Running an SPS reef with fine sand? How to avoid sand storms?

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

So on my current reef, I've been running Tropic Eden Reefflakes, but honestly, I miss the fine sand. I'm wondering (and need reminding) how much of a pain would it be if I run an SPS reef (which means high flow, of course) with finer sand? How many of you guys are doing it?

 

[DC Reefer]

I think it is really tough to get the flow dialed in where you don't end up with a big bare bottom portion of the tank and the sand accumulating in different areas. I am bare bottom in my SPS tanks and have medium sand in a mixed tank and am having a hard time keeping the sand spread over the whole bottom and I am running "medium" flow. If you go that route and are successful would like to hear how you do it :)

 

[DivingTheWorld]

IMO fine sand in an sps tank is very difficult. In my tank where I’m running 100x flow it would be impossible, even if my pumps were mounted at the very top.

One option if you don’t like BB is you can glue sand to the bottom of the tank. But eventually it would probably be covered in coraline anyways.

It’s tough, I really do like the look of sand, especially fine sand. But it just doesn’t go well with sps coral.

 

[ColoredRock]

Back and new into it, when I got out it ws a DSB (UGH).. but I have gotten comfortable with a thin layer and if the water flow makes it go bare bottom in spots.. it is what it is.

 

[rckfsh44]

So on my current reef, I've been running Tropic Eden Reefflakes, but honestly, I miss the fine sand. I'm wondering (and need reminding) how much of a pain would it be if I run an SPS reef (which means high flow, of course) with finer sand? How many of you guys are doing it?

I’m running a 120 gallon reef with fine sand , I use the Ice Cap 4K pumps on the back wall , I fun different programs on these pumps so the flow varies day & night my sand does get moved to the back of the tank , however in nature the bottom always varies so I’m fine with it moving around my wrasses love the big mounds

 

[Reefs anonymous]

If you’re gonna try fine sand in an sps tank, I’d get a very deep tank, minimum 30”, have a high rock work, and put the sps on top. Then keep the flow at the top of the tank.

 

[McPuff]

I think that special grade is about as fine of grain that you can use in a high flow reef. Even that (for me) has been pushed off 1/3 of the bottom which is now bare. I had oolytic sand in a 120 and it worked ok but I really had to be careful about how high I turned my pumps. Although it looks amazing I think it will be too problematic.

 

[Miami Reef]

You can’t ask for fine sand and not expect it to blow around with high flow.

Don’t waste your time with the fine sand. You know what’s uglier than a coarser sand bed? A fine sand bed that is constantly clouding up the tank.

 

[Yazannreef]

I run my tank with 60x flow and have fine sand. That doesn't blow much. It just depend on the rock work placement. I always make sure the flow gets broken up by rocks but it will move a little not creating any sand dunes or sand tornados that would ruin the tank.

Who need a sand sifting critters if your flow is doing the job for you

 

[ScottB]

It is a lot of trial/error and even then, I still have to move my sand manually every day or two. I've gotten a little improvement by actually adding more powerheads, but not running them so hard. In a 5 ft display, I have two gyres and 2 MP40s all on some form of reef crest mode.

MP40s max at roughly 65%
Gyres at only 30%

Oh, and my return (COR 20) runs at 55% with a printed splitter.

 

[HB AL]

Just change it all back to the fine sand you like and within a few days you'll remember, and change it back to the coarser grains;Blackeye

 

[MabuyaQ]

As long as there isn't a perpetual sandstorm in your tank there is nothing wrong with a 'moving' sandbed. It is what happens in nature as well. You can use it for sandbed maintenance by not just filling in the hole with the same stuff that was taken out by the current, but by taking sand from another part where the current is weaker so the sand doesn't move and fill in that hole with was blown away by your flowpump(s). Do this every x days with a differen part of the sandbed and you have a well maintained sandbed that never needs changing and stays white.