All the sand options... I am lost!

[scope2reef]

I am looking to build my waterbox 20 aio. Plan is to keep few corals and a couple of clowns, a sand-sifting fish and an algae-eating fish. These in the picture are the sand options available in a LFS (which is actually 2.5hrs drive from my town). What do I choose and how much? Also, there is Marco rock and Caribsea liferock available. How many pounds of which rock to go with?


Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[Slocke]

I strongly suggest Fiji pink and for how much use this calculator. I suggest 2-3in.

Aquarium Sand Bed Calculator - Bulk Reef Supply

Bulk Reef Supply - Saltwater Aquarium Supplies for Reef Tanks

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I am looking to build my waterbox 20 aio. Plan is to keep few corals and a couple of clowns, a sand-sifting fish and an algae-eating fish. These in the picture are the sand options available in a LFS (which is actually 2.5hrs drive from my town). What do I choose and how much? Also, there is Marco rock and Caribsea liferock available. How many pounds of which rock to go with?


Thanks a lot for your help.

Does Chewy deliver where you are? The prices you posted seem very high...

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Does Chewy deliver where you are? The prices you posted seem very high...

And if you can find dry, that will be even less expensive.

 

[thedon986]

Holy crap those prices are more than double the usual price at any major store. I’m all for supporting local but kind of seems like they want you to buy it somewhere else. 40lbs of Special Grade at petco is $40 with free shipping

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Holy crap those prices are more than double the usual price at any major store. I’m all for supporting local but kind of seems like they want you to buy it somewhere else. 40lbs of Special Grade at petco is $40 with free shipping

I did see the OP is in Canada, but even at the current exchange rate, the LFS prices seem inflated.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

.

 

[Fish Fan]

Where are you located?

If you're in the United States could I suggest getting live rock and/or sand from a vendor such as Tampa Bay Saltwater or Gulf Live Rocks who specializes in maricultured live rock?

 

[Fish Fan]

I did see the OP is in Canada, but even at the current exchange rate, the LFS prices seem inflated.

Whoops! Disregard my last reply.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Where are you located?

If you're in the United States could I suggest getting live rock and/or sand from a vendor such as Tampa Bay Saltwater or Gulf Live Rocks who specializes in maricultured live rock?

He's in Canada

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Original Grade Ocean Direct Live Reef Sand

Orignal Grade Ocean Direct Live Reef Sand uses "Sea Breathe" technology to preserve the live sand in its own original ocean bacteria. Caribsea's Ocean Direct Caribbean Live Sand is a great choice for aquarists who are wanting a reef tank set up in minutes. Contains live ocean bacteria resulting...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Best deal out there

 

[Cichlid Dad]

40 pounds 34.00

 

[Gundy]

I believe he is wanting a recommendation on which type of sand to use. There are so many types of sand with different diameters from fine to coarse. I’m in the same dilemma and would like opinions as well. I believe he wanted a sand to house sand sifting invertebrates.

 

[scope2reef]

Thanks all. I am in Alberta, Canada. The prices seem high but I thought online+shipping would cost the same.

 

[scope2reef]

I strongly suggest Fiji pink and for how much use this calculator. I suggest 2-3in.

Aquarium Sand Bed Calculator - Bulk Reef Supply

Bulk Reef Supply - Saltwater Aquarium Supplies for Reef Tanks

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Thanks. I will try fiji pink 40lbs for a 1-2" bed then.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I really like the Fiji pink. I think you'll be happy with it.

 

[slingfox]

I have used three of types of sand in tank during the first six months.

First was Caribsea Special Grade which was the mostly widely recommended. It is a small to mid grain sand. The problem is it blew around a lot in my relatively high flow tank. I got tired of readjusting the sand dunes and bar spots every day.

I then switched to Tropic Eden Reef Flakes. This is a thick grain sand and did not move. Problem is when I got a blue spot goby for sand sifting it could not sift the sand well and died within a few days. Also, some flakes---due to their large size---would grow tiny specs of algae which discolored them.

Lastly I switched to Aquaforest Bio Sand. This sand is very fine grit and ultra white. I absolutely love the look! I feared it would blow around a lot by it stays in place despite being much smaller grain then CaribSea Special Grade. I assume this is because the grains are more crystalline and lock with each other more. If you want to see the look then check out my build thread or the Viking Reef YouTuber who also uses this sand in his tanks.

Summary: Aquaforest Biosand is gleaming white and does not move even in relatively high flow. This sand is also great so sand dwellers and sand sifting gobies.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I was conversing with my wife last night, saying the next sand in our tank will be Fiji pink, haha.

 

[Tcook]

South Down!

 

[Tommy B]

+1 on the Fiji Pink