Sand getting on coral

[AdamG280]

My sand is very fine. It’s getting on my new coral. I know I have the right flow for the size of the tank. I mean this stuff has been getting everywhere since day one, even before my flow pumps got here. Do you think maybe I should just try getting some courser, heavier sand?

 

[Reefering1]

Is this a new/fairly empty tank? When I 1st added sand I would stir it up and use a powerhead to get the fine sand, that is easily disturbed, into water column, allowing filler socks stuffed with filter floss to capture most the fine particles.. this way, later on, I don't have a big sand storm everytime the sand bed is touched. Took a couple days to clear up, never had a sandstorm again. I don't think a tank full of corals will like this very much, nor should a well established sandbed be disturbed this way. Not sure of your current situation(tank age, inhabitants, circulation or mechanical filtration.) I did this on a very new tank with live sand that I didn't want to wash the life out of.

 

[AdamG280]

Is this a new/fairly empty tank? When I 1st added sand I would stir it up and use a powerhead to get the fine sand, that is easily disturbed, into water column, allowing filler socks stuffed with filter floss to capture most the fine particles.. this way, later on, I don't have a big sand storm everytime the sand bed is touched. Took a couple days to clear up, never had a sandstorm again. I don't think a tank full of corals will like this very much, nor should a well established sandbed be disturbed this way. Not sure of your current situation(tank age, inhabitants, circulation or mechanical filtration.) I did this on a very new tank with live sand that I didn't want to wash the life out of.

Well I recently got the tank cycled. I’d say it’s been about 2 months. I think the sand is all just too fine. There’s some course Bahamian aragonite that I’ve seen recommended, but getting rid of this fine sand would be a long process.

 

[JGT]

Trying playing around with the direction of the flow so it’s not going that low in the tank to move the sand. May be trial and error.

 

[Nate Chalk]

Pic

 

[Reefering1]

Everything about a reef tank is a long, slow process. However it is best dealt with early on. Whether removing and replacing substrate, mixing in courser sand/rubble or just let it blow around to wherever it wants to settle(filter/sump), earlier is better. I prefer decent flow, down low, in tank to keep sand clean and prevent dead spots for detritus to accumulate. And i like the wavy, high/low pattern that eventually happens- rather than a perfectly flat/ smooth sandbed (looks more natural). As previously requested- a picture is worth a thousand words...

 

[AdamG280]

See hope it gets all over the rock?

 

[Reefering1]

That does look like very fine sand.., doesn't look like it has any variation in composition. How deep is the deepest area? Have you held a pump in your hand and blow the rocks off a few times? If you don't like it, now is the time to change. Suck a bunch out while doing water change. Add something different(don't need to remove every grain). I forget the name but I used live sand. Came in 20lb bags,wet, and had all kinds of good critters, various grain sizes, little shells, rubble etc. Just don't take years to decide, then go digging around in a sandbed that barely gets flow in a fully stocked tank- that can be toxic.

 

[AdamG280]

That does look like very fine sand.., doesn't look like it has any variation in composition. How deep is the deepest area? Have you held a pump in your hand and blow the rocks off a few times? If you don't like it, now is the time to change. Suck a bunch out while doing water change. Add something different(don't need to remove every grain). I forget the name but I used live sand. Came in 20lb bags,wet, and had all kinds of good critters, various grain sizes, little shells, rubble etc. Just don't take years to decide, then go digging around in a sandbed that barely gets flow in a fully stocked tank- that can be toxic.

I appreciate your input. That’s kind of what I thought. I have a bag of coarse aragonite coming today. From the picture, it looks like you can actually hold an individual grain of sand. The stuff I have now is like soup. It’s still Bahamian reef sand though, so I’m not depriving the tank of nutrients, etc. I’m also getting a refugium. This has been a learning process. I’m glad I’m figuring it all out now rather than later.