please help me im starting a reef tank
- Thread starter bricsr
- Start date
bricsr
Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3214603
place this in a google search
reefsysintro
then go to the first link. Read that article and the linked related articles at the top of the page.
Or go to the bookstorelibrary and get a copy of The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Bob Fenner.
Thank you that helped a lot. I just put 60 lbs of sand in today and I will put 60 more lbs of live sand in tomorrow. My tank is really cloudy now what should I do? Did I put it in wrong?
http:///forum/post/3214603
place this in a google search
reefsysintro
then go to the first link. Read that article and the linked related articles at the top of the page.
Or go to the bookstorelibrary and get a copy of The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Bob Fenner.
Thank you that helped a lot. I just put 60 lbs of sand in today and I will put 60 more lbs of live sand in tomorrow. My tank is really cloudy now what should I do? Did I put it in wrong?
reeflooker
Member
Welcome to the obsesition..... I mean hobby. Spend a lot of time reading and studing, especially water chemestry.
Happy reefing!
Happy reefing!
meowzer
Moderator
Originally Posted by bricsr
http:///forum/post/3214715
Okay. Yes I am running a power head and W/D filter.
OK....Just make sure the Powerhead isn't stirring the sand around
http:///forum/post/3214715
Okay. Yes I am running a power head and W/D filter.
OK....Just make sure the Powerhead isn't stirring the sand around
king_neptune
Active Member
Originally Posted by bricsr
http:///forum/post/3214691
Thank you that helped a lot. I just put 60 lbs of sand in today and I will put 60 more lbs of live sand in tomorrow. My tank is really cloudy now what should I do? Did I put it in wrong?
120lbs of sand? how big is your tank? 160g at least right?
The 1lb per Gal is over kill. I put in 80lbs in my 6 foot 125DT, and I wish even then I had put in less.
http:///forum/post/3214691
Thank you that helped a lot. I just put 60 lbs of sand in today and I will put 60 more lbs of live sand in tomorrow. My tank is really cloudy now what should I do? Did I put it in wrong?
120lbs of sand? how big is your tank? 160g at least right?
The 1lb per Gal is over kill. I put in 80lbs in my 6 foot 125DT, and I wish even then I had put in less.
king_neptune
Active Member
Originally Posted by bricsr
http:///forum/post/3214740
Thank you so much. I read a lot but I'm not sure that I'm making the right decisions that's why all the questions. I'm putting in 60 more lbs of L/Sand tomorrow so my bed will be 3 to 4 inch. deep.
Id be careful when contemplating 3-4 inches. 1 -1.5 is a good depth. Too deep and you have stuff that stores in it over the years, and can potential release.
Its like a Mac vs PC argument, so your not wrong if your wanting deeper sandbed.But for most of the Reefing community DSB is a thing of the past.
http:///forum/post/3214740
Thank you so much. I read a lot but I'm not sure that I'm making the right decisions that's why all the questions. I'm putting in 60 more lbs of L/Sand tomorrow so my bed will be 3 to 4 inch. deep.
Id be careful when contemplating 3-4 inches. 1 -1.5 is a good depth. Too deep and you have stuff that stores in it over the years, and can potential release.
Its like a Mac vs PC argument, so your not wrong if your wanting deeper sandbed.But for most of the Reefing community DSB is a thing of the past.
spanko
Active Member
Careful here King. A DSB is still an effective way of additional filtering capacity for a reef tank especially in much larger systems. There is an understanding of the system that requires a lot of education on the part of the reefer that is looking into to it though. Here is a little blurb that pretty much cuts to the heart of maintaining a DSB. The qualifying word here being "maintaining".
"The DSB in the Live Sand Filter depends upon "sand stirrers" moving through the sand, keeping pockets of toxic gasses (produced by decaying organic matter) from forming. Invertebrates, such as Sand Sifting Sea Stars, Sea Cucumbers and Snails (the Nassarius is legendary) plow through the substrate, consuming detritus and uneaten food as well as releasing the toxic gases in small quantities, before they can grow to dangerous levels. Wrasses, such as the Yellowtail Coris and the Dragon Wrasse, which bury themselves in the sand when frightened or seeking refuge for sleep, also do a great job of stirring the sand, however they do not consume detritus, as other stirrers do."
If you note in the above quote there is a need for the stirrers in the system to keep it viable. This cannot be done by the reefer stirring the sand bed. If you note some of the stirrers listed they are critters that would decimate a small tanks sand bed of the flora and fauna required and render it useless. Hence the need for a large system to make the DSB a viable option.
It appears that the OP has a 55 gallon tank from their profile. I would agree here that a DSB in this tank would not be advantageous and would go with your recommendation of substrate depth depending on the critters they may want to keep. For instance if a jaw fish is in the works I would increase your recommendation to 2-3".
"The DSB in the Live Sand Filter depends upon "sand stirrers" moving through the sand, keeping pockets of toxic gasses (produced by decaying organic matter) from forming. Invertebrates, such as Sand Sifting Sea Stars, Sea Cucumbers and Snails (the Nassarius is legendary) plow through the substrate, consuming detritus and uneaten food as well as releasing the toxic gases in small quantities, before they can grow to dangerous levels. Wrasses, such as the Yellowtail Coris and the Dragon Wrasse, which bury themselves in the sand when frightened or seeking refuge for sleep, also do a great job of stirring the sand, however they do not consume detritus, as other stirrers do."
If you note in the above quote there is a need for the stirrers in the system to keep it viable. This cannot be done by the reefer stirring the sand bed. If you note some of the stirrers listed they are critters that would decimate a small tanks sand bed of the flora and fauna required and render it useless. Hence the need for a large system to make the DSB a viable option.
It appears that the OP has a 55 gallon tank from their profile. I would agree here that a DSB in this tank would not be advantageous and would go with your recommendation of substrate depth depending on the critters they may want to keep. For instance if a jaw fish is in the works I would increase your recommendation to 2-3".
bricsr
Member
Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/3214901
Id be careful when contemplating 3-4 inches. 1 -1.5 is a good depth. Too deep and you have stuff that stores in it over the years, and can potential release.
Its like a Mac vs PC argument, so your not wrong if your wanting deeper sandbed.But for most of the Reefing community DSB is a thing of the past.
Thanks. I've just took out 20lbs. because that sand I put in was base/dead sand so I have about an inch in there now. Should I just put the 20lbs of LS in?
http:///forum/post/3214901
Id be careful when contemplating 3-4 inches. 1 -1.5 is a good depth. Too deep and you have stuff that stores in it over the years, and can potential release.
Its like a Mac vs PC argument, so your not wrong if your wanting deeper sandbed.But for most of the Reefing community DSB is a thing of the past.
Thanks. I've just took out 20lbs. because that sand I put in was base/dead sand so I have about an inch in there now. Should I just put the 20lbs of LS in?
king_neptune
Active Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3214948
Careful here King. A DSB is still an effective way of additional filtering......
Like I said, Mac Vs PC
http:///forum/post/3214948
Careful here King. A DSB is still an effective way of additional filtering......
Like I said, Mac Vs PC
bricsr
Member
Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/3214981
Like I said, Mac Vs PC
Wow this is great. I'm going to get the LS. And make it 3
http:///forum/post/3214981
Like I said, Mac Vs PC
Wow this is great. I'm going to get the LS. And make it 3