Sand bed woes

[Fishy888]

I finally have the flow dialed in and my corals are actually responding well to it. The problem is that the sand gets blown everywhere. It wasn't a problem in the low flow I had initially but it certainly is now. I have to blow the sand out of my corals several times a day. It can't be good for them. They are all soft corals thankfully.

I am thinking about using either crushed coral to cap the sand bed, GARF grunge, or both. I definitely want some GARF grunge but I understand it is full of pieces large enough to trap a lot of detritus and the like. I suppose crushed coral does that too to some extent but I have to do something.

I have about 100x flow between my emperor 400 and my circulation pumps. It is a lot of flow but it is a turbulent flow and there are many who have flow like that in their SPS setups (which I want to have eventually). I only have 25 lbs of rock in here so far and I know that's part of the problem too but I am filling it in as money allows. What should I do here? BTW my corals are not in maximum flow by any means.

 

[Pkunk35]

Maybe try covering some sand areas that are particularly being blown around with a flat rock and then putting coral on it? My micro lords also loved this as opposed to being on the sand bed so you may get some alternate benefit
In the pic all those frags are on two flat-ish plate rocks and then the frags are just glued on with a tiny bit of glue which can be easily removed if necessary like for fragging or cleaning
Just a suggestion!

 

[CayeCaulker]

I too am thinking about this problem. I want to keep a pair of Jaw fish. I just love them. So I will need a real deep sand bed. I also want to keep SPS so what to do. The tank of the month seemed to solve this problem with aquascape that allowed for good upper water flow that could be minimized on the bed. I am going to build a similar aquascape and see if I can have my cake and eat it too. I am not a fan of the bare bottom tanks. It's art to me and a beautiful sand bed is part of the painting.

Everything is a compromise it seems.

 

[Fishy888]

Thank you all. Please keep the ideas coming. I am going to have a lot more rock eventually but as expensive as it has become it will take time. I might try messing with the flow again to see if I can alleviate the issue a bit. I agree, bare bottom tanks look horrible, certainly not natural at all.

 

[ying yang]

What I would be doing is changing the flow as and when needed so if not got the sps that you say would like to keep and these need higher flow then dial the flow back until you buy more rock as more rock = more objects to affect flow and no sps = no corals to affect the flow and as you introduce more sps and they grow bigger = more blocking off the flow.
But as it stands now you want more rock and haven't put sps in system so don't need the flow up so high so dial it back and as add more flow and add more sps and sps grows then add little more flow as and when needed.
This would be how I would be addressing the problem and gives time for your sandbed to mature and if it not all blowing around will give it chance to harden together so to speak ( I don't mean harden like cement as that a different issue that you don't want so etimes caused by alk and calcium dosed together and precipitates out and hardens the sandbed ( never happenned to me but read can happen.
Goodluck with whatever you decide and enjoy ^_^

 

[BostonReefer300]

How hard would it be to remove your current sand and put in something with a bigger grain? I've used caribsea special grade for years with no blowing problems. It's still small enough that sand sifters love it

 

[Fishy888]

What I would be doing is changing the flow as and when needed so if not got the sps that you say would like to keep and these need higher flow then dial the flow back until you buy more rock as more rock = more objects to affect flow and no sps = no corals to affect the flow and as you introduce more sps and they grow bigger = more blocking off the flow.
But as it stands now you want more rock and haven't put sps in system so don't need the flow up so high so dial it back and as add more flow and add more sps and sps grows then add little more flow as and when needed.
This would be how I would be addressing the problem and gives time for your sandbed to mature and if it not all blowing around will give it chance to harden together so to speak ( I don't mean harden like cement as that a different issue that you don't want so etimes caused by alk and calcium dosed together and precipitates out and hardens the sandbed ( never happenned to me but read can happen.
Goodluck with whatever you decide and enjoy ^_^

I have been thinking about doing that. I want to keep the flow turbulent but I might be able to do so with only one circulation pump running.

How hard would it be to remove your current sand and put in something with a bigger grain? I've used caribsea special grade for years with no blowing problems. It's still small enough that sand sifters love it

I am using special grade currently. I turned off one of the pumps per Ying Yang's advice. I wanted to avoid doing that but there's no other realistic way I could see. My biggest concerns are turbulent flow and keeping algae off the sand bed as much as possible. Thankfully it appears that I still have turbulent flow. As for algae growth I'll deal with it. I still have 50x flow give or take and no more sandstorms. So far my corals don't seem fazed by the change.

 

[ying yang]

I have been thinking about doing that. I want to keep the flow turbulent but I might be able to do so with only one circulation pump running.


I am using special grade currently. I turned off one of the pumps per Ying Yang's advice. I wanted to avoid doing that but there's no other realistic way I could see. My biggest concerns are turbulent flow and keeping algae off the sand bed as much as possible. Thankfully it appears that I still have turbulent flow. As for algae growth I'll deal with it. I still have 50x flow give or take and no more sandstorms. So far my corals don't seem fazed by the change.

No way of just slowing down the 2 powerheads ?
As 2 powrrheads facing each other cause random turbulent flow and if can get the powerheads to pulse on and off even better for that turbulent flow as you mention you have corals in tank already and most if not all corals prefer random flow rather than laminar and flow all the same all the time kind of thing.
I didnt mean turn a power head off, I just meant dial them back until there needed to be higher.
If cant dial both back then could have close to surface and aiming upwards and aiming towards the glass so slows flow down some for you but all depends on size of tank and kind of powrrheads you got I suppose plus other factors like how much rock.
Any chance of a video of this high flow you speak of in your tank so everyone can get better perspective of how much sand getting thrown about plus how corals are acting and such?

 

[Fishy888]

At the moment the lights are out. These are all or nothing sun sun pumps. I also have an emperor 400 running so there is some opposing flow still. I'll try to get a video tomorrow.

 

[ying yang]

Just did the maths for you to get to 100 x flow in your dt not counting your return pump.

You say you got an emporer 400 so that's...
400gph?
Then that leaves 2 x powerheads at 3550 gph to get to your 100x flow which would be 75 g x 100 = 7500 total so

400+3550+3550=7500gph ?

Are your 2 power heads really 3550 gph each ?

Edit: for softie coral tanks imo I would aim for say 20x flow and lps slightly more and sps like 40- 50x flow but that's just me and alot factors like what coral in tank ,how much rock,size of tank ,how big colonies in tank then other factors like fish may need consider etc but 100 x flow seems way over board but I seen picture of your tank and only Rocks one side so you not got much impededing the flow kind if thing

 

[Fishy888]

Yeah they are 3200gph pumps. I just finished messing with flow some more and while there is still sand movement it is nowhere near what it was. When I bought these I was only going to use one of the pumps but as someone advised me at the time the laminar flow wouldn't be a good idea which is true. I have both pumps running but I have them to where the most turbulent flow appears to be over the flat rock that juts out on the right side of the rockwork. My corals so far are reacting OK but I will watch them closely tonight.

 

[ying yang]

Yeah they are 3200gph pumps. I just finished messing with flow some more and while there is still sand movement it is nowhere near what it was. When I bought these I was only going to use one of the pumps but as someone advised me at the time the laminar flow wouldn't be a good idea which is true. I have both pumps running but I have them to where the most turbulent flow appears to be over the flat rock that juts out on the right side of the rockwork. My corals so far are reacting OK but I will watch them closely tonight.

Yeah you not in ideal situations with having such high high flow In your tank and cant turn the flow down on powerheads and not alot of rock to disturb/ inpede the flow as you got like 3/ 4 an empty tank by looks of your fts in your build thread and I read when you turn obe powerhead off you get cyano on the sandbed and think you also said some algae growing in the low flow zones .
It's a balancing act for sure of trying get that flow right for corals you presently own but trying to prepare your equipment for whats needed when you get sps maybe next year I think I read and upping the amount of cuc you introduce to whatever stage of your tank is at so cuc can help you with the cyana and algaes and getting that flow dialed in so dont get cyano in the low flow zones .
Just an idea but you say you have 2 powerheads facing each other and the flow is wild and getting mini typhoons and sand all over the tank / rocks and corals but have you tried 1 powerhead on side of tank and 1 powerhead on back of tank and aim it upwards but forwards or even straight to front of tank as that flow should Intercept flow from powehead on side if tank and still cause turbulent flow but hopefully keep some over to the empty side of your tank .
I have feeling flow may be an issue for you using 2 powerheads that cannot turn down and not so much rock in tank until you gain more rock in tank and design it in a way it flows in and around amd through your rocks and flow intercepts each other causing random flow throughout your tank .
If was my tank I would be dialing that flow down some even if it meant me buying a small say $ 20 powerhead for time being then researching about some wavemakers / powerheads that are controllable to have surge/ pulse/ on/ off modes so as tank grows in you can add or dial back flow .
I know I know the expenses of tank can get out of hand ,I remember when thought I had enough to start my tank and needed £ 200 more to get extra/ add ons but was way more as kept on saying need this and need that or least be beneficial and I'm still buying stuff and still stuff on list to get ha ha

 

[Fishy888]

I did end up getting the flow to where it isn't blowing sand everywhere like it was. Thankfully I still have surface agitation. Just not as strong but still decent. I do hope to get a really good wavemaker eventually. I'll keep an eye out for some smaller pumps. Thank you again. I appreciate the help.

 

[ying yang]

I did end up getting the flow to where it isn't blowing sand everywhere like it was. Thankfully I still have surface agitation. Just not as strong but still decent. I do hope to get a really good wavemaker eventually. I'll keep an eye out for some smaller pumps. Thank you again. I appreciate the help.

Aw that's good you got flow sone what how you want it and hopefully it's how corals want it to ^_^

Just remember some things that are expensive and considered the best sometimes are but can be sometimes not and a lesser priced product can do the job just as good so research them powerheads from other users and make your mind up from that is what I would say and for anything you buy in life in general ,I get the phrase " you get what you paid for it " but alot if the times there is a cheaper option,just doesn't carry the name or whatever, I choose reliable,proven,company has good customer support and if cheaper then happy days .

 

[Fishy888]

Aw that's good you got flow sone what how you want it and hopefully it's how corals want it to ^_^

Just remember some things that are expensive and considered the best sometimes are but can be sometimes not and a lesser priced product can do the job just as good so research them powerheads from other users and make your mind up from that is what I would say and for anything you buy in life in general ,I get the phrase " you get what you paid for it " but alot if the times there is a cheaper option,just doesn't carry the name or whatever, I choose reliable,proven,company has good customer support and if cheaper then happy days .

This! I agree 100%. It takes some research and legwork but there are products that may not be fancy but they just work. One day things will be much better in my little slice of the ocean but for now I'll keep plugging away. When my reef becomes something to look at (although I doubt it will ever be TOTM but who knows?) I'll know it was a nice achievement for me and it will mean that much more to me because of that.

 

[ying yang]

Just step by step ,easy does it and if you plan on keeping reef tanks for years to come then no rush to fill it up how you want it,just keep it simple and do what you can and do what's needed ,when needed.
That's all you can do so good luck and hope your tank gets to how you want it and gives you and your family great enjoyment which im sure it will if you just stick at it ^_^