New Reef. Use 1", 2", 3" or More ?

[427HISS]

I must have sand bed in my new 125g reef and I can't imagine having a tank without. I plan on having at least 1 sand sifter fish. So, how deep of sand bed would you have without having a older "deep sand bed" filtration ?

What other fish and critters would you have ?

Would you buy live sand, dead or a mix ?

 

[rcpiv93]

I think that 1.5" to 2" is the sweet spot. I would recommend a sandsifting goby. But one that does not swim into the water column as it releases the sand through its gills. Diamond Sleeper Gobies are a great choice.

Also, I always use live sand; but I have not used Tampa Bay Sand and have heard good things.

 

[427HISS]

I agree buddy, that depth seems to be right and what I've used before. We did have one Diamond Goby before and loved watching him dig cave's and line the walls with larger sand and bring in some BIG boulders lol, for the opening. I Love,....symbiotic relationships between fish and critters, like Gobies and shrimps, but one fish we must have, is our favorite fish of all time, a Clown Trigger. So, I'm concerned about a shrimp even though in the reefs, the fish does swat his tail on the shrimp, notifying him to hide inside the tunnel home. We'll see. The tank will be a in-wall 125g.

 

[kevgib67]

2” is good, I have a diamond goby I love but I hear that the two spot goby does just as good of a job with less of a mess, really unique looking fish. Rumor has it that @tbrown had one. Depending the size of the tank, one or more conches, an appropriate amount of nassarius and cerith snails.

 

[427HISS]

The Two Spot Goby's are cool. They boggle predators minds,..... as well as mine.

 

[rtparty]

1 to 1.5” is the most I go with

 

[427HISS]

I've never tried the "flakes" etc, that's all I know, so who makes them, what size and why "flakes" ?

 

[tbrown]

I have 3" but I also have sand sleeping wrasses.

My Twin Spot was good in 2" but they require a super mature sand bed to keep healthy long term.

 

[427HISS]

"super mature sand bed to keep healthy long term".

Do you by have natural live food for him/them to eat ?

 

[tbrown]

"super mature sand bed to keep healthy long term".

Do you by have natural live food for him/them to eat ?

No. Mine unfortunately starved after about a year. I kept him in a 125 that was about 6 months old when I added him. Mine wasn't eating prepared food so that's something to verify before buying one. Make sure they're healthy and eating prepared food.

 

[427HISS]

Sorry to hear you lost him. Yeah, we always have our shops feed the fish we're interested in.

 

[BryanM]

I like 1.5=2" unless you need more for a specific fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I must have sand bed in my new 125g reef and I can't imagine having a tank without. I plan on having at least 1 sand sifter fish. So, how deep of sand bed would you have without having a older "deep sand bed" filtration ?

What other fish and critters would you have ?

Would you buy live sand, dead or a mix ?

strawberry conchs, nassarius snails and even a few carribean blue leg hermits are good and live sand or live aragonite good