Fiji pink vs special grade sand

[JAMSOURY]

Planning on going with a mixed reef tank with a good amount of sps. Does the Fiji pink sand tend to kick up with high flow? What are your thoughts on both?

 

[GoVols]

The Figi pink is pretty stable with flow in my experience.

I'd good with those Eden Reef Flakes that Premium Aquatics sells.
That's the best substrate that I've ever used.

Running bare bottom for some time now.

@Rakie
Did you go with the medium grade on the Reef Flakes?

 

[Rakie]

The Figi pink is pretty stable with flow in my experience.

I'd good with those Eden Reef Flakes that Premium Aquatics sells.
That's the best substrate that I've ever used.

Running bare bottom for some time now.

@Rakie
Did you go with the medium grade on the Reef Flakes?

The 2.7mm mesoflakes. I'd have honestly gone with the reefflakes or reefflakes grand select.

Carib Sea is always the worst choice in sand. Especially whichever ones come in the 'reef direct'. Mine came with twigs, trash, and a dead hermit that was putrid. I don't know how bad their QC usually is... But dang. They should be ashamed that bag got out.

 

[lion king]

I've never had complaints about the carib sea sand, the fiji pink is a little finer than the special grade, but not by much. I like the tone better with the fiji pink, it does settle down once it get seasoned, but how much flow are we talking. I've got it in one of reefs, but I don't have sps flow.

 

[JAMSOURY]

I've never had complaints about the carib sea sand, the fiji pink is a little finer than the special grade, but not by much. I like the tone better with the fiji pink, it does settle down once it get seasoned, but how much flow are we talking. I've got it in one of reefs, but I don't have sps flow.

Yeah, it looks super nice aesthetically. If it’s close to special grade, I’m assuming it should stay put for what I need.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Did you ended up using Fiji pink? If so anything problem such got blown up by the pump?

 

[kkelly007]

I have fiji pink in my DT (105g). I’m running two Reefwave 45 gyres mounted vertically on the back wall of my peninsula. It took a little tweaking to get the bottom flow angled correctly, but now I have almost zero sand movement. If you have a few heavy flow spots, you can always supplement with a few cups of special grade Caribbean sand. That’s what I originally did and it blends very well. But now that I have the flow dialed in I don’t even think I needed that.

Fiji pink is a beautiful look in the tank.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I have fiji pink in my DT (105g). I’m running two Reefwave 45 gyres mounted vertically on the back wall of my peninsula. It took a little tweaking to get the bottom flow angled correctly, but now I have almost zero sand movement. If you have a few heavy flow spots, you can always supplement with a few cups of special grade Caribbean sand. That’s what I originally did and it blends very well. But now that I have the flow dialed in I don’t even think I needed that.

Fiji pink is a beautiful look in the tank.

Nice to hear that. Do you consider you had moderate to high flow with no sand storm in your tank? My intention is to have at least moderate flow for future sps dominated tank. I am running two Jebao wavemakers from side to side, I consider its moderate flow and its blowing the sand in one corner. So I place a rock there, and looks ok for now.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I have fiji pink in my DT (105g). I’m running two Reefwave 45 gyres mounted vertically on the back wall of my peninsula. It took a little tweaking to get the bottom flow angled correctly, but now I have almost zero sand movement. If you have a few heavy flow spots, you can always supplement with a few cups of special grade Caribbean sand. That’s what I originally did and it blends very well. But now that I have the flow dialed in I don’t even think I needed that.

Fiji pink is a beautiful look in the tank.

Another thing is, after you covered the spot with special grade and eventually it will get mixed up either by the current, inverts or vacuum cleaning if you do. Will the finer sand started flying around again? How long you have it like that and it’s a mixed reef or sps?

 

[kkelly007]

I am starting a mixed reef tank and I have almost complete with my cycle, so I have zero livestock in my tank currently. However, I have been running the Reefwave 45's and return pump. The 45's are set on a 40% uniform wave and my Vectra M2 at 90%. There is a ton of flow throughout--I may even need to tone down, but impossible to tell until I start placing corals (I will have a mixed reef). The special grade sand actually has some particles that have diameters smaller than fiji pink, so special grade is far from bulletproof (can't remember exactly from the Caribsea web-site, but it's something like fiji pink is 0.5 to 1.5 mm in diameter, and special grade is 1.0 to 2.0 mm).

As soon as I laid the special grade, I turned the 45's up to 90% and everything started blowing around, but the 45's are very powerful and there is absolutely no need to turn them higher than 40% in my set-up. At 40%, there is virtually zero sand movement.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I am starting a mixed reef tank and I have almost complete with my cycle, so I have zero livestock in my tank currently. However, I have been running the Reefwave 45's and return pump. The 45's are set on a 40% uniform wave and my Vectra M2 at 90%. There is a ton of flow throughout--I may even need to tone down, but impossible to tell until I start placing corals (I will have a mixed reef). The special grade sand actually has some particles that have diameters smaller than fiji pink, so special grade is far from bulletproof (can't remember exactly from the Caribsea web-site, but it's something like fiji pink is 0.5 to 1.5 mm in diameter, and special grade is 1.0 to 2.0 mm).

As soon as I laid the special grade, I turned the 45's up to 90% and everything started blowing around, but the 45's are very powerful and there is absolutely no need to turn them higher than 40% in my set-up. At 40%, there is virtually zero sand movement.

Nice. I guess if I add special grade to remedy the problem, I will try to filter out the smaller grains and keep the larger ones. I have no corals in yet but I place a small mesh net inside and able to see the net moves so I consider I have moderate flow. Looks like you got a nice set up there, post some pictures. What rocks you’re using?

 

[kkelly007]

Here a few pics under white light. I used Caribsea Liferock. I agonized over the aquascape and eventually decided on this--i.e., has several hidey holes; a lot elevation changes which should allow for flexibility in lighting & flow for coral; not symmetrical; rule of thirds; etc. Please let me know your thoughts. How about your set up?

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Here a few pics under white light. I used Caribsea Liferock. I agonized over the aquascape and eventually decided on this--i.e., has several hidey holes; a lot elevation changes which should allow for flexibility in lighting & flow for coral; not symmetrical; rule of thirds; etc. Please let me know your thoughts. How about your set up?

Nice, looks good especially from the first picture angle. I am using about 50lb of life rocks as well and just ok with my rockscape but not perfect. I want to add more and create a bit higher scape but don’t want to overdue it. I will leave it as of now and see. I have a 120 peninsula running but I painted the other side.

 

[kkelly007]

Beautiful 120! So full and healthy--love it.

Regarding your new set up, I really like the volume of rock and proportion. I personally like a little more height and would probably built a little higher on the left or right third of the tank, but again that is totally a personal preference. Is this a Reefer 525? I assume your keeping the 120 up and running.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Beautiful 120! So full and healthy--love it.

Regarding your new set up, I really like the volume of rock and proportion. I personally like a little more height and would probably built a little higher on the left or right third of the tank, but again that is totally a personal preference. Is this a Reefer 525? I assume your keeping the 120 up and running.

Thanks. That’s actually

Beautiful 120! So full and healthy--love it.

Regarding your new set up, I really like the volume of rock and proportion. I personally like a little more height and would probably built a little higher on the left or right third of the tank, but again that is totally a personal preference. Is this a Reefer 525? I assume your keeping the 120 up and running.

thanks. That actually just a 350. Agree on the height of the scape, it could be a bit higher but I will leave it for now.

Most of the stuffs are doing ok and some are growing in the 120, of course there’s somethjng always dying lol.

 

[remel1993]

I just bought a 525xl and need to get sand. I had the caribsea fine sand for my 425xl and it was a paint to keep clean. I want to do it right this time. Anyone one else have any thoughts between the Caribsea Special Grade vs Pink Fiji sand?

 

[Jeffcb]

I just bought a 525xl and need to get sand. I had the caribsea fine sand for my 425xl and it was a paint to keep clean. I want to do it right this time. Anyone one else have any thoughts between the Caribsea Special Grade vs Pink Fiji sand?

I used pink. Seems ok.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I ended up mixing the Fiji pink with special grade because it was too fine.

 

[cshouston]

Had Fiji Pink, but ended up siphoning it all out and going bare bottom. With high flow, I had a constant dust storm of tiny particles, even several months after setting it up. Either rinse it *very* well beforehand (like a dozen times), or choose special grade/bare bottom instead. Fiji Pink is definitely better off left in a lower flow system.

 

[Palegic]

Made a mistake going Fiji pink. While it doesnt blow all over the tank like finer sands i do have a low spot that I can not get rid off. If I fill it back it it comes right back with my gyre flow. I should have went spec grade.