Sand Size

[Wall_Tank]

So, I'm really not happy with the sand that I put in my main display.    My old system had a dsb with very fine grain.   Between the water current and the gobies, there was always sand on my corals.

So I put Tropic Eden Grand Select in my new system.......While it doesn't blow around, it is just too coarse, just one notch smaller than crushed coral.

I think I might try the Tropic Eden Mini Flakes

[lazylivin]

Reef Flakes looks good, mini seems to fine but it is hard to tell with pic. I have always like fiji pink

[Wall_Tank]

These are all grades of Fiji Pink sand.

How often do you vacuum the sand?

[Twizted1]

My pic would be the mini flakes. I like the finer sand, but deal with the same problems of sand every where.

[lazylivin]

I vacuum it about once every 3 months.

[Boonjob]

Fine sand is my bane....

You just gonna cover it up or suck it all out and replace?

[Wall_Tank]

I like a uniform grain, so I'll probably suck up what is in the tank and replace it.

[Neogenesis]

Your supposed to vacuum your sand?  I've always read not to......I haven't touched it in over 2 years.

As for size, I'm running mostly the fine sand from marcorocks.com  I really like it, however I did have to sift it as I found some debris in it.  It also needed to be rinsed REALLY well.  I've also ordered the coarse sand and regret it.  When I had an algae problem a little while ago, what grew on the really coarse stuff stained it green, and it's stayed that color even though there is no other algae in the system.  I will eventually suck that out.  The fine can be blown around, but after a few months it sits pretty well and takes quite a bit to move it.  I'm happy with the fine stuff....nice and white...looks great!!!

[lazylivin]

You don't have to vacuum the sand but when you do and see what comes out of it and think that it can't be good for the tank. If you do try it maybe just do a small area at a time.

[Neogenesis]

I should have mentioned a lot of it was moved around about 6 or so months ago when I took out both 20"+ Hadonni Nems.  I pulled all the rock, and had to move a lot of sand to get to their feet which were on the bottom glass.  I was actually surprised how clean things were, not much crud really came out.  I think the proper clean up crew can help with keeping it turned over and things clean.  The sand was also pretty nice and loose still. 

[lazylivin]

That is pretty good, mine pulls quite a bit of brown sediment when I vacuum it but I only have a sand star so lacking in sand cleaners.

[Neogenesis]

I've got a sand star, lots of smaller Nassarius, and some other larger species of Nassarius.  With them popping out of the sand every night when I feed, I think it really helps.

[Wall_Tank]

Its the DSB's that you don't want to vacuum.  Although some still vacuum small sections of the DSB before they have a chance to build up bad stuff.

A normal shallow sandbed, you want to stir or vacuum.   I have a 15-20 various sized nassarias, sand star, and other sand critters.   While I had always originally planned to vacuum my sand, I had not done it since my system had been running.   About a year now.     The crap that came out of the sand was incredibly bad.    When I dumped the water down the drain, it was yellow and full of debris.

I think some of my debris problems is from the coarse sand.   Plenty of crevices to store crap.