Live sand vs. live rock...

G

Glennifer

AC Members
Dec 27, 2005
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I'm on a v.limited budget setting up my marine tank (120l, FO).

I can get LR for between €6-10 a lb (cured) and Nature's Ocean Live aragonite for €33 for 9kg. Which is the better the better investment?? I'm guessing I need 3-4 bags of the sand which would be equivalent value wise to about 15-20lbs of rock...which would be a better buy?

Or perhaps one bag of live aragonite mixed with coral sand and a few pieces of LR added to some inert base rock? A sort of compromise?
 
I would suggest getting as much Live rock as you can with minimal sand. It doesn't have to be live sand, aragonite is fine but will take more time to mature. You do not want to go more than 1" of sand or you might run into problems down the road. I am guessing your tank is 36" across, so 10-15kg of sand to get around 1", then buy as much live rock with the money you have left. This will help increase the bacteria surface area to help with the filtration. Install the rock 1st, next is the sand, then add your water.
 
Kiel'thalin said:
You do not want to go more than 1" of sand or you might run into problems down the road.
Click to expand...

Not completely true. In high waste output tanks or small tanks, eg. a lionfish tank or a nano reef, then a deep sand bed* or even any sand bed could give you problems down the line as you said, but in lightly stocked reef tanks, the benifit of a deep sand bed is something I wouldn't dare go without.

You could use aragonite or pool filter sand and a mix of LR and base rock, with about a 50/50 or larger mix of the rock, favouring the LR. Eventually the base rock will become essentially live rock, but obviously it will take a little longer for you system to fully mature if you were to go with less "live" stuff.

*Deep sand bed - a sand bed wich is 3 or more inches deep.
 
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It would be good to have both. If you can only afford one at a time, go with the sand first. Many marine creatures require (or at least like) a good substrate. Get the the live rock as soon as your budget allows it.
 
Right, coral sand and live rock it is!

(Tank is 40" long, 12" wide and 18" deep, by the by)
 
Lol, C_S you posted as I typed the above...hmmmm, I'll ask my local marine/reef place and see what they suggest??

Any more opinions guys?
 
I agree that the DSB would greatly improve the performance of the tank, but there is a budget to think of and going without is possible. If you decide to go without a DSB, I still would not exceed 1" of substrate.
 
1" is not deep enough to harness the all advantages of a deep sand bed. Budget wise, I'd say the deep sand bed is cheaper in the long run, becuase it means less money spent on filters and salt mix to manage nitrate.
 
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