sand dunes

[DeepThought]

My powerheads are creating major sand dunes in the tank. It is enough current in the tank that is recommended... they are Koralia powerheads two 3's and one 5.

Anyways,... bad sand dunes. The powerheads aren't even pointed at the sandbed. I'm considering siphoning out my sandbed and going barebottom.

Does anyone else have this problem? how do you combat it?

 

[shifty51008]

point the powerheads up more.

 

[DeepThought]

If it was that easy, I wouldn't be asking the question.

It's a larger sized sand, not oolite by any means. It's pukani I think.

The powerheads are pointing straight and one is pointing at and across the surface of the water. NONE of them are pointing towards the sandbed, and the sand is duning really bad.

If it gets any worse, I might be forced to remove the sand??

 

[Almondsaz]

I have pointed the PH into the rock or deflected into the rock work at times and that also helps. Any chance you have a picture of your set up. Would help illustrate your rockwork and the powerhead locations, then it would be easier to help with specifics on what might work.

 

[greech]

Actually, pointing the PHs up will create a more turbulent flow down below. Not sure what size tank this is but another option is to bounce the flow off of the glass or a higher rock (as mentioned).

 

[DeepThought]

Here's a bad pic. Sorry,.. my lights are in the actinic mode right now. But, you can see the powerhead positions and the dunes.

I pointed one powerhead towards the rocks just then as per ya'lls suggestion.

 

[DeepThought]

Some of the sand on the right of the tank is completely gone... it's barebottom in that corner and has even grown some coralline on it.

I'm sick and tired of it duning so bad. I even siphoned out the old sand and replaced it with a coarser grained sand and it keeps duning all the time. Maybe barebottom is the way to go at this point?

 

[etphi]

My tank has sand dunes as well. Once you add enough corals I think the sand dunes look nice. IMO I would just leave it be

 

[Almondsaz]

Here is my suggestion, and thank you for posting a pic, really helps. I would move the PH on the front left down the side of the tank and point it more upward. I think your true culpret is the one in the back left. I would move it down towards the middle of the tank or at least 1/3 of the way down.

If you spread your rock work in an "island configuration" in the center of the tank it will help to deflect the flow to be so disruptive to the sanded.

I realize this all assumes that you are ok with that type of aquascaping.

 

[DeepThought]

I was planning on re-aquascaping my tank anyways, ... more of two islands with a "bridge" between them. I'm getting my tank ready for SPS corals and I don't want my lower frags to be covered with sand at any point.

I'm thinking that if I remove the sand then I can add massive amounts of flow to the tank without even having to worry about blowing it all around?

On the other hand, is it healthy for a tank to run long term without sand?

 

[Almondsaz]

There are quite a few people who prefer a bare bottom tank and I am not one of them. I like the look of the sand and more importantly to me I like the fauna in the sanded because I believe it to be part of a healthy system - does not in any way mean you can't have a healthy system with a bare bottom. I just like the look and the idea that it is more natural looking. I have yet to see a bare bottom, glass base in the ocean. I say that tongue in cheek. Just like the natural look. I also get a bit anxious about having rock sitting on the glass, think it imparts the possibility of unnecessary pressure points. Just my thoughts.

I like your idea on the three islands and the bridge for the aquascape.

 

[tasmith09]

Actually, pointing the PHs up will create a more turbulent flow down below. Not sure what size tank this is but another option is to bounce the flow off of the glass or a higher rock (as mentioned).

This worked for me

 

[grmlclark]

New sand question - can I recycle sand from another tank that's been sitting dry for about a year without impacting my current 65-gal tank? I've been removing a bad case of cyanobacteria algae forming on my sand, and I've extracted a fair portion of the small amount of sand in my display tank.
thx.

 

[DeepThought]

What if... when I re-aquascape my tank, I add some PVC underneath the base rocks to lift the rocks off the sandbed. The sandbed may shift around some, but the rocks will be elevated. IT would be easier to siphon out all of the sand later on if need be?

 

[Dexters Reef]

If you are going to get into sps, once they start growing they will block and reduce flow.

I have two MP40's in my 75g tank, and at first I couldnt dial them up past about 60% without getting heavy duning like you have...I almost lost a few softies on my sand bed due to them getting buried.

About 6 months later, my sps colonies have grown, my sand has settled, and I have the MP40s on about 85% and barely have any sand movement. This is with a 4" DSB of sugar fine powdery sand.

To me, your tank looks too open because the rock is mostly on the right hand side; if you restructured your rock into your island/bridge idea and built it up a little higher it would deflect and absorb some of the flow.