Deep Sand Bed?

[Anonymous]

I am gettin ready to set up my 55 gallon and was considerin a Deep Sand Bed filter system....along with a Wet Dry Biowheel Powerfilter. Got any suggestions on the Sandbed?

 

[wombat1]

I don't know how available Southdown sand is in Michigan, but that's the best to use. www.purearagonite.com sells virtually the same stuff for a lot more, but it's worth it if you can't find SD. Check out Dr. Ron Shimek's site and the articles on sandbeds www.rshimek.com

 

[danmhippo]

If you don't mind lacking the alkalinity buffering capabilities, you can use regular good ol' sillica play sand available at virtually any hardware store.

 

[Anonymous]

I need to know if it is necessary to use more than one type of sand and is 3 inches enough? I am keepin Fish and Inverts only......maybe some Mushrooms.

 

[Reef Goalie]

I used oolitic, Southdown and "reef grade" as a mix in a 60/30/10 ratio to get right mixture of grain size. Read Shimek for more on the mix. My bed worked out great. I used 100 lbs oolitic, 50 lbs Southdown and 15 pounds of special reef grade from CaribSea in my 75 and got around a 4" total depth. If you'd like more info, email me and I can give you more specifics on seeding it etc...

 

[MiltonP]

Are you planning on live rock? If so you may want to consider dropping the bio-wheel out of the filter and just using charcoal when the need arises. I don't have bad bio-wheel experiences to relate but my LFS, which I trust, pulls them from all their eclipse hoods.

 

[Anonymous]

Are you planning on live rock? If so you may want to consider dropping the bio-wheel out of the filter and just using charcoal when the need arises. I don't have bad bio-wheel experiences to relate but my LFS, which I trust, pulls them from all their eclipse hoods.

Why does he pull them out? I am thinkin that I will not use much live rock so that their will be more swimmin area? I "overfilter" now in my 29 becaause it is overstocked. I also use a high degree of aeration with my pumps. I plan to do the same in my future tanks. I call it Bangbangs Redundant System and it works great. 5 months now without a water change. I checked my notes. Nitrates are still 0.

 

[beerbaron]

really?

 

[beerbaron]

ok fine as painful as it is...

biowheel=nitrate factory. not real bad for fish only, but i would sooner put some liverock in the sump with some macros and stuff. use a rubbermaid container you will save mula for a skimmer .
BB

 

[Anonymous]

ok fine as painful as it is...

biowheel=nitrate factory. not real bad for fish only, but i would sooner put some liverock in the sump with some macros and stuff. use a rubbermaid container you will save mula for a skimmer .
BB

This will be prmarily a Fish only for quite some time. Now that I think about it I may scratch the DSB idea because I will be movin that tank when I move.....perhaps several months from now. That would destroy my sandbed right?

 

[Will C1]

no bang it wont if you do it right, set it up call me and i will help you move it the right way. also did you notce the 6" of sand in my 120? thats the size dsb i like to run i used 120lbs cc and 90 lbs of sugar sand it works great. i would suggest a refugium under neath the tank, the one under my 120 is a 50gal allglass tank i built the wet/dry and the baffels my self the tank cost $50 and the plexi was about $30 i spent $20 in bio balls so that was it. most people will tell you to not add the bio balls but i did so i could use the nitrate's to fertilize my plants. as you saw i have a crap load of them. if you dident want the plants you could take out the plexi and bio balls and just put in a baffel at one end to accomadate your skimmer and return pump and your done.

 

[Anonymous]

no bang it wont if you do it right, set it up call me and i will help you move it the right way. also did you notce the 6" of sand in my 120? thats the size dsb i like to run i used 120lbs cc and 90 lbs of sugar sand it works great. i would suggest a refugium under neath the tank, the one under my 120 is a 50gal allglass tank i built the wet/dry and the baffels my self the tank cost $50 and the plexi was about $30 i spent $20 in bio balls so that was it. most people will tell you to not add the bio balls but i did so i could use the nitrate's to fertilize my plants. as you saw i have a crap load of them. if you dident want the plants you could take out the plexi and bio balls and just put in a baffel at one end to accomadate your skimmer and return pump and your done.

Call me......I lost your number. You can come over and try my Baby Back Ribs and take some home to your wife.