Sand for Diamond Goby

[nycfishy]

I'm planning a tank upgrade and trying to decide on sand.
I know I want to use Tropic eden and thinking of going with a mix (3:1) of Mesoflakes to mini flakes.
Is the 2.7mm size too coarse for a diamond goby to do it's thing? We have one in existing tank and have become very attached to him so want to make sure he's happy in his future new home.
I assume if it's works for diamond goby it will also work for any sand sleeping wrasses.

Could I go up to the 3.5mm reef flakes to minimize sand shifting form flow or am I pushing my goby luck at that size?

Any finally is 2" sand bed thick enough?

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I've seen bigger diamond gobies sifting pool filter sand (tiny gravel) at fish stores, I think as long as you have a good mix of course and fine material for them to dig through they will be okay.

 

[nycfishy]

mine is about 3.5 inches so I guess you'd call him medium sized.

 

[Jesterrace]

I believe that a good mixed substrate is best for any sand sifting or burrowing fish. This is the reason why I still get live sand, even though I know the "live" benefits aren't the greatest, it's because it's the perfect mix of substrate.

 

[nycfishy]

I believe that a good mixed substrate is best for any sand sifting or burrowing fish. This is the reason why I still get live sand, even though I know the "live" benefits aren't the greatest, it's because it's the perfect mix of substrate.

My understanding of live sand is that is have bacteria in it to help speed up tank cycling. I dont think it has anything to do with diameter of sand. But some live sand might be a mix of different diameters or grades.

 

[Idoc]

I have a medium sized diamond goby with mesoflakes and miniflakes mix....no problem at all sifting.

 

[madweazl]

I have .5-1.5mm sand and our diamond goby sifted it without issue. Not sure how much bigger it could be before becoming a problem; 2.5 seems a bit large but it seems other people had success with it.

 

[ChadLo]

I have .5-1.5mm sand and our diamond goby sifted it without issue. Not sure how much bigger it could be before becoming a problem; 2.5 seems a bit large but it seems other people had success with it.

I would agree with this. Idk if it's all about the size either? Could it also be about the amount of microfauna that is on/ in the sand as well? I went with the fiji pink reef grade aragonite. My Goby hasn't had troubles and my wrasses burrow easily.

 

[nycfishy]

Anyone have Reeflakes and a diamond goby?

 

[Denisk]

Pink Fiji could be a good option.

 

[nycfishy]

Pink Fiji could be a good option.

With too fine worried about it getting blow around if flow gets cranked up for SPS

 

[Denisk]

With too fine worried about it getting blow around if flow gets cranked up for SPS

Yeah it could. I have sps and don’t have a concern. But not nearly as much flow is in my tank compared to when I ran bare bottom. You could mix it two different types.

 

[nycfishy]

Yeah it could. I have sps and don’t have a concern. But not nearly as much flow is in my tank compared to when I ran bare bottom. You could mix it two different types.

What sand are you using? I
I was thinking mixing reef and mini flakes but neither of this is as fine a Fiji or the typical Carisea

 

[Denisk]

What sand are you using? I
I was thinking mixing reef and mini flakes but neither of this is as fine a Fiji or the typical Carisea

Personally I’m only using Fiji pink but I have a mixed reef at the moment. If I was going to have only sps my choice would be barebottom. But if sand was a must, id do a mix of Fiji pink and special grade. I’ve heard great things about tropic eden but never used it.

 

[Gobi-Wan]

Sorry to revive a dead thread but it's the closest already-existing one I could find to my question. I have a 7 month old reef tank and I have decided I would like both a diamond goby and at least one sand sleeping wrasse, my number one choice right now is a melanarus. I started the tank with caribsea ocean-direct sand, which is a mix of mostly .5 - 2mm particles, with some finer and some coarser mixed in, chunks and broken shells etc up to probably 5mm. Is this dangerous to the goby or the wrasse? I thought about making the sand bed deeper by pushing the existing sand up under where the rocks go, and adding finer sand out in the open.

 

[nycfishy]

It will be fine. Don’t think you need to change anything