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View Full Version : refugium sand bed and other general ?


iansfishy
07/08/2007, 02:14 PM
im changing my refugium to a larger tank for more water volume, but am going to need to add more sand. with the addition of new sand will that effect my chemical balances? Also with all sand eventually becoming "live" is there any need for the addition of "live sand" ? I have two cleaner shrimp, and some snails amongst the algea, that are thriving but is there any thing else that would be useful in a refugium. i have had to vacume my sand up to this point but i was told that if i had a deep enough sand bed in my refugium that would eliminate the need for that. What is the reasoning towards this? How about flow rate, i am running off my main pump but am valved back to about 200 gph through my current 50 gal tank, too much or not enough? thanx, im just trying to get my fuge straightened out!

fatdaddy
07/08/2007, 04:13 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10297268#post10297268 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by iansfishy
i have had to vacume my sand up to this point but i was told that if i had a deep enough sand bed in my refugium that would eliminate the need for that. What is the reasoning towards this?

Deep sand beds (DSB) go anaerobic, so that they can process nitrates out of the system. There are lots of theories, practices, and even a few horror stories about them. You can google around for them. (I'm not a DSB user, but some of their theories behind them are interesting.)

From what you said, I think you can easily get away with just an 1" sand bed with a live rock that will work for your sand sifters and borrowers. You can also grow pods on the live rock for your tank.

I'm not sure why you need to vacuum your sand. I've done it when I disparately needed a nutrient export, but it shouldn't be a requirement.

Wett Hands
07/08/2007, 04:47 PM
Sand Bed Secrets (http://www.ronshimek.com/Deep%20Sand%20Beds.htm)
How Sand Beds Really Work (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-06/rs/feature/index.php)
Some Completely useless yet slightly entertaining Deep Sand Bed information from WaterKeeper (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=191688) :D

I'm sure to get roasted for that last one... JUST KIDDING THERE WK!:rolleyes:

As far as the flow is concerned, I'll let someone who knows what they are doing handle that one.

iansfishy
07/09/2007, 01:46 AM
Wett Hands-- thanks for the links. im pretty green on the computer mumbo jumbo, so how you guys manage to put stuff like that up blows me away. that would have took me all day just to do that. im still confused about the depthe of a refugium sand bed however. im gonna go deep, like 4-6 inches. i guess its just one of those things that you gotta give 'er on and hope for the best. thats all a guy can do in some instances. sooooo many conflicting ideas on everything. i have crushed coral in my display for sand because i had researched and had decided it was the way to go and the most natural, then stuff i read says anything but crushed coral is fine. live sand --- forget the live sand. What the? who the? danm!! so is the sand in my display no good now? I JUST WANT TO STOP PLAYING WITH THE STUPID THING AND SIT AND LOOK AT IT........... im going to bed. Do your thing. if it doest work do something else. isnt that what keeps us going, or is it just me??!!