Deep Sand Bed

[Darpan Dhawan]

Hello All

Friends, I wanted you guys to share your Experience of Deep sand Bed in Refugium sump
Like.....
1.What size of sand using
2.Hight of sand bed
3. What maintenance they want
4.Any invertebrates or fish to be added
5. Any Recommend Flow
6.Macro Algea should be grown or not, etc, etc........

 

[Darpan Dhawan]

No reply............
Near to one month Gone

Waiting for some Reply.....

 

[forextrader]

I typically would not recommend a deep sand bed in a refugium unless it is a remote refugium of decent size. If it is a refugium compartment of a sump system you might end up with lots of problems. Generally deep sand beds are used to control the nitrogen cycle. It gives more surface area for bacteria to break down ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. Nitrate can be broken down to harmless nitrogen if the sand builds up anaerobic areas (anaerobic bacteria=little to no oxygen). This requires 6+ inches or medium to heavy coarse sand, about 4+ inches of slightly coarse sand, fine coarse is not recommended because it blows around everywhere. Next, the sand will build up dead spots if you do not have enough critters to stir it up. The critters are looking for food and their movement allows the sand to shift and therefore release bubbles of nitrogen. Critters can range from snails, stars, some fish, etc.

 

[Xxero]

I started off with a DSB in the refugium part of my sump, and I ended up removing it. I felt like it was a detritus trap because I couldn't put excessive flow in that section of the sump. You can add sandsifters, etc. but then you have to keep an eye out for straying creatures or otherwise take preventative measures. I would suggest against it altogether, in my opinion. That being said:

1.What size of sand using
I just used the bagged CaribSea Arag-Alive, but I would suggest a medium grained sand as to be able to add flow to your Fuge.
2.Hight of sand bed
3 to 5 inches
3. What maintenance they want
Siphoning/tumbling the sandbed during water changes.
4.Any invertebrates or fish to be added
Sandsifting stars, Nassarius Snails, etc. But see cautionary statement above.
5. Any Recommend Flow
As much as possible without creating a sandstorm.
6.Macro Algea should be grown or not, etc, etc........
I kept a bale of Chaetomorpha Algae in there and I still do.

I hope this helps, but it's at least a response. :thumbsup:

 

[Darpan Dhawan]

Thanks A Lot Guys

 

[Darpan Dhawan]

I am very happy that I get some replys

Friends I have 90L Separate Refugium for 450L tank
But I wanted to know your thoughts and how you guys maintaining this..

So thanks Once again

Even i feel sorry for replying so late I was out...

 

[Darpan Dhawan]

I will be happy if I get more replies on thay

 

[Darpan Dhawan]

Any body have experience DSB with sand size of 0.25mm to 1mm
And
Size 0.5mm to 1.5mm

With my current Refugium have Size 0.5mm to 1.5mm
But
I am planning for my new setup for 0.25mm to 1mm

What you guys think

 

[cloak]

So you have about a 118 gallon tank and a 23 gallon gallon sump. How much space are you going to dedicate in your sump to this DSB? (dimensions) Deep sand beds need kind of a big foot print to really be effective IME, especially when your DT is fully stocked with fish, invertebrates and corals. You might want to pass on the DSB and just get yourself an efficient skimmer. Keep things simple.
If you are dead set on having a DSB though, definitely keep doing your research before you take the plunge. There's more to it than just adding sand and watching the magic happen.. GL.

 

[billdogg]

I have a DSB running on my 150g DT/50g sump. It is a separate 120g tank fed from the return manifold. I used about 300lb of sugar fine sand to get ~6" depth. It grows pods like there is no tomorrow, and because the DT had been a large predator tank, work perfectly to reduce nitrates. It is now my frag tank as well.

 

[tzylak]

I have a DSB in my 23g sump for over a year now. I think that it adds a lot to the tank's bio stability. I am very satisfied having it.
3" of play sand, .20mm, 3" of aragonite 1.5-2.0mm
Slow flow over its surface but it is always there.
I used to stir up the top .25" layer of it during WC but for 6 months now I have left it alone. The bristle worms prefer that.

I initially thought that it will reduce nitrate levels. Chaeto fudge does a lot better job at that.
Do it!

 

[Ron Reefman]

1.What size of sand using
Sugar fine

2.Hight of sand bed
8"

3. What maintenance they want
I harvest chaeto when the tank gets about 80% full. I never touch the DSB.

4.Any invertebrates or fish to be added
None needed. I have used the 45g tank with the 8" DSB as a holding tank for some critters and corals (it gets light from the led fixture for the 45g refugium.

5. Any Recommend Flow
Refugium can deal with good flow level IMO. The DSB seems to do better with a slower flow. So I installed a 'by-pass' with a ball valve through the DSB section. Now I can vary the flow over the DSB to as fast or as slow as I want it.

6.Macro Algea should be grown or not, etc, etc........
Stick with chaeto, easy to grow, easy to harvest, good for pods and it doesn't go sexual.

I have a 180g (8'x2'x18") withe the refuge being 45g, the DSB is 45g, the evap/return pump section is 45g and the skimmer (fed directly from the DT) is 45g.

 

[cloak]

If you are going to do a DSB, you might want to think about mixing up the grain sizes as opposed to just a salt shaker. Just as an example, if you need 100 pounds of sand for a 4" DSB, I would go about 20% sugar fine sand, 20% the next size bigger, 20% the next size bigger etc etc. If the micro fauna has anything to do with keeping a sand bed healthy by movement, tunneling etc, the mixture will help fasilitate this as well. The larger grains will rise while the small stuff will fall. (or vice versa) ALWAYS in motion... Also, don't forget that the life within a sand bed doesn't all prefer sugar fine sand. They all have their own sort of niche. By mixing up the grain sizes your sort of catering to this diversity as well. GL.

 

[Darpan Dhawan]

My current tank is 450L , sump is for 120L, frag tank 150L
and sapret Refugium for 90L there is a pump for refugium only which throw around 1500L to 1800L water and that water goes direct to main tank

Growing caulerpa in that
High of sand is around 4inch size 0.5mm to 1.5mm

Now what I am going to plan is to make main tank 630L
Sump 120L , frag tank 150L and separate Refugium for 270L to 300L
So I do have around 6 square feet area for DSB

Only thing why I am confused is about grain size
I personally picked out 120Kg sand from Sea( reef area )and the size of sand is like salt 0.25mm to 1mm

I really don't know that 100% this size sand bed will work same as I am using now


Thats why I wanted that I will share some information from all of you

 

[outy]

No reply............
Near to one month Gone

Waiting for some Reply.....

Don't do it.

Waste of time and material

 

[JMorris271]

Don't do it.

Waste of time and material

Interesting. Would you elaborate?