Sugar Fine Sand Is A Nightmare!

[weaponsofmassdesign]

SO, I followed a guys how to videos on YouTube for the longest time. He did a 4 in. sugar fine (smallest grain size of Nature's Ocean) DSB on a 90g with two MP40's. His sand doesn't blow around the tank. I followed this and made a 4 in. sandbed with the same in my 165g. All I have right now in the tank, as far as powerheads, are two Koralia EVO 1400's. They have blown the sand into suspension and it's just a huge cloud where I can't even see the rocks. I plan on getting two MP40's in the future. How can I stop this? Should I just do a layer of heavier sand on top?

 

[Degener8]

well i think if the mp40's are used in alternating current they should not kick the sand up so horribly. The issue I have found using the finer sand is that constand flow causes it to kick up. But the times I have seen it used in alternating current or wave setups it has not done this. Hope this helps you a bit.
Maybe you can test this by letting the tank settle and even manually starting and stopping the korlias to see if this will hold true for you.

 

[BeakerBob]

As your sand matures with the bacteria and invert population, the top surface will slowly clump together. When this happens, it will not blow around so easily in the current produced by the powerheads. Keep the powerheads near the top of the tank as possible without them spraying water on the lights.

 

[weaponsofmassdesign]

Thanks! I do have them up kind of high and this morning I pointed them upward. So, I'll see what it looks like when I get home.

 

[MattL22]

I agree though fine sand is a nightmare ! I will be doing no sand or crushed coral next time but that eliminates wrasses if u go no sand

 

[Steelerfan747]

sugar size sand is a pain. Very pretty bit a pain. A breaker bob said once the sand matures out will clump up a bit, unfortunately if its blowing around all the time out will not be allowed to do that. Point then up and don't have the directly in front of each other. Hope that helps

 

[NanoNathan]

I use powder Fine 2parts mixed with 1part of mixed crushed shells and coral. Think its.like Caribbean.live sand. I.don't have any problem with sand blowing around.

Sent from my tank using tapatalk

 

[GrampaDon]

Give it time to settle down. And like Bob said about bacteria/clumping.
Also it helps if you presoak it a week before putting it into the tank.

 

[cdness]

give it time. It will settle sooner or later. It will take time though.

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

I need to move my vortech or something, I gave it the monthly cleaning, and now I am having a sand storm as well. I will try moving it.

 

[milkman]

I have 4" of sugar sand in the bottom of my 120 gal with two MP40s on opposite ends. The first three months was pretty rough with a lot of blowing sand. It settled down after that and now three years later, it's not any problem at all. The positive is its very easy to clean and scoop shells and other foreign material as the sands sfts through a rake quite nicely. My other tanks with more coarse media is much harder to clean the sandbed.

 

[AZDesertRat]

I have 330 lbs of Southdown sugar sand in a 100G with 2x1400 Evolutions and a OceanRunner 3500 return via an Oceans Motions 2 way Squirt and its never been a problem once the sand matured and bacteria coated it. Its over 9 years old now and never been vacuumed, disturbed or cleaned in any way and just as white as the day I installed it.

 

[chort55]

I have 330 lbs of Southdown sugar sand in a 100G with 2x1400 Evolutions and a OceanRunner 3500 return via an Oceans Motions 2 way Squirt and its never been a problem once the sand matured and bacteria coated it. Its over 9 years old now and never been vacuumed, disturbed or cleaned in any way and just as white as the day I installed it.

Yeah thats a big thing.... don't mess with the sand once you install it otherwise everytime you "clean" it your going to break it up and make it easy to move and create sand storms as well.


Also someone said going BB eliminates having wrasses... add a small tupperware bowl with a few inches of sand and you can still have wrasses that burrow into the sand ;) Also, not all fairy or flasher wrasses burrow into the sand so you could go with those also instead if you want to be 100% sand free.

 

[Cbenner]

I ran into the same issue a few months back. Once your bacteria populations start in the sand bed it will settle down a bit. The next time I use it i will wash it before it goes into the tank. I think that would have helped quit a bit. Give it time. I do love the look of the fine sand

 

[weaponsofmassdesign]

I like the look of the fine sand also. I'm going to add the sand from my 2.5 year old 10g, so maybe the bacteria and other critters will take off quicker.

 

[BonJoey]

I'm happy to hear that this problem is only temporary. I've been having the same issue lately, and it has been driving me nuts.

 

[.Marshall]

I'm happy to hear that this problem is only temporary. I've been having the same issue lately, and it has been driving me nuts.

+1, I have a 3 month old tank with sugar fine sand in my 75 with 1 mp40 and 2 mp10s and it is constantly dune'ing up everywhere and blowing sand particles on most of the rock. I only have 2 fish 2 corals and a hefty CUC so I hope once I start adding more fish they create this "bacteria barrier" everyone keeps saying.

 

[azjohnny]

I agree though fine sand is a nightmare ! I will be doing no sand or crushed coral next time but that eliminates wrasses if u go no sand

Stay away from crushed coral..
Its a nitrate factory