Main Menu
| |
Get on the Map!
| |
Forum Menu
| | 
03-30-2008, 05:39 PM
|
#1 (permalink)
| | Plankton
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 17
Karma: 7
 |  What size sand / gravel? Plenum or no?
I am getting ready to start a new reef tank and I wandering if The Argonite Gravel was ok? I have a TON of it...
If not I have Seaflor by Caribsea which is argonite as well and I have a little bit of sugar sized argonite sand too...
I have the most of the gravel which is about half the size of a pea on average.
It looks like, from what I've read on the forums, mosst people prefer the Sea Floor... How much should I use for a 90 Gallon tank?
Right now I am getting ready to buy my live rock, but I'm not going to do that until I have my sand ready... What about a Plenum? Do I have to make a Plenum? I'd ratehr just put the sand or gravel CC whatever in there and let the hermit crabs deal with it...
Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks
Also don't rinse the sand??? Won't it be cloudy for a while?
TYIA | 
|  | | Reef Links |  | |
03-30-2008, 06:04 PM
|
#2 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Miami Age: 39
Posts: 3,801
 
|
I have always used the fine Argonite sand. Stay away from the crushed coral. I like to have only 1.5"-2" sand bed and let the sand shifting stars take care of it. _________ 9YR OLD 90G 30G w/d Mag18 150G skimmer 692w MH,yel&kole tang,foxface,midas&convict blenny,B&G chromies,Blk/yel fin chromie blackcap,nemo,neon goby,6line; Blastomussa Merleti,Acan ,BUBBLE,Torch,LTA, Goniopora(2), Acropora(2),Brain, Moon, assort zoas, yel& G star polyps, R&G open brain, P&B ricordia, montiporas, cup&candy corals, enias,B/G mush,flower ane(2), cherry red mussa, dusters,cleaning crew  | |
| | |
03-30-2008, 06:25 PM
|
#3 (permalink)
| | Plankton
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 17
Karma: 7
|
You mean the "sugar sized" argonite sand? Would it be ok if I mixed that and the sea floor sand which is not sigar sized...
I thought the crushed shells looked good, but from what I'm reading stuff can get trapped down in there and cause problems. | |
| | |
03-30-2008, 06:31 PM
|
#4 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Miami Age: 39
Posts: 3,801
|
The finer the better(IMO) | |
| | |
03-30-2008, 06:32 PM
|
#5 (permalink)
| | Bristle Worm
Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Cleveland area Age: 25
Posts: 131
Karma: 28
|
Hm.. im using 80# caribsea aragonite seafloor special w/ 25# caribsea live sand | |
| | |
03-31-2008, 10:14 AM
|
#6 (permalink)
| | Plankton
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 17
Karma: 7
| Hmmmm
How much should I have for a 90 gallon?
I might mix the sugar sized argonite with the sea floor sized... | |
| | |
03-31-2008, 10:27 AM
|
#7 (permalink)
| | Feather Star
Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Tulsa, Ok Age: 28
Posts: 768
|
1-1.5lbs per gallon is a good rule of thumb, some prefer a thicker sand bed since some say that the thicker sand beds help to control nitrate levels better _________ 24G JBJ Nano, 20# Live Sand, 40# Live Rock
Rose BTA, Kenya Tree, Frogspawn, Xenia, bubble coral
Blue/Green Chromis, 2x Black & White Percs, Dragon Goby
58G Oceanic, 60# LS, 60 LR, Lots of goodies  | |
| | |
03-31-2008, 06:29 PM
|
#8 (permalink)
| | Plankton
Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Roseville, Ca
Posts: 17
Karma: 1
|
My two cents, stay away from the crushed coral. I had it and man did I have nitrate problems. Dumped it and it put regular arragonite sand and the tank did much better. | |
| | |
03-31-2008, 06:42 PM
|
#9 (permalink)
| | Skunk Shrimp
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: monterey...cali Age: 25
Posts: 279
Karma: 118
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by lunatik_69  sand bed and let the sand shifting stars take care of it. |
i was told that the sand shifting stars consume copapods? otherwise what is it the star eating the sand bed?
sorry i know its off topic, but to go back...
the plenum has to go under the sand, but for that you need two different sized sands. that is what i am running, but mine is still newish and i am perfecting it. IMO i go super deep fine sand bed, my 29 has 45-50 lbs live sand, its a little more work with that much, but i like the look.
_________
29 gal/ 10gal refugium with more things then I have space to list.
with a 7gal sea horse tank slowly in the works | |
| | |
04-01-2008, 12:01 AM
|
#10 (permalink)
| | Spaghetti Worm
Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: San Bruno, CA Age: 33
Posts: 185
| My 2 cents
"Live sand" is a ripoff too. Mix of argo and crushed coral, sold wet so 60# in my 29 gal is only 3".
Next time! Live and learn.
_________
| |
| | | Reef Links |  | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:21 PM. |
