Live sand

[BMorgan]

Question, would it be ok to add some non-live sand on top of my live sand to make a deeper sand bed? I was thinking to make it a little deeper but I already have 30lbs of live sand in a 28 gal tank so I was hoping to save money by buying non live but not sure if it's ok to put on top of the live stuff?

Thanks

[Grins]

Get a funnel and add the sand in it so it goes under the live sand rather than on top of it.

[Amphiprion]

That way would work well. Or, you could add a very thin layer (no more than 1/4 inch) every few days or so (maybe longer). Either way works, but the way I suggested takes a while.

[dmjordan]

not so sure about the funnel method. sand will be the same density so it will more than likely stay in the funnel till you raise the funnel up which would dump the sand into a nice deep pile. i would add a thin layer on top of your existing sand every few days. all of the micro organisms live within the very top 1/2 " of sand so if it is too deep you will kill of the beneficial bacteria that has already established itself.

[BMorgan]

Do you think a deep sand bed would be beneficial to lower the nitrates in the tank?

Also, what type of non-live sand would be reccommended? Right now I have CaribSea Ocean Direct Live sand:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=16764&ref=3969&cm_mmc=LiveAquaria_DFS_Links-_-Fish_Supplies-_-LiveAquaria_Gen_Page-_-Substrates&subref=AA&N=2004+113554

What about oolitic?

[dmjordan]

oolite is too fine in my opinion and can easily cause a sand storm from water movement. i would still use carib sea dry argonite as the sand. i would use the one that is in the middle as far as coarseness. not too fine and to big big either. sand beds are best when they are either under 1" or above 4"

[BMorgan]

What's the reason for under 1" or above 4"? I've heard this before but I don't really know what the reason is. It's one of the reason I wanted to make mine deeper as I am about 2" right now

[Grins]

I've heard to stay under 2" or go over 4" for a DSB. Of course you could go bare bottom as well. DSB =deep sand bed and helps break down the toxins in the tank, however the depth of sandbeds is one the most hotly contested topics in marine tanks.