Best Sand for High Flow SPS Tank

[Garf]

For $150 +shipping, probably not. And I don't have a table saw to cut it to size and would have to ask the ex for help (which isn't the end of the world, but isn't at the top of the list of things I want to do -- lol).

If your using matured rock, barebottom is a lot less ugly than a dry rock bare bottom. I’ve done both. If your doing barebottom dry rock and don’t like ugly, for months, go with some of the sand options.

 

[WillH]

Prob already moved on, but I use special grade with 4 mp40s near 100%. Only get a little sand swirling on a 6’ tank.

 

[phillygeeks]

This one…clean and dream like. It’s costly but really worth it. I have one size smaller and it works good.

Is there a reason you chose the one size smaller over the "grand select"? If you were to do it again which would you choose?

 

[Staghorn]

HD has $.99 black spray paint. Or better yet you could do a sand color. Just paint the tank.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Why do you think you have to have “high”flow? My corals are happy as can be with mild/medium flow. Enough is all you need. This is a 50g with 2 mp 40s set to reef crest at 25% anti sync. My sand never moves unless a fish stirs it up

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[jda]

I get a special mixed grade type of sand. Once it gets covered in bacteria in a month or two, I have too much flow if it is blowing around still. Fresh sand blows around. Too fine of sand blows around. I have never found that you need so much flow that mature, mixed grain sand blows around.

I would rather than 3 inches of sand than more flow. Never seen any evidence that more flow is necessary but the anoxic bacteria, phosphate buffering, carbonate buffering and sand critters to eat ich tomonts are just too real for me.

 

[Midrats]

I have the Tropic Eden Grand Select. It's really nice looking, but it still blows around. I'm in the process of sucking it out with WCs. Sand just doesn't stay put in my shallow 16" deep tank. In taller tanks the biofilm coating helps, in shallow tanks not so much.

 

[OlafsReef]

Anything over about 2.5mm will work fine in my experience.

 

[mandarin417]

Reborn® coarse aragonite media looks really nice as a substrate.

 

[Midrats]

Reborn® coarse aragonite media looks really nice as a substrate.

I have thought about using that, it would make a nice rubble zone. My fear was detritus collection.

 

[mandarin417]

I have thought about using that, it would make a nice rubble zone. My fear was detritus collection.

Tearing down my tank after 4 years, there was a lot of detritus but it never impacted my tank while running it. I did also include jawfish, fighting conchs and Nassarius snails which kept things moving. If you want a ton of rubble and sand movement, get a mated pair of orange diamond gobies.