How deep should my sandbed be?

[ingersoll]

I have just started setting up the 90 gallon and I have about 1 1/2 inches in there already. Would that be ok for a reef tank? Should I add more or take some out?

 

[PTucker]

That's completely up to you. If you like the way it looks go for it... Won't make a difference unless you want to keep animals that require a dsb( deep sand bed). For biological filtration your rock and 1.5 inches of aragonite sand is fine. Hth, Tucker


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[MPevine11]

i like 2-2.5 inches, thats just what i like tho

 

[moneypit]

http://www.ronshimek.com/deep_sand_beds.html

 

[moneypit]

This was a good start for me as far as research goes. Hope it helps.

 

[Mr.Rodrigo502]

http://www.ronshimek.com/deep_sand_beds.html

wow thats a good article......i didnt know how important a sand bed is in a reef aquarium. i have about 3 inches right now, im adding another 2 inches to that! but thats just me.

 

[moneypit]

I think it's good practice to add an inch at a time when adding to an established sand bed so to allow critters that live in the top 1inch to move up.

 

[Pat02026]

wow thats a good article......i didnt know how important a sand bed is in a reef aquarium. i have about 3 inches right now, im adding another 2 inches to that! but thats just me.

I just read that as well, thinking to myself I should have put 40 more lbs in my 20 gal lol. There's so many successful bare bottom tanks running though that I think its safe to say it unnecessary.

 

[Mr.Rodrigo502]

Yea bare bottoms are nice but I feel like it loses it's natural reef look. Dont u think? That's jmo

 

[me2003]

I prefer coarse sand with enough to look good. I find fine sand and deep sand causes red algae issues.
No evidence other than setting up many tanks so you can choose what you like.

If you plan on having fish or shrimp that burrow then you need a deeper sandbed.
I don't believe there is any good evidence that depth has any effect and the existing
scientific literature has conflicting and non reproducible results.

An Experimental Comparison of Sandbed and Plenum-Based Systems: Part 2: Live Animal Experiments
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/7/aafeature

"Therefore, it is hard to explain why deep, coarse (27.41 mg / L ± 6.89 SE) and shallow, fine (20.42 mg / L ± 6.89 SE) sediments have the highest average final nitrate concentration, while shallow, coarse (12.08 mg / L ± 6.89 SE) and deep, fine (0.67 mg / L ± 6.89 SE) sediments consistently had the lowest final nitrate concentrations. Nitrate reduction in deep, fine sediments is easily explained by reduced oxygen penetration to the sediments. "

 

[inverted]

Ron has always pushed deep sand beds. There is nothing wrong wih a DSB, however, if the goal is denitrification for example, they are not really necessary. Denitrification will occur in a shallow sand bed as well, as it turns out. A DSB may provide more surface area though, but there is a lot even in a SSB really. Also, fine sand really isn't necessary. If you read Ron's more recent writings, such as in a Coral magazine a few months ago, you'd notice he has backed off such claims quite a bit.

DSBs do offer a neat ecosystem and add diversity to our tanks. Otherwise, saying that there are really other significant benefits is a bit of a stretch IMO.