Stupid sand...

[Lukeluke]

I currently have a Fiji pink sandbed. It's probably less than an inch deep, and I need to add more. I've got my two powerheads pointed as far up as they will go, but they still keep digging holes to the bottom glass.

If I add special grade, hoping it's more stable than the Fiji, will sand sifters and burrowing type fish be smart enough to avoid the coarser sand? Or will they be OK in the special grade regardless?

I'm doing a water change this weekend and wanted to add another 1.5 - 2 inches while I was at it.

 

[P-Dub]

I currently have a Fiji pink sandbed. It's probably less than an inch deep, and I need to add more. I've got my two powerheads pointed as far up as they will go, but they still keep digging holes to the bottom glass.

If I add special grade, hoping it's more stable than the Fiji, will sand sifters and burrowing type fish be smart enough to avoid the coarser sand? Or will they be OK in the special grade regardless?

I'm doing a water change this weekend and wanted to add another 1.5 - 2 inches while I was at it.

I have seen sifters sift all sorts of textures of sand, so... They will only sift what they can. They have been doing this for hundreds of thousands if not millions of years. BTW, sand is not stupid, the powerheads are, if not controllable...

 

[Lukeluke]

I have seen sifters sift all sorts of textures of sand, so... They will only sift what they can. They have been doing this for hundreds of thousands if not millions of years. BTW, sand is not stupid, the powerheads are, if not controllable...

Well something is stupid and it's not me. At least I don't think so. Well... OK maybe a little.

I'd read somewhere that gobies can hurt themselves sifting the bigger sand. I figure I'll probably end up with dunes of the finer sand on top of the course sand filling in bare spots once it settles. Sounds like that should be OK. Just didn't want to limit my fish options due to sand choices.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Are they facing directly across from each other? IF so, the current is smacking into each other and causing that, try off setting them a bit.

 

[Lukeluke]

Are they facing directly across from each other? IF so, the current is smacking into each other and causing that, try off setting them a bit.

They are offset a bit. One behind, one more in front of the rocks. Maybe they are too close to the same axis though. I'll fiddle with them again and see what happens. Maybe point them more towards the front and back glass. Thanks!

 

[davidcalgary29]

I have special grade sand in two builds — with sand-sifting gobies. They’re fine with it.

 

[X-37B]

Do your powerheads have a controller? If they do turn them down and run pulse mode.
I do that in my frag/lagoon system and it works well.

If you dont have adjustable ones look at Jebao's, they are inexpensive, and work well.

How big is your system and any pics?

 

[Lukeluke]

Do your powerheads have a controller? If they do turn them down and run pulse mode.
I do that in my frag/lagoon system and it works well.

If you dont have adjustable ones look at Jebao's, they are inexpensive, and work well.

How big is your system and any pics?

They're not adjustable. Haven't put a wave maker on them yet. I figure I'll need a couple more if/when I get to sps, and I'd get adjustable ones for that.

It's a 75g/48". The valley between the two piles is where the hole tends to get dug. No lights yet so not sure if you can make out where the pumps are.

Also have a build thread.

Build Thread - 75g first try

Hey all! I decided I should start a build thread. If for no other reason than to keep a record of this process for myself. So, here we go! I kept a 29 gallon, if I remember correctly, bow-front freshwater tank with a roommate something like 15 years ago. It was technically his tank, so it went...

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