Going with the grain: What size of sand do you use in your reef tank?

[Labridaedicted]

Special grade for me. I run such high flow that if I used anything finer it would blow all around. Don't want anything coarser because I don't like the look of it and my burrowing critters can't dig in it well.

 

[death-by-reef]

Do you remember what types of sand are in your mix and what the blend is?

Lots of Fiji pink with some kind of aragonite gravel, along with African cichlid sand

 

[Iowa_Reef]

kay, glad I stumbled on this. We are setting up our Reefer 350 and we ordered 1 bag of Caribsea Pink Fiji, but now I am realizing this is likely not enough, so would it be silly to mix that with a bag of special grade?

Nothing is silly, to each their own. As you can see from these responses there is no right or wrong.
To large and the sand sifting Gobies might starve, to small and you might end up with cloudy water if you aren't careful.
When I started my latest tank wanted up to 4 inches, but not all the same type or depth. So I have the more normal sand everywhere, about 2" deep, and that's covered with crushed coral in most of the tank. Center of the tank is a mix that gives the sand sifting Gobies something to do.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Base of Caribsea Arag-Alive, then added 20lbs of Live Sand from Tampa Bay Saltwater....it's been amazing so far, every few days and when doing water changes, I scrape the sand bed and rake it and blow a turkey baster on it....been staying and looking pretty clean so far!

 

[Freenow54]

I use dolomite gravel. I doubt you can get it any more as they use it for mausoleums in Italy.

It's about as course as rice and I need it because I run an undergravel filter.

I used very fine sand, and found it impossible to clean so I was removing it as the alae grew in it intending to add courser sand. I would appreciate it to see how your under gravel filter is built. can you supply some sort of a picture or diagram?

 

[Paul B]

I would appreciate it to see how your under gravel filter is built. can you supply some sort of a picture or diagram?

It's just a regular undergravel filter but it gets fed from this manifold which gets fed from a powerhead in the tank. I don't have a sump.

Water has to go slow like 150 GPH down each tube.

 

[themcnertney]

Good timing on this.

I have had this thought of concern since starting my 29g BioCube. The clownfish. They lived 5 years in a 55g and 10 years in a 220g. They are now being contained to a 29g. Yup, they are 15 years old.

I want to add two more fish to the tank. So that each of my kids can have there own fish. I'm concerned with the aggressive behavior of the clowns, might not be an issue, I don't know?

A thought that had recently crossed my mind is to add sand.

Go with a goby and shrimp pair. I had this in my 55g and loved it.

I have not bought sand for over 10 years. Not even sure where to begin? And should I, or should I leave it bare?

UGH !!!