sugar fine or next size up sand for in tank DSB?

[Reefski's]

better for what? infauna, NNR.

i am sold on the whole ecosystem complex provided by a DSB. i want a 6" DSB in my new tank.

i plan on having the live rock mostly a couple inches above the sand bed so to leave open the greatest surface area of the sand bed.

i have several hundred pounds of well established live rock to go over a bed of virgin sand.

it will be set up for months with only the live rock in the system and water circulating. light to be provided by the overhead skylight only during this time. this will give the infauna organisms a great chance to proliferate and me to measure light levels just from the skylight.

my tank is to be mostly SPS corals. we love the monti caps and acros.

i could have the other size in the refusium/sump to grow different infauna organisms.

will the sugar fine sand get blown around too much?

[hatfielj]

I have the sugar fine sand in my 120 and I have over 47X turnover in my tank. It gets blown around in a few spots (mostly where theres live rock protruding out into the flow, but for the most part it stays in place fine.
Also, from what I've read the smaller the grain size the better for DSBs. The finer sand allows burrowing critters to have a natural environment.

[marcrothschild]

If its going to get blown around those 2 grades you mention will be blown around eqally, only the crushed coral will stay put in areas that sand gets pushed away....and crushed coral looks like cr@p IMO, it traps detritus and gets covered in corraline algae.
Why not mix the sugar size and the special reef grade.
And not to start a debate, but rather just stating my opinion... Dont do a DSB in an SPS tank, they collect nutrients that will eventually leach back into your water. Do a shallow sand bed. 1" of sugar size is all you need for denitrification, and they are easier to maintain than a DSB.
Whatever you decide, enjoy the new tank!

[yaktop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9930293#post9930293 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by marcrothschild
If its going to get blown around those 2 grades you mention will be blown around eqally, only the crushed coral will stay put in areas that sand gets pushed away....and crushed coral looks like cr@p IMO, it traps detritus and gets covered in corraline algae.
Why not mix the sugar size and the special reef grade.
And not to start a debate, but rather just stating my opinion... Dont do a DSB in an SPS tank, they collect nutrients that will eventually leach back into your water. Do a shallow sand bed. 1" of sugar size is all you need for denitrification, and they are easier to maintain than a DSB.
Whatever you decide, enjoy the new tank!

this debate as been going forever. you dont need a six inch bed for a DSB and 3 to 4 inch is fine. some people of heard of tanks crashing once the DSB reached its capacity but I've also heard of DSB's lasting for two years or more. the newest thing is to use a DSB externally so you can get the benefits and also the ability to change it out after a few years. fill up the proper 30/50 gallon container and fill have way and trickle the water through. ready up and good luck.

[mflamb]

I'm setting up my 390 with a 6 inch DSB with the sugar fine sand. The smaller sand has more surface area for bacteria to grow on. With a DSB, you will want to avoid sand sifting Gobies and sand sifting starfish. They both eat your sand creatures that you want in the sand. Use lots of Nassarius Vibex snails. They are great detritavors that live in the sand bed, so they provide some beneficial sand stirring. I'll use a couble hundred in my 390. They substantially break down the fish waste prior to the bacteria getting hold of it. A properly set up DSB will not "leach nutrients" back into your tank. Read up on Deep Sand Beds before you set it up and you will have success. Check this site:
http://www.ronshimek.com/Deep%20Sand%20Beds.htm

[Reefski's]

i have read all Ron Shimeks writtings about deep sand beds, also Anthony Calfo and Eric Borneman.

i am convinced a DSB in the display is the way to go. i don't believe in the nutrient sink idea if properly set up and given time to grow for months before stocking with fish or corals.

my question was which size, i don't want to debate the merits of a DSB.

i want to create a complex food web, i also plan on having a cryptic zone in an attached tank above the main display with sponges and other filter feeders a la Steve Tyree.

i already have LR that is well colonized by several different sponges.

Ron Shimek says that once the bed is established it shouldn't blow around as the bacterial matrix and other critters hold it together.

i will use pillars to elevate the rock off the sand bed as much as possible, like Kona Dog Ken and Sanjay.

Carl

[mflamb]

Carl, I applaud your research. I've read all the same stuff and I believe like you that a DSB will work well. It's definitely the sugar sand that you want.
Do you have a build thread going? I would like to follow your progress.

[Reefski's]

i have not started the build thread yet. soon, i have the tank, the frame under the tank is being built and should be ready in a couple of weeks. i am also thinking of changing my screen name to "The Skimmerless Heretic"

my tank now has an 8" deep remote DSB in a 55 gallon tank. my nitrates always hovered around 10ppm. after putting a DSB in the display also, after a few weeks the nitrates dropped to <1ppm and i feed a lot.

Carl

[mflamb]

PM me when you start the build thread if you will.