what comes first? sand or water?

[king_neptune]

When i go to add the sand to my tank should it be done before or after I add the water?
I know it goes after I add the Rock. But I was curious exactly what order it goes in?
I was thinking Premix/stabalize water. Then add cured rock.
Then sand. Then pour water in tank.....or do i do water first then add rock and finaly sand.
If im totaly off please correct me. thx

 

[texasmetal]

Add the sand before the water. Place a bucket lid or something else fairly large and flat and solid on top of the sand (like a dinner plate), then poor the water on top of that in order to keep from stirring up the sand and all the particles in it.

 

[mboswell1982]

you might actually want to put the rock in before you do the sand, that way you can be sure the rock is sitting square on the glass, less chance of a tunneling fish collapsing your rock formation an squishin itself, but, just do this with the base rock, ur live rock put in after u have the water in

 

[rotarymagic]

Originally Posted by mboswell1982
http:///forum/post/2862928
you might actually want to put the rock in before you do the sand, that way you can be sure the rock is sitting square on the glass, less chance of a tunneling fish collapsing your rock formation an squishin itself, but, just do this with the base rock, ur live rock put in after u have the water in
thats bs...
put the sand down first then twist the rocks into it lol... I hate having sand all over my rocks...

 

[mboswell1982]

LOL ive seen people say to do it both ways so i was tellin him another way to do it

 

[1990jpyj]

o always put sand in first then put the rock in. most ppl will say it scratches the tanks, but who cares its the bottom. i think its much safer to add the sand first cuz it wont get all over the rock and look bad

 

[renogaw]

no no no
you first want to put down a fitted piece of egg crate. then put your base rock down on the eggcrate. then put a bit of water in, put the sand in. then put more water, then your live rock. but put the sand in with little to no water so it doesn't completely cloud up your water.
if you put your rock ON the sand what's going to prevent it from falling over when the sand gets moved out from under it?

 

[jerth6932]

Originally Posted by Rotarymagic
http:///forum/post/2862931
thats bs...
put the sand down first then twist the rocks into it lol... I hate having sand all over my rocks...
If you want your rock work to be the best on stability.... place them first... then add sand... Sand comes wet, so it can be PLACED well not getting all over the rock work.... JMO.... Rocks being stable causes alot more problems than a little sand on rocks!

(Sorry had to stir it a bit...)

 

[king_neptune]

Originally Posted by mboswell1982
http:///forum/post/2862928
you might actually want to put the rock in before you do the sand, that way you can be sure the rock is sitting square on the glass, less chance of a tunneling fish collapsing your rock formation an squishin itself, but, just do this with the base rock, ur live rock put in after u have the water in

ya, my mind slipped. Rock goes first, Im doing 1 inch sand bed. everything I read says deep beds are a thing of the past.

 

[snakeblitz33]

The Chicken!

 

[culp]

Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/2863057
ya, my mind slipped. Rock goes first, Im doing 1 inch sand bed. everything I read says deep beds are a thing of the past.
maybe in the display tank but not in the sump

 

[renogaw]

Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/2863057
ya, my mind slipped. Rock goes first, Im doing 1 inch sand bed. everything I read says deep beds are a thing of the past.
i dunno... i have about 5" of sand in the display and 6" of sand in the sump. i've got no nitrate issues, and my pistol shrimp has plenty of fun moving the sand from one side of the tank to the other hehe.

 

[culp]

Originally Posted by renogaw
http:///forum/post/2863521
i dunno... i have about 5" of sand in the display and 6" of sand in the sump. i've got no nitrate issues, and my pistol shrimp has plenty of fun moving the sand from one side of the tank to the other hehe.
in my 55 gallon tank i have 3 1/2 inch deep sand and my jaw fish just loved it. he made like 10 holes.

 

[renogaw]

Originally Posted by Culp
http:///forum/post/2863641
in my 55 gallon tank i have 3 1/2 inch deep sand and my jaw fish just loved it. he made like 10 holes.
nither of my two jaws ever made it out of the QT. well.... one made it out and through the eggcrate cover, and the other made it out into the toilet... but neither made it out alive hehe.

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
http:///forum/post/2863262
The Chicken!
LOL that was very funny

 

[socal57che]

Originally Posted by renogaw
http:///forum/post/2862976
no no no
you first want to put down a fitted piece of egg crate. then put your base rock down on the eggcrate. then put a bit of water in, put the sand in. then put more water, then your live rock. but put the sand in with little to no water so it doesn't completely cloud up your water.
if you put your rock ON the sand what's going to prevent it from falling over when the sand gets moved out from under it?
+1

I cut eggcrate the size of my rock footprint. That way there is more sand to play in where there is no LR.
Like Ren said, you don't want a coral avalanche in a few months or even years down the road when you add tunneling livestock. Placing eggcrate keeps the sharp edges of the rock from creating localized high pressure points on your tempered glass bottom.