live sand options?

[bonestorm]

I am setting up a 120 gallon tank and i plan on stocking it with fish, live rock, inverts, and a few corals and anemones. I plan on the substrate being a semi deep live sand bed. I was wondering if I had to use all live sand or if I could use a mixed ratio of live and inert sand.

 

[fishmanwi]

i have a 75 gal and did a 40/40 lbs live sand/and dead sand so far so good.

 

[dragonzim]

You can go either way. If you want to save some cash though you could easily go with mostly dead sand and then add a half inch or so of live sand over the top of it. It will eventually seed all your sand so that it is all live.

 

[jsteph24]

Not trying to hi-jack this thread, but where did everyone else get their "dead" sand? Is it standard playbox sand?

 

[chuckcac]

Originally Posted by jsteph24
Not trying to hi-jack this thread, but where did everyone else get their "dead" sand? Is it standard playbox sand?
no - play sand is silicate based sand. aragonate sand is the way to go...

 

[aztec reef]

i would go with 3:1 ratio. or 2" aragonite sand and at least 1" live.. cycle tank with the dead sand.then put live on top after cycle..pretty soon the dead sand will become "live".

 

[reeffreakgeek]

When I set up a new tank,I went with 80% dry aragonite sand and 20% live aragonite sand.

 

[bonestorm]

thanks for the quick responses guys.