8 inch Sand Bed

rykna

rykna

Active Member
You all know me.....I got a new crazy idea....
If you take a 38 gallon tank and fill it with a 8 inch deep sand bed you have aprox~ 28 gallons of water left. The tank is 20 inches high, so that leaves 12 inches of water to swim in.

I have revised my pony set to a "live" tank, instead of sterile. I am using purple gorgonians for hitching posts(I have several frags growing right now). So both ponies and gorgs with eat baby brine.
Now the main problem.....I am considering ditching the 38 gallon sump and using is as the main tank. With a 8 inch sand bed, the water is 12 inches deep, but the tank now has 28 gallon ~ 12 x32 inches of swimming space....
The main benefit is the pod population. Having 8 inches of prime live sand reality is a gold mine for pods....
Pros? Cons?
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Hmm. Either do bare bottom, shallow sand (1 to 1 1/2") or deep sand.
If you are going to do deep sand beds, I personally suggest 10"+ If your going to do it deep - do it really deep.
I don't see the benefit of having live sand and pod production. Pods grow out of hiding places in live rock and in the solitude of refugiums. Not necessarily live sand. This is the first time I have heard of this. Anyone else know if pods grow of out the sand? lol
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
To add to this really quick,
The reason why you have a deep sand bed is for what Florida_Joe would call "Denitrification." In my opinion, it's where waste is broken down in an anaerobic environment into Nitrogen Gas and other byproducts.
That's mainly why you would have a deep sandbed.
 
reefnutpa

reefnutpa

Member
No offense, SnakeBlitz.... but rotifers, enriched or not, are way too small of a suitable or recognized food source for adult dwarf seahorses or their fry. Rotifers are a great food for newly born Reidi fry and other small, palegic seahorse fry and pipefish fry for the first week or so. But not for adults.
Rykna, unless you are planning on a fully functional and live deep sand bed as would be found in a properly set up reef tank (meaning crawling with various suitable worms and other critters to keep it aerated and functional) then I would not do an 8" sandbed. You cannot just put 8" of sand in a tank and call it a deep sand bed.
Tom
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Originally Posted by ReefNutPA
http:///forum/post/2887944
Rykna, unless you are planning on a fully functional and live deep sand bed as would be found in a properly set up reef tank (meaning crawling with various suitable worms and other critters to keep it aerated and functional) then I would not do an 8" sandbed. You cannot just put 8" of sand in a tank and call it a deep sand bed.
Tom
The sand has be maturing for 4 months. I've been artificially seeding the tank with cultured pods(to prevent hydroid infestation) and other seahorse snacks. Currently I have 2 very fat narsisus snails patrolling the bed, and a small pin cushion urchin to mow down excess algae.. I also found a baby sand star(shaped and colored like one anyhow) that may have come in with the plants. The aeration is the big problem. What cleaner would even qualify for a "safe" pony tank? Since my first disater with aiptasia, all my pony tanks have been sterile. But now that I've been reseeding with cultured pods I've decided to try a live tank again.
Live occupants:
small pin cushion urchin
4-7 small feather duster worms
a purple gorgonian w/frags started
baby sand star(if it is)
2 narsisus snails
Even though all of these, with the exception of the urchin, are safe tank mates for horses, I'm not so certain if they're safe for ponies. And if I cannot establish a healthy aeration/clean up crew....the whole set up will fail.
Originally Posted by DWARF BASICS
There are few appropriate tankmates. Dwarves are easily out competed for food and make obvious targets to be picked on. The fry are very small and vulnerable. Volcanic red shrimp (from Hawaii) and snails are good. Some corals can be kept with dwarves but you should avoid any coral with a sting and any that could possibly eat a dwarf fry. Also keep in mind that the lighting and temperature needs must be compatible
I'm comfortable with the pod population in the sand. And a "pod" of Narsisus snails and a couple of sand stars(daily feeding for the stars too) should keep the sand bed happy. ~I'm concerned about the size of the tank above the sand bed.
~If I fill the 20 inch tall tank with 8 inches, that leaves 12 inches of height left, but the whole area is 12x12x38 inches. Leaving aprox 25 gallons for the ponies to swim in. I'll have to multiply my food amount by at least 2, if not 3. I'm hoping that the gorgs will help consume the baby brine. The next thing to consider is flow. I have a few plans I'll post latter.
Thanks

Rykna
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Just my opinion:
I believe pods stay mostly in the top 1/2" of the sand bed rarely going deeper. Mosre sand won't help the pod population in my experience.
A deeper sand bed needs larger sand bed infauna to keep it healthy. Larger worms mostly. I don't think a 38 gallon tank can support a lot of large worms without causing water problems. The footprint of the sand bed is just too small.
IMO a 3 - 4" live sandbed would be a perfect balance but the sand star will destroy the sand bed community quickly and you'll end up with a sand bed with no live critters to keep it healthy.
If it's just pods you're concerned with then 1/2" is plenty and this is what I recommend for your situation.
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/2889456
Just my opinion:
I believe pods stay mostly in the top 1/2" of the sand bed rarely going deeper. More sand won't help the pod population in my experience.
If it's just pods you're concerned with then 1/2" is plenty and this is what I recommend for your situation.
Thanks Bang Guy

Nuts.... 1/2 inch.......:p
The largest I've kept ponies in is a 29g. I've always had a 3-4" sand bed no matter what the tank size. I've always preferred tanks over 29g. The tank I'm considering is a 38g. I have a purple gorgs growing in the 15g for hitching posts, which will also feed on the BBS. Hence I plan to feed BBS in "blizzard" proportions. This will, of course, effect the water quality.
I also have a small pin cushion urchin in the 15g, the pony site I use says the urchins are a 0 level threat. Any thoughts on that?
Rykna
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Ophiura is the person to ask about Urchins. I've always looked at most Urchins as omnivores that lean toward being herbivore, the PinCushion included. I like Urchins, a lot. I like the way they propogate Coraline, mow through algae, etc. but I would not call any of them a 0 threat, just a very low threat.
 
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