boardryder

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CT
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I am moving and along goes my tank this weekend. I want to start with a fresh sand bed, along with my established water and all my live rock.

What is the best sand substrate and do I need live sand even with established rock and water? I'll also probably use a little of my old sand too. I was shopping around and find all different types and sizes makes it confusing. Most are aragonite, but differing sizes.

I just want the best overall subtrate for a reef tank and anything I have and may eventually put in.
 

KathyC

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Location
Barnum Island
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IMO I'd stick with the aragonite sand. I use a mix of the 'sugar' size and 'special' (Carib Sea brand). It doesn't blow around, and seems to have a texture that is liked by pods, wrasses and other critters that live in the sandbed.

Just remember that if you are going to rinse your new sand, please the and use either tank water or rodi water, and not tap. :)

Carib Sea now makes a 'dry' live sand, which frankly, I don't understand, but then again I really didn't much buy into how their bags of 'wet' live sand were able to sustain healthy bacteria after laying on a store shelf for months on end either.
Do keep a little of your current sand to seed your new sand bed.
 

Killerdrgn

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Park Ridge, NJ
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Carib Sea now makes a 'dry' live sand, which frankly, I don't understand, but then again I really didn't much buy into how their bags of 'wet' live sand were able to sustain healthy bacteria after laying on a store shelf for months on end either.

I used this to set up my sand bed initially. All it is, is dry sand with a little pouch of sea water (or something like it). So you dump in the sand, then salt water, then pop the bag in the tank. I was told that method was supposed to keep the bacteria alive longer or some junk. Bought live rock and it really doesn't make a difference now if I buy dry or live.
 

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