Which Sand For New Set Up?

[rl1oyd]

Ok so now i have my filtration figured out, now im wondering which sand do you all use.
Im going to do 50/50 with live sand to get the system up and running.
Looked at caribsea argonite but reviews say the lumps are too big and the debris just gets stuck in it?
I had sand in my cichlid tank and the water always looked dirty as there was tiny bits of it constantly floating around.
Can this problem be eliminated by use of different types of substrate, like sand or crushed coral (think that is what i had before?) argonite ( is this something different to crushed coral and sand?)

 

[seffieuk]

You want good old aragonite sand - don't buy the stuff that says 'live sand' it's a rip off - the only live sand you can get is from a reefers tank

I like the caribsea bahamas mix, it has shells in it but there are several to choose from

Seffie x

 

[Buddyboy67]

I personally use a mix of argonite sugar grain and oolite sand mixed to give me a varied particle size in my deep sand bed to help break nitrates down in the tank.
Argonite is silicate free and in theory cuts down food for diatoms as your tank cycles, these feed on silicas and silicates in your system.

 

[jaffacake]

"live sand" like seffy said is a big waste of money! Get yourself a big bag of aragonite and the LR in your tank will make it "live"

 

[AK77]

I have fujian pink coral sand (I think lol) particle size 1-3mm and doesn't look pink at all

As others have said, don't bother with "live" sand. It might have been alive at the time of harvest but, I don't think the ocean floor and the bottom shelf of the LFS have much in common, environment wise

 

[rl1oyd]

Great cheers for the replys guys

Im not going with the live rock sadly, too expensive

I do have an eheim pro3 (very large cannister, biggest available for indoor use i think) and 2x spare eheim pro2's and a turboflotor 3000 protein skimmer, which has very good reviews

I have a RO unit and i am ordering the aquamed UV unit

I am not doing any coral it is fish only, I do however have 100kg of ocean rock so it will still look sweet!!

Tank is 6'6"x2x2

Interested in the argonite and sugar sand tho

 

[AK77]

You will get the bug eventually for corals

Live rock from online stores or your LFS is usually expensive. My advice would be to have a look on ebay and see if someone local to you is selling any cheap. Even if you only get a few kilo's worth, it will help seed your ocean rock and eventually, you can dispense with the canister filter and move to a FOWLR. From there its just a stepping stone to a full reef setup

Go on, you know it makes sense

 

[rl1oyd]

LOL Na i wont mate, the fish i will be keeping will eat all the coral, and coral doesnt really do it for me?

Im wanting to keep Triggers Tangs Puffers etc (maybe not all together)

Think live sand is the only way i can cycle my tank, without it taking absolutly ages from what i can gather

 

[Buddyboy67]

Dont buy live sand in the bags..it's a con..!! Get a small amount of sand from an established tank, even ask yer lfs nicely and smile widely......mix this over the top of your sand bed and hey presto..Live sand bed very quickly and at half the price.

 

[AK77]

Dont buy live sand in the bags..it's a con..!! Get a small amount of sand from an established tank, even ask yer lfs nicely and smile widely

Is this before or after producing the shotgun?

 

[TigerIssey]

I find a smile and a flutter of the eyelids gets me everywhere

 

[AK77]

I find a smile and a flutter of the eyelids gets me everywhere

I would try that but, knowing my luck, the shop assistant would flutter his back at me

 

[Buddyboy67]

 

[seffieuk]

I find a smile and a flutter of the eyelids gets me everywhere

Ah yes but you are a tiny blond thing on cruches so i can see how that works for you

Seffie x