New Sand...Starting tank over.

[yakiwb2]

By overzealously buffing my tank I have locked up my sandbed. So I'm going out tommorow to buy new sand. Which type is the best? I'm thinking dsb in a 58 oceanic.I heard that Seaflor special grade sand for plenum type nitrate reducing is good. I used to have sugar sand but that stuff was a mess. My powerheads shot it everywhere. Any ideas? I only have a bakpak so I need the best possible plenum to reduce nitrates. Thanks.

 

[cdeakle]

I'm thinking dsb in a 58 oceanic

:?

 

[Kevin1000]

As far as a DSB goes - any fine grain sand will do - the finer the better. It does not matter whether it is aragonite or silica based sand.

Sugar sand works just fine and is probably preferred. Problems with cloudy tanks and blowing sand are generally the result of poor installation or to much water flow too quick.

Hope this helps

 

[Money Pit]

What do you mean by "locked up"?

 

[liquid]

I'm guessing he means that his sandbed solidified into one large mass. I had the same thing happen and had to pull a nice paving brick sized slab out of my 38 six months ago due to overdosing kalkwasser...

Shane

 

[Money Pit]

The reason I asked is I have noticed in areas of my tank some clups of sand. I've been able to break them up but thought dosing kalkwasser had something to do with it.

 

[yakiwb2]

Moneypitt. I was dosing my tank with alk buffer and the sand became like stone! I did my best to break it up...but I'm sure the sand under my rock is still locked up and so I figured I'd just redo it! The alge took off big time on the sand once it was locked up...I'm guessing it screwed up the bio load somehow.

 

[yakiwb2]

420 puff. Should I not go DSB in a smaller tank? I just posted a new topic and asked this question. Your little face suggested I shouldn't...could you give me some pros and cons. Thanks...

 

[cdeakle]

420 puff. Should I not go DSB in a smaller tank? I just posted a new topic and asked this question. Your little face suggested I shouldn't...could you give me some pros and cons. Thanks...

This is a highly debated subject but as far as I can tell the general concensus is to go with a shallower sand bed or in a few cases like myself bare bottom (BB). DSB's are looking more and more like a phase/fad...

Read this thread:

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t ... hlight=dsb

 

[Unarce]

This is a highly debated subject but as far as I can tell the general concensus is to go with a shallower sand bed or in a few cases like myself bare bottom (BB). DSB's are looking more and more like a phase/fad...

Read this thread:

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t ... hlight=dsb

Thanks, puff. Forgot to use my template. :wink: