add the new the put the stuff back (assuming live rock is in there?).

How long has the tank been running?

Oh, and "live sand" is not live sand, in fact. The stuff in bags has bacteria only. Basically it is doing nothing for you. You need to seed the sandbed with pods and worms. Do a search and you'll find bunches. Check out aquabid.com under marine inverts or floridapets.com (I think) if you are in the US. Or, best yet, check out Robert Sullivan's auctions on ebay (search on the word "detritivore") -- what you really need is a detritivore kit like he sells.

You can and should also get cups of sand and mud from established systems and from reliable suppliers of cured live rock. Ask them for a bag of mud and they will know what you are talking about. If they don't know, then don't buy anything for a reef from them as their stock will not be reliably healthy.

 

[eb0]

Because it layered it, and I'm not sure if I want a deep sand bed or not... It looks kinda bad cuz some of the crushed coral is coming up and making it look really rough... i just want a natural looking sand bottom. I think I am going to have like 4 inches of sand. Eventually I might have a deep sand bed, but until I want only sand.. lol


The tanks been running about 3 months, and I eventually plan on making it into a reef tank w/ fish, (once i can afford the lighting )



I already have some fish in there just because I was impatient and I plan on adding about 75lbs of lr next month.

 

[ostrow]

I have the same issue, and my sandbed was all sand. Not sure where the larger fragments are coming from... pieces of rock, abandoned shells, it is weird but yeah I know hwat you mean.

 

[bgraber]

You can always scoop with a clean cup... Preferrably a big one

 

[ostrow]

Depending on how long the system has been running scooping with a cup may not be such an excellent idea. Of course, I moved my tank when I bought it and it had been runnign 2yrs, and had been moved by that guy after it had been up a year or two. And I had no ill effects.

Still, it is said mucking too deepi the sandbed can create all sorts of hazards in the tank for the inhabitants.

 

[bgraber]

He just added it. He wants it out.

 

[eb0]

sifted half of it out but now im feeling quite lazy so i might just empty out the rest and throw it away.. lol