How Many Cm / Inch Sand

[SugarQube]

Got my tank set up and cycling now wondering if I may have put too much sand are there any guidelines on this

 

[diademhill]

Got my tank set up and cycling now wondering if I may have put too much sand are there any guidelines on this

For plants an average of 2", unplanted - just enough to cover the base, about half an inch.

 

[voo]

With deep sand you need to be careful of anaerobic pockets of air forming. These gases need to be released so they dont become harmful, so the sand will need stirring. Malaysian trumpet snails are good for this, or you can get certain types of fish that can be used.

If you aren't using plants then a very thin covering, like 1cm, won't have problems with the gases collecting

 

[andywg]

With deep sand you need to be careful of anaerobic pockets of air forming. These gases need to be released so they dont become harmful, so the sand will need stirring. Malaysian trumpet snails are good for this, or you can get certain types of fish that can be used.

If you aren't using plants then a very thin covering, like 1cm, won't have problems with the gases collecting

This is often banded about, but I have never seen any poblems in my tanks, nor noted any first hand accounts of preoblems with sand being too deep. One of my tanks has a mound about 4" high. The most likely thing I can actually think of happening when you have a fairly deep sand bed is that anoxic bacteria will form and start to break down nitrate into nitrogen gas.

 

[Dragonscales]

It also depends on what fish you are keeping IMO. Some fish need a deeper bed to be fully comfortable. My peacock eels for instance are kept in 3 to 4 inches so they can fully submerge themselves properly. They are just one example.