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Sand


StephG

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I'm going to be setting up a 10g aga within the next couple of months. I went to the lfs yesterday and saw a bunch of different brands and sizes of sand. What size sand should I get? I know i'm going to be putting in about 2 - 3 inches of sand in my tank. Does size effect the way it filters or is it simply a preference?

 

Thanks,

StephG

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The smaller the grain size, the more total surface area you'll have in your tank for bacteria. Thus, the smallest grain size available is better. Make sure the sand is aragonite or calcite, though, so you'll get the additional benefit of its buffering capacity. HTH

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Does size effect the way it filters or is it simply a preference?
A little of column A and a little of column B... :)

 

As Flipper said, smaller particles have more surface and thus increase filtration. But on the other hand, a shallow sand bed does very little filtration, so you should also consider your asthetic preference. Just be sure you don't get crushed coral. The pieces are too big and trap ditritus and uneaten food. They are also too sharp for many sand bed critters. I personally like the Sugar Sized" aragonite best.

 

As for sand depth, imo you should go with 1-2". A Deep Sand Bed is really only functional in a larger tank, as the critters that do all the work tend to stay away from the sides of the tank. Also, without a frequest recharge of sand dwelling fauna, DSBs can become nutrient traps.

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