# Is this ok for the tank-new sand



## perculus (Jan 26, 2007)

This tank has been running for 6 months. It was a barebottom but I wanted it to be pretty so ahead I went and put sand. Not shure if I am going to regret my decision yet. Its my fisrt salt tank with substrate.
The tank is 50gal and has about 50pounds of live rock that Ive had for 7years from another tank. An eheim canister and a big hangon for filtration. Paramaters are perfect and stable for a long time.
I put 40pounds of ocean direct caribbean live sand with argonite and oolite.( It seemed fancy)
The tank took a few hours to clear up and I expect for it to be crystal in a few more hours.

Did I put enough,properly...rock placement???? etc.........

What do you guys think?

Sorry still a bit cloudy. Tried to dust off the rocks as best I could, should have taken them out..darn
Watchman goby is very happy with the sand, Coral beauty is freaked out and scared of the bottom, enginear goby is indeferent, cant find gudgeon goby. Hermits are loving it and the shrimps are curious.
I shure looks pretty I think.


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## princesuhaib (Apr 1, 2009)

is that the watchman goby? on the right side stickin out his head! thats sweet if so! 

It looks good It will take a bit of time for the water to clear. How many inches is there of sand ?


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## perculus (Jan 26, 2007)

Well it finaly cleared up. 
The sand is between 1 and 2 and a half inches depending on the area. 
Should it be even? It looks nice with the valleys and mountains...


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## Fusion MK (May 25, 2009)

It will become even with gravity... 

you could install some plastic terraces under the sand to go hold the sand up like that if you wanted too...


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## perculus (Jan 26, 2007)

I was starting to get worried about my sally lightfoot crab, he is usually out. Found him after an hour of digging around...I BURIED HIM!!!!! OMG I am awful.. Poor little guy is all stuned and really slow I hope he makes it.
Also lost a hermit and cannot locate a blue gudgeon. I took the sand away from the rock thinking they were traped. Hope they find a way out.
Already hating the sand....but so pretty...aghhh


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

I am afraid that long term you made a bad decision. It is the depth of the sand that will cause your problems. For the proper bacteria to grow to allow for denitrification, you need between 4'' and 6'' of sand. On the flip side, you can keep the sand bed at less than 1'', but will not achieve natural nitrate reduction from the sand bed. Anything between 1'' and 4'' tends to become a nutrient trap over the long haul, which leads to excess phosphates and difficultly controlling calcium and alkalinity levels.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

That is just what I was going to say. You either have too much sand, or too little sand. I see about 2.5", and that would not be good for the reasons Pasfur explained above.


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## perculus (Jan 26, 2007)

damn

What do I do? Do I syphon some out to make only one inch or take it all out?
The stuff was pretty expensive can I use it in fresh if I clean it out good?
The lfs guys said it was just enough sand , Im so pissed.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

Sorry to hear about the lfs' bad info. They will do what it takes to make a sell. I'm going to echo what Pasfur and Cody said. You can siphon out sand to make it less or put a bag into it on the far side, away from the LR and cut a hole into the bag and allow water to pass through it. Then release the sand slowly into the water. That should keep it from causing another sand storm (if you chose that route).


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## whitedevil (Apr 24, 2009)

actually with that goby doing what he does in there, your sand should be fine, as long as it can get stirred and moved a bit, the gas pockets disappear or disappear to a safe level.

I have between 1-3" of sand in spots, its built up in spots and 2" of flourite, as long as the kuhlis and MTS's do their jobs I wont have to be as diligient on the sand stirring.


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

whitedevil said:


> actually with that goby doing what he does in there, your sand should be fine, as long as it can get stirred and moved a bit, the gas pockets disappear or disappear to a safe level.
> 
> I have between 1-3" of sand in spots, its built up in spots and 2" of flourite, as long as the kuhlis and MTS's do their jobs I wont have to be as diligient on the sand stirring.


I would not take this chance on a marine system. You could be fine, yes, but it is much more likely that you will develop problem areas. The elevated calcium and alkalinity levels in a marine aquarium cause the aragonite based sand layers to react differently with their environment than they do in a freshwater system. I suggest you add more sand to reach a full 4'' depth.


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

Pasfur said:


> I would not take this chance on a marine system. You could be fine, yes, but it is much more likely that you will develop problem areas. The elevated calcium and alkalinity levels in a marine aquarium cause the aragonite based sand layers to react differently with their environment than they do in a freshwater system. I suggest you add more sand to reach a full 4'' depth.


 
i actually believe they are talking about freshwater as they mention flourite, kuhli (loaches?) and MTS (trumpet snails?) and if this is the case we are reffering to saltwater.


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## whitedevil (Apr 24, 2009)

Pasfur said:


> I would not take this chance on a marine system. You could be fine, yes, but it is much more likely that you will develop problem areas. The elevated calcium and alkalinity levels in a marine aquarium cause the aragonite based sand layers to react differently with their environment than they do in a freshwater system. I suggest you add more sand to reach a full 4'' depth.


I got a freshwater tank, and use playsand


marine sand from caribsea is inert, it doesnt buffer at all. it cant/wont do anything to the water at all. Ive tested it, had an LFS test it, the sand is 100% inert.


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

whitedevil said:


> I got a freshwater tank, and use playsand
> 
> 
> marine sand from caribsea is inert, it doesnt buffer at all. it cant/wont do anything to the water at all. Ive tested it, had an LFS test it, the sand is 100% inert.


1) The aquarium up for discussion on this thread is a marine aquarium.
2) This discussion has nothing to do with the type of sand. It is a discussion of the depth of the sand.
3) Marine systems rarely rely on the substrate to provide the buffering. A testing routine and dosing of supplements should be utilized to provide for correct pH, alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium levels. So long as the substrate is not working against us, we are fine.


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