![]() If you wish to find out more information about Diatoms, please see my article here: Every saltwater aquarium will get this algae during its first few months, and with patience, it will pass as the silica becomes consumed. High silica-based sands can cause diatom problems which are seen as a form of brown algae dusting over the sand. Aragonite sand is made of pulverized coral skeletons and mollusk shells and the main reason for using aragonite sand is that it has low levels of silica. The most commonly-used sand in saltwater aquariums is aragonite sand, which is essentially calcium carbonate. Sand Bed Calculator What Kind of Sand is Best to Use in Reef Tanks? * 6″ Deep Sandbed Qty & Prices Based on 5″ of CaribSea Arag-Alive Fiji Pink & 1″ of CaribSea Florida Crushed Coral Tank SizeĪgain, if your aquarium dimensions are different, please refer to the sandbed calculator from Bulk Reef Supply: * 2″ Sandbed Prices Based on 15lb & 40lb bags of CaribSea Florida Crushed Coral (72lbs/ft 3)x Typical sand quantities for a selection of aquarium sizes using coarse grain sand: Because the grains tend to blow around less, you can also reduce the depth of your sand bed from two inches to 1.5 inches, if you wish. It will look horrible and annoy the heck out of you, trust me, I’ve been there!!Ĭrushed Coral is The Largest Grain Size In The Hobbyīy doing this it is easy to vacuum the top 1-2″ of sand layer to remove all the detritus and to keep the lower 4″ of sand undisturbed.Ĭoarse grain sand is also an option if you have very high-flow pumps since coarse sand is heavier than fine sand and is less likely to be blown around. Too thin a layer of sand will risk exposing the bottom of the tank. Lets take a look at the types of grain size you can buy: Fine & Medium Grain Sandįrom the point of view of aesthetics, the fine and medium grain sands give a striking impression with their smooth, natural texture, but if the depth of sand is less than two inches the finer grain sands are light enough to be blown about by strong wavemakers and powerheads. With varying grain sizes, the volume of sand you will need to purchase will also vary. The second part of calculating how much sand you need is to figure out what size sand grain you wish to use. This is the main reason why you will see most reef tanks with a 2″ to 3″ sandbed. This is an oxygen-RICH environment and does not pose a threat when the sand is moved around during cleaning. With the increased efficiency in today’s modern filtration equipment, the benefit of having the deep sandbed is not worth the risk of an accidental disturbance and ensuing tank crash.įor minimal biological filtration, shallow sandbeds form an Aerobic Zone for the growth of beneficial bacteria to break down waste into nitrates. The hydrogen sulfide is created when pockets of detritus become trapped and begin to decay. The main problem with deep sandbeds is that if these lower levels ever get disturbed, say by accidentally sticking a substrate vacuum too deep into the sand, deadly hydrogen sulfide gas can be released into the tank and kill everything. This area is known as an Anaerobic Zone and will contain bacteria that help to consume nitrates and process them into less harmful nitrogen gas. A 2″ layer will ensure there is enough sand to make your aquarium look natural and it is easy to keep clean, however, it will provide very minimal biological filtration.Ī deep sandbed between 6″ – 8″ in depth will create an oxygen-DEPRIVED zone in the lower levels of the sand. They come in a range of particulate sizes and colors to suit your preference:Ī shallow sand bed is the most common depth of sand used in today’s aquariums. Let’s take look at what is required if you decide sand is the way to go in your new reef…įor decades I have used and love the CarbiSea range of live and dry sands. Sand, or no sand, is purely an aesthetic choice you have to make when installing your aquarium, and having no sand will not harm the inhabitants if that is the route you wish to take. Many aquarists run their aquariums with no sand, also known as ‘Bare-Bottom’, with great success. In my opinion, sand, or substrate as it’s commonly referred to, helps to create a saltwater aquarium with a very natural look, but it does need work to keep it clean and maintained. Sand is available in fine to coarse grain sizes and will require approximately 1-2 lbs per gallon.Ģ0 gal tank = 37 lbs, 55 gal = 65 lbs, 75 gal = 94 lbs, 100 gal = 140 lbs & 180 gal = 185 lbs. ![]() Saltwater aquariums should have a sand bed around 1.5″ – 2″ in depth. At which point the question will come up: “How much sand will I need for my saltwater aquarium?“ ![]() Something as mundane and boring as the sand or substrate doesn’t get much thought until you have to buy it. When dreaming about having a saltwater aquarium it is only natural that the focus is on the fish, the colorful invertebrates, and even the rock formation.
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