Sand Bed Depth
- Thread starter Silkster
- Start date
seawiz,
You really wouldn't have to stir yours since it's only about 2". Your tank will be housing denitrification bacteria within your live rock and the low oxygen sections of your sand bed behind and below your live rock. Oxygen would be able to reach everywhere else. A DSB would have larger sections dedicated to denitrification. The problem is these low-oxygen areas will build-up phosphates over time. You'll begin to see green, blue-green, or red algae start to form in these areas and than an outbreak is likely to occur.
You really wouldn't have to stir yours since it's only about 2". Your tank will be housing denitrification bacteria within your live rock and the low oxygen sections of your sand bed behind and below your live rock. Oxygen would be able to reach everywhere else. A DSB would have larger sections dedicated to denitrification. The problem is these low-oxygen areas will build-up phosphates over time. You'll begin to see green, blue-green, or red algae start to form in these areas and than an outbreak is likely to occur.
DSB owners must keep in mind that a lot of our reef inhabitants are there for algae control. Algae absorbs phosphates. Animals in the water column or substrate feed on algae. Their waste is broken down even furthur by reef janitors and fauna in the sand. Ultimately, their waste accumulates at the very bottom as an inorganic phosphate compound.
When it starts to leech out, you'll have an algae outbreak. You might notice a rise in temperature (which is worse in the summer) because algae absorbs heat. The increase in temperature will result in a dramatic reduction of dissolved oxgen causing stress to your main inhabitants and creating more algae growth. This is why a DSB should be stirred regularly. I hope this helps.
When it starts to leech out, you'll have an algae outbreak. You might notice a rise in temperature (which is worse in the summer) because algae absorbs heat. The increase in temperature will result in a dramatic reduction of dissolved oxgen causing stress to your main inhabitants and creating more algae growth. This is why a DSB should be stirred regularly. I hope this helps.
Reefnutz - interesting that you mention stiring up the sand bed. My sand bed is 5" in some places. I have noticed along the front glass in one spot I have some bright green algae 1/2 to 1 1 1/2 " below the surface. Should I stir that up or am I asking for trouble. Tank is 7 months old.
Sorry if I hijacked the thread.
Sorry if I hijacked the thread.
The algae growth could be caused by a phosphate build-up. If you stirred it up now, you would just release all of it into your tank. If you want to deal with the problem now, make a judgement of how well your tank inhabitants can deal with the disturbance. Stir it up while running a phosphate sponge in your filter.
I don't have a sand bed in my SPS/Clam tank, but I still apply the 'hurricane treatment' once a month. Either with a turkey baster or powerhead, you can direct currents all over your rockwork conjuring up all the settled detritus. If you have a sand bed, you'll want to unearth as much of that detritus as you can. This simulates the natural occurence of storms. Simply run your filtration with filter media (floss, carbon, phosphate sponge, etc.) temporarily to collect everything. Some even run an extra canister filter while doing this.
I don't have a sand bed in my SPS/Clam tank, but I still apply the 'hurricane treatment' once a month. Either with a turkey baster or powerhead, you can direct currents all over your rockwork conjuring up all the settled detritus. If you have a sand bed, you'll want to unearth as much of that detritus as you can. This simulates the natural occurence of storms. Simply run your filtration with filter media (floss, carbon, phosphate sponge, etc.) temporarily to collect everything. Some even run an extra canister filter while doing this.
My advice on sandbeds: don't touch them.
THEY DO NOT NEED TO BE (and should not be) STIRRED.
This is why a good diversity of sand bed stirrers are added, they do it for you and without releasing all the nutrients at once. I suppose if you have a bed that you vigorously stir every day, it won't be a problem. This isn't much different from a fluidized bed filter. Check out the following pages for some good articles on sandbeds:
http://www.rshimek.com/reef/sediment.htm
http://www.seabay.org/art_plenums_part1.htm
http://www.seabay.org/art_plenums_part2.htm
I suggest you read these and form your own opinion...
THEY DO NOT NEED TO BE (and should not be) STIRRED.
This is why a good diversity of sand bed stirrers are added, they do it for you and without releasing all the nutrients at once. I suppose if you have a bed that you vigorously stir every day, it won't be a problem. This isn't much different from a fluidized bed filter. Check out the following pages for some good articles on sandbeds:
http://www.rshimek.com/reef/sediment.htm
http://www.seabay.org/art_plenums_part1.htm
http://www.seabay.org/art_plenums_part2.htm
I suggest you read these and form your own opinion...
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