Inverts & How much sand

[NotReefsafe]

Getting my first tank soon--a 15 gallon nano reef. Have done a lot of research and have everything I need except livestock. I'll be getting a pair of clowns and corals once the tank is cycled fully.

How much sand should I put? I was thinking an inch or less. What inverts would be best for a one inch sand bed? What about very little sand?

I was hoping to get a fire/peppermint/cleaner shrimp and was not set on what else (if anything).

 

[Johnz]

I think and inch would be good. Some nassarius snails would keep it aerated, buy the little ones, not the tongan for a smaller tank. Cerith snails are great all around cleaners too, multiple species to choose from. Check out reefcleaners.org, they have a pretty big selection.

That tank is probably too small for conchs, cucumbers or any if the more demanding sand sifters, but I'm not a nano guy so not sure.

If you're going with barely any sand, skip the nassarius and just go with ceriths.

 

[AydenLincoln]

You ideally want about a 1 lb of sand or so per gallon. I’d say a little less than a 20 gallon bag for that thick of a sand bed.

 

[InvaderJim]

The amount of sand is really up to personal taste. I usually shoot for about 3/4" to 1" of sand just because I like the look. As Johnz said some nassarius snails would be perfect. I ordered a bunch of baby ones from reefcleaners and now have hundreds. They do a wonderful job and help keep my sand spotless. Ceriths are also really good to have in the tank.

 

[Chrisv.]

You ideally want about a 1 lb of sand or so per gallon. I’d say a little less than a 20 gallon bag for that thick of a sand bed.

Isn't it a bit difficult to dispense a concrete rule, like pounds of sand per gallon of water, when tanks of the same volume can have vastly different surface areas? Consider the difference between a 20 high vs. a 20 long vs. a 20 cube.

Perhaps a more useful bit of information would be to share the dimensions of your tank, the depth of your sand bed, and how much sand it took to get there.