Deep Sand Bed -- Anatomy & Terminology

Nano reef

Nano reef

Hello guys,


Im starting to study about this complex art of marine aquarism and trying my patience above all. Have read several articles of the section new to the hobby and have to thank you guys.

Well. I bought a 28g plug and play JBJ nano LED aquarium and a
not very good skimmer. I'm starting low because I do not have much money.
Looking yet for a good rock and I've been wondering if I could use this DSB method on my first and new aquarium. 4" would take a bunch of my display, but if it works fine I would sacrifice that space.
What do you guys have to say?

Thank you for your help.
 
PietschBR said:
Hello guys,


Im starting to study about this complex art of marine aquarism and trying my patience above all. Have read several articles of the section new to the hobby and have to thank you guys.

Well. I bought a 28g plug and play JBJ nano LED aquarium and a
not very good skimmer. I'm starting low because I do not have much money.
Looking yet for a good rock and I've been wondering if I could use this DSB method on my first and new aquarium. 4" would take a bunch of my display, but if it works fine I would sacrifice that space.
What do you guys have to say?

Thank you for your help.
Click to expand...

A DSB does not take the place of live rock. It is something that is in addition to. Will you have a sump with this?
 
Yes it has a built-in sump with 3 section filter (activated carbon, ceramic rings and other one I forgot). It has a heater column, skimmer column and possible place for a refuge.
Just to make clear. I did not started anything yet, I'm aware of the importance of the liverock and will place it for sure, but I'm looking for a natural one, wich is kinda hard to find here. Only artificial ones, very heavy and not porous.
My question is if the DSB will work out ok in this kind of tank.

Thank you. Sorry for not giving the right information.
 
PietschBR said:
Yes it has a built-in sump with 3 section filter (activated carbon, ceramic rings and other one I forgot). It has a heater column, skimmer column and possible place for a refuge.
Just to make clear. I did not started anything yet, I'm aware of the importance of the liverock and will place it for sure, but I'm looking for a natural one, wich is kinda hard to find here. Only artificial ones, very heavy and not porous.
My question is if the DSB will work out ok in this kind of tank.

Thank you. Sorry for not giving the right information.
Click to expand...

The reason I ask about the sump is to know if you have room to put the DSB in there, however, to answer your question, yes a 4"-5" sand bed with "sugar fine 'Oolite'" sand would work well in that tank. Just be sure to not disturb it including siphoning the "top layer".
 
Thanks tastydog. I apreciate your patience.
Since you talked about DSB in the sump, if you put it in the display tank do you have to put it also at the sump? Because if so it would not be a good idea for me Since my sump is too small.

Tks again
 
PietschBR said:
Thanks tastydog. I apreciate your patience.
Since you talked about DSB in the sump, if you put it in the display tank do you have to put it also at the sump? Because if so it would not be a good idea for me Since my sump is too small.

Tks again
Click to expand...



Don't worry man. I have all the time you need. No, you do not need it in the sump too. The DSB in the tank will be plenty sufficient.

Brandon
 
hello all. i am new to the hobby and did much research before switching my freshwater tank to salt. i have a 46bow front with 30g sump/fuge. my display tank has less than 2in substrate and the fuge is about 5in DSB mainly figi mud and a little live sand. my research indicated that nothing should be kept in the fuge that disturbs the DSB or it would stop the denitrafication process from working properly. as i am reading here it appears that some additional specimens should be added to the fuge. i do not want to find myself in a situation with toxic levels in the fuge sand. should i add to my fuge? and if so, what do you recommend?

any other advise is also greatly appreciated, Jenn
 
Ohio said:
hello all. i am new to the hobby and did much research before switching my freshwater tank to salt. i have a 46bow front with 30g sump/fuge. my display tank has less than 2in substrate and the fuge is about 5in DSB mainly figi mud and a little live sand. my research indicated that nothing should be kept in the fuge that disturbs the DSB or it would stop the denitrafication process from working properly. as i am reading here it appears that some additional specimens should be added to the fuge. i do not want to find myself in a situation with toxic levels in the fuge sand. should i add to my fuge? and if so, what do you recommend?

any other advise is also greatly appreciated, Jenn
Click to expand...

generally fuges don't need extra critters added to them. Hermits and necessarius snails can eat the inverts in the top layer of the sand bed that is vital to its operation.
Fish will consume the copopods that you are trying to give a safe haven for them to increase their numbers.
They also can consume the macro algae
 
not a very deep sand bed

not a very deep sand bed

I have 40lbs of live sand in my 29G Oceanic Biocube. ive been told by some people that it is too much and told by others that it is fine. I have about 2 inches in the deepest parts. Any comments or suggestions would be great. If this is too much I think I can still remove some sand as it has only been in my tank for just under a month.
 
setting up deep sand bed question. is it ok to set up the live rock first then put in the sand? My real question is I already have an established reef tank but from what I've been reading my sand bed is not deep enough so i want to add 2 inches of sand but i do not want to have to pull out all my live rock.
 
I have read the live rock should rest on the glass not the sand. If you have any fish the excavate you risk a rock tumble, which can break the glass. Adding sand will bury 2 inches of live rock so I think it will slowly go an anoerbic. You may get a spike in nitrates. Don't completely understand what will happen when you bury live rock. But simple answer is I think you will be fine.
 
thank you TheFishMan. I hope so. What I do know is that I have to add the live sand slowly and mix it in with my current sand. I think I will do this over the course of the next few days. I'll keep my fingers crossed
 
campos said:
thank you TheFishMan. I hope so. What I do know is that I have to add the live sand slowly and mix it in with my current sand. I think I will do this over the course of the next few days. I'll keep my fingers crossed
Click to expand...

Be sure to vacuum the top of your original sand before adding new.
 
Buried live rock means buried organic material on/in the rock. This provides food for heterotrophic bacteria that will exhaust the O2 and NO3 in the water around and in the rock pores , likely leading to an anoxic condition at some point. Then sulfate reducing bacteria will begin to respire O2 from the sulfate in the water and produce toxic hydrogen sulfide as a by product.
I prefer to set the rock up on plastic feet being careful to keep the space under the rock as open as possible to avoid blocking flow under the and then backfill with sand.
 
we have a deep sand bed and worry about our sand sifter unmining and tumbling our high stacked rocks... do you think the sand sifter is not good for the dsb? thanks
 
The rocks should be placed on a foundation of pvc or other materials down to the bottom glass to prevent undermining and tumbling and to avoid burying the rock.
 
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