Cali Kid Corals

Sand

A_Lee

A_Lee

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With the mixed reef I set up, I decided to go with sand, just for a change from the normal bare bottom route I normally take.
I am using Caribsea sand, if I recall correctly. The sand is very fine -almost sugar like.

I am currently using an mp10 for circulation in this tank. In order to get ample amounts of flow for my sps, I turn the mp10 up, only to find sand moving, and shifting from the strong current. I already miss having a bare bottom tank, where I could crank the flow as I would like without needing to worry about anything. And to be frank, the sand moving and blowing the way it is, is pretty annoying.

So, my question is -as the sand bed ages, and becomes coated with bacterial slime and things, will the sand eventually stop shifting around like it is now? How long might this take?
 
Well it likely will form clumps in the next few weeks from bacterial precip.
I love the way oolite looks so I'm just going to live with it. After about 6 wks the sand just sort of ended up where it wanted to. I'm running 2 MP40's at around 50% in a gyre. Water is definitely cranking.
 
Good to know Dave, thanks!
I definitely like the look of the oolite as well -adds a more "natural" feel to the tank! I think I can deal with the sand shifting a little bit, but what is actually bothering me is the sand landing on a couple LPS pieces I have on the sand -mainly a favia and a montipora :(
 
Brand new sand is hard to keep in place, but after a while it becomes less of an issue. It also helps if you scatter a couple rubble pieces in trouble spots like the corners of the tank.
 
anathema said:
Brand new sand is hard to keep in place, but after a while it becomes less of an issue. It also helps if you scatter a couple rubble pieces in trouble spots like the corners of the tank.
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Yup, I currently am using agroconcrete plugs to keep sand it's place. I've also resorted to using a couple small corals :)
 
I have the sugar sized sand and it is a PIA for it blowing around and onto corals that are on or near the bottom. I'm predominantly LPS, so flow it's as big of an issue as SPS tanks, but if I were to do it again i'd try a slightly larger sized sand. The look is good and over time it'll settle, but you might need to make adjustments if the sand keeps moving: less flow, moved powerhead, add/ remove a rock. Like always in reefing, there's always a tweak that needs to be made.
 
has anyone tried using a #10 coral substrate ("bones")? I've seen pictures. looks pretty cool to me, but have no 1st hand experience. I think when I set up the next large reef (96x30x24h) that I will go bare bottom in the display.
 
CookieJar said:
I have the sugar sized sand and it is a PIA for it blowing around and onto corals that are on or near the bottom. I'm predominantly LPS, so flow it's as big of an issue as SPS tanks, but if I were to do it again i'd try a slightly larger sized sand. The look is good and over time it'll settle, but you might need to make adjustments if the sand keeps moving: less flow, moved powerhead, add/ remove a rock. Like always in reefing, there's always a tweak that needs to be made.
Click to expand...

In retrospect, I do wish I had gone with a larger grain size, but this fine grained oolite is what I had lying around in my garage, haha. I've already tried moving my powerhead, but there are only so many places you can put an mp10. What also probably does not help is the very low key/minimal aqua scape I have in the tank as well ... so there is not much rock to help obstruct flow.
 
I got some fine grain took most of it out and left 1" on the bottom then covered it with larger grain sand. as for LPS not liking sand on top I've read it's actually beneficial as long as they can puff up and remove it later on.

*edit, it's actually just chalices that like sand being blown on top.
 
I suppose many LPS find themselves on the substrate of the reefs, and probably periodically find sand and sediment landing on them. But the look of sand on my corals irks me :)
 
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