deep sandbed???

[movadoman21]

i have a 55gal with only three bags of natures live sand with L/R actually cycling as we speak. my question is that it be possible to add like two or more bags of sand to make a deeper sand bed for my clean up crew,sand sifting star,horseshoe crab etc etc or is three bags ok? leveled out only comes up around maybe an half an inch higher then the black seal around the tank.
any thoughts would be great

 

[dvs]

IMO, Id add more if youre getting a sand sifting star.

 

[movadoman21]

how much more? and if i tak out the L/R will they die? should get more of the natures live sand or can i just get regular sand? dont wanna get the natures live sand and start another cycle.
write back

 

[thomas712]

Let see here, you say on a 55 gallon tank with three bags of live sand that you came out to (I figure 2 inches) for your sand bed. With three more bags this should give you about 4 inches which would be fine for your DSB. Remember that if you do not move your rocks that you will be burrying another 2 inches of the rock.
Yes you can add more sand. My recommendation would be to add only a 1/4 to a 1/2 inch at a time every 4 or 5 days to a week. This will allow any pods and worms to inhabit the top layer and survive being burried.
I would not add a sandsifting star - they will eat the benifical pods and such that your sandbed needs to establish itself.
Horseshoe crab - same thing, they just are not worth it and many people have trouble keeping them alive.
Stick with scarlet hermits and snails.
Thomas

 

[movadoman21]

so i can buy three more bags of natures live sand and add according to the way you said it? i don thave to worry about the live sand starting another cycle? can i take out my L/R while i add the sand or just go around it till i am done then just move the L/R around till i get it out of the bed and lay it on top?

 

[jlem]

Are your levels of nitrate high. why do you want to deepen your sand bed? If your levels are not a problem then all you are doing is filling your tank with sand. ( one of my books states that low levels of nitrate will not harm corals. I will have to read how low when I get back to the states ). If your tank is not having problems then you might not want to start pulling out rocks and disturbing the DSB that you have already. You may invite a cycle to reacure that may stress and wipe out your tank not to mention cause one heck of an algae bloom.

 

[thomas712]

jlem - I'm with you all the way, however I have stopped fighting people with the sandbed craze. Most of them will do it anyway. And since he is cycling now he might as well do it now.
At the most I have no more than 2 inches in my 90. Thats just the way I prefer it. And it seems to be functioning wonderfully.
movadoman21 - It is perhaps best to ask you why you wish to add more sand, if possable could you list your reasons?
If it is simply so that you can have a horseshoe crab? or just in general for your cleanup crew? Most cleanup crews will be happy with what you have in the tank now.
If you have other reasons and wish to go ahead and build it deeper then there should be no problem doing it the way I stated. Personally I would not move the liverock as you do not want it sitting on top of the 4 inches of sand. If you should ever get a fish or critter that burrows and you have a reefalanche then you run the risk of cracking your aquarium. Most will have used some cheaper baserock on the bottom to build a paltform for their liverock. Better if it is settled close to or on the bottom.
Thomas

 

[movadoman21]

thank you for your replys i only wanted a deeper sand bed becasue i wanted a horseshoe crabe and a sand sifting star and i asked to see if mine SB was deep enough but i dont think i am going to do it if i run the risk of cracking the bottom glass.

 

[jlem]

A sand sifting star and horseshoe crab will deplete a SD of life I have read on this board. You would have to get info from people who have had experience with those critters to see if they will indeed deplete your SB of the needed and prefered fauna and life.