What's your favorite reef sand and why?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Happy Tuesday!

Today let's talk about reef sand and more specifically the brands and consistency of the substrates! Let's go!

1. What brand of sand do you prefer to use as the substrate of your reef tank?

2. Do you prefer a small, medium or large grain size of sand and why?

 

[Sharkbait19]

I don't know the exact size of my sand grains, but they're definitely on the smaller side. I definitely am not a fan of very large sand grains, at least when it comes to owning brittle stars and pistol shrimps, so think that somewhere in the middle is best. I don't like the look of bare bottom tanks that much, and would probably only do a bare bottom if a specific creature required it.

I use CaribSea Arag-Alive sand in my reef, about an inch and a half thick.

 

[GHOSTLY]

I find that i actually prefer dry medium sized argonite sand. Perfect for everything and also easy to scape with

 

[zalick]

Special grade.

suitable for just about every sand sifting creature yet won’t cause sand storms.

 

[ca1ore]

Is special grade reef floor considered medium .... or small? Either way, it's the only sand I use.

 

[ZoWhat]

By far, the best sand is bare bottom glass. Nutrients don't settle and turn sand into nasty peanut butter nor concrete

 

[elorablue]

Fiji pink for me. Not live.

 

[TMC1313]

Tropic Eden: Reef Flakes

 

[T-J]

On my newest build, I went with CaribSea Aragonite sand. It looks fine, but some areas have turned into concrete. Overall, I wish I went with a slightly finer sand.

 

[RocksNStuff]

I have fine but if I could do it over I'd get something larger. The fine sand gets blown around too much.

 

[James_O]

1. What brand of sand do you prefer to use as the substrate of your reef tank?

2. Do you prefer a small, medium or large grain size of sand and why?

1. CaribSea Arag-Alive - I love the color/grain size

2. I voted medium. I think the Arag-Alive would be considered medium? I just love the way it looks.

 

[One Breath 808]

Happy Tuesday!

Today let's talk about reef sand and more specifically the brands and consistency of the substrates! Let's go!

1. What brand of sand do you prefer to use as the substrate of your reef tank?

2. Do you prefer a small, medium or large grain size of sand and why?

I went with small grain in mind because I wanted diamond watchman gobies. I passed on purchasing one because I now have trachyphyillias and do not want to deal with it possibly being covered

 

[DH78]

Special grade.

suitable for just about every sand sifting creature yet won’t cause sand storms.

I agree. Special grade for me as well.

 

[galantra]

Tropic Eden Reeflakes is my go to

 

[sfin52]

I love the Caribsea Bahama oolite. Its what the beaches and reefs i snorkel look like fine whate sand

 

[Red_Beard]

Tropic Eden reef-flakes hands down! Perfect granularity, stays beautiful white with pink spots and all my critters (snails, conch, goby) seem to love it too.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

I have used sugar sized oolite and bare bottom did not care for either.
Now using special grade sand and so far looks good and does not blow around

 

[SuncrestReef]

Here’s another vote for Tropic Eden Reefflakes. The average size grain of 3.5mm is large enough to prevent blowing around from the powerheads, but still fine enough for my diamond goby and other sand sifting fish to burrow into.

 

[fishface NJ]

Tropic Eden reef-flakes

 

[Scorpius]

Bare bottom. Benefits of bare bottom outweigh the sand benefits for me.