Frag tank... sand or no sand?

[Dylan7huskies]

You guys think I should add sand to my frag tank build or no??? Let’s hear it

 

[Guttersnipe]

No sand

 

[CSJIII]

Are you running this in random with your main display tank? Or just by itself?
There is a really recent BRS video showing running a bare bottom tank with sand in the sump.

 

[blasterman]

if you aren't sure what to do maybe do what I did.

I got some Tupperware lunch containers which are about 5×7" by two inches deep. I then filled them full of substrate and put corals on top. This allowed me to move frags around much easier but also establish biology in the substrate.

Recently the frags out grew the 10gal they were in, so I just picked the trays up and transferred to a new 20L. Instant tank migration with zero cycling. Since I might be moving this winter I still keep everything in the trays. I can move my corals and biology anywhere with no biology disruption.

Best of both worlds. I have a BB tank and also substrate.

 

[anew2thereef]

If it’s just a frag tank! No sand...

 

[CSJIII]

Go NO SAND! I’ll follow along

 

[Dylan7huskies]

So what’s the point of no sand?? Just for looks? My issue is with live sand having that beneficial bacteria! Thanks everyone!

 

[Dylan7huskies]

Are you running this in random with your main display tank? Or just by itself?
There is a really recent BRS video showing running a bare bottom tank with sand in the sump.

Just by itself

 

[James M]

So what’s the point of no sand?? Just for looks? My issue is with live sand having that beneficial bacteria! Thanks everyone!

Without sand you can turn the flow up on the tank and keep detritus from being collected at the bottom. Best option for a frag tank

 

[Thespammailaccount]

If it is not plumbed into your display tank and you are not using well established rock add sand. Brs did a video where he was having a hard time with frags in his frag tank until about the one year mark and ended up having better success when he added sand

 

[Hilltopreef]

Having had reef tanks for decades I can tell you that unless your planning on having fish that require sand to sleep or eat ie. Some gobies or wrasses I wouldn’t use sand at all. Sand requires less flow and is more to maintain. Live rock will be sufficient for your bacteria housing. If you are using deep sand as a denitrification method there are much easier methods. If this is to be a frag tank you’ll want flow directly across the frags which is a pain in the rear with sand. I do have sand in my 180 gallon display tank only for my Leopard wrasse. I have two gyres in it and can’t turn them all the way up pointed at each other without blowing the sand around. Keeping sand clean requires vacuuming a portion each time you do a water Change. Bare bottom you just blow detritus off your rock and into a corner and vacuum it out with the hose. The large grow out houses for corals don’t use sand in their tanks for ease of keeping them clean.

 

[Spieg]

Judging by the photo (HOB filter and no sump?) and that you said it will be a stand alone tank, I'd probably add some sand. I assume you will have some fish in there to provide a source for nitrate and phosphate. Most frag tanks don't have live rock (to save space for frag racks) and you need some place for good bacteria to live.

 

[Hilltopreef]

Spieg is correct. I didn’t notice the power filter hanging on the tank. If no live rock you’ll need something for bacteria to live on. I still wouldn’t use sand though. I’d pick up live rock rubble so that you have best of both worlds. Something for bacteria to live on and no blowing sand problem. Also a couple of fish and utilize water Change water from display tank cycled through this tank before dumping it out. Meaning use water from display to do water Changes on this tank.

 

[PacoPetty]

if you aren't sure what to do maybe do what I did.

I got some Tupperware lunch containers which are about 5×7" by two inches deep. I then filled them full of substrate and put corals on top. This allowed me to move frags around much easier but also establish biology in the substrate.

Recently the frags out grew the 10gal they were in, so I just picked the trays up and transferred to a new 20L. Instant tank migration with zero cycling. Since I might be moving this winter I still keep everything in the trays. I can move my corals and biology anywhere with no biology disruption.

Best of both worlds. I have a BB tank and also substrate.

Pics please!

 

[PacoPetty]

Spieg is correct. I didn’t notice the power filter hanging on the tank. If no live rock you’ll need something for bacteria to live on. I still wouldn’t use sand though. I’d pick up live rock rubble so that you have best of both worlds. Something for bacteria to live on and no blowing sand problem. Also a couple of fish and utilize water Change water from display tank cycled through this tank before dumping it out. Meaning use water from display to do water Changes on this tank.

I also do this in my rock curing bins to feed the bacteria.