how much live sand is needed

[hydropistachio]

Can anyone help with how much live sand is nedded for a 80 gallon cylinder tank? thanks

 

[bang guy]

Live sand isn't needed. It's a good biofilter and looks nice but it's not required.
If you want sand then 1/2" is great for filtration. A DSB of 3"-4" is good to remove Nitrate but it needs to be maintained as a live sand bed.

 

[chuckcac]

I, also want to create a DSB. is there a 'magic calculation' for how-many-pounds of sand vs. how deep the bed will be? Or even how many CU. IN. in one lb of sand? Bang - could you direct me & Hydropistachio to a thread that discusses DSB maint.

 

[azreefgirl]

Originally Posted by chuckcac
I, also want to create a DSB. is there a 'magic calculation' for how-many-pounds of sand vs. how deep the bed will be? Or even how many CU. IN. in one lb of sand? Bang - could you direct me & Hydropistachio to a thread that discusses DSB maint.
Click on the "live rock, live sand" button on the swf.com menu. At the bottom there's a sand calculator.

 

[nick76]

It Depends on what your keeping. Id say 3 inches if your keeping things that dig through the sand, if your not. Maybe 1 inch 1/2. Also U dont need to use total Live sand, save urself a bunch of cash and buy pure agornite beach sand. I usually Mix LS and Agornite. Like 20% to 80%. Eventually it will all become live.

 

[chuckcac]

Originally Posted by AZReefGirl
Click on the "live rock, live sand" button on the swf.com menu. At the bottom there's a sand calculator.
AZ- you're a rock star!

I've googled n googled n googled to try to find that! - and it was right in front of me all the time! SWF.com rules!
Nick - yeah i'd considered doing a 60/40 "tahitian moon sand/Indo-pacific black mix"

 

[xdave]

Guys, don't forget, if you mix 2 different sands together they should be the same size grains, if not the finer sand will sift down to the bottom.
When you mix live and not live do you; a) put the regular in first and the live on top of it, b) put the live under the regular, or, c) mix the 2 together?

 

[bang guy]

Live sand on top.

 

[hydropistachio]

thanks, any thoughts on moon sand/Indo-pacific black sand?

 

[bang guy]

I would be concerned with what impurities are making the sand black.