Sand?

[dawgfan]

I am looking to get sand for my 75 gallon FOWLR and am confused about type. There appears to be a sugar size and a more corse then on to crushed coral. I am thinking of a 3" bed. What type is recommmended?

 

[george]

After some research, I used a mix of 2 bags of http://www.aquabuys.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=crs_aragamax_30&Category_Code=l7&Product_Count=5">Aragamax</a> mixed with a bag of [IMG]http://www.aquabuys.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=crs_sand_seafloor_40lb&Category_Code=l7&Product_Count=6">Carib Sea Floor</a>. If you need more, keep adding Aragamax.

As for depth, 3" is just barely starting to scrape into deep sand bed territory. I'd suggest either going 4" or keeping it to 1" or less (i.e. just aesthetic).

The variation in coarseness makes for a better sand bed. Avoid [IMG]http://www.aquabuys.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=crs_live_oolite_20lb&Category_Code=l7&Product_Count=0">sugar sand/oolite</a> in my opinion. It does look cool and takes less to make a deep sand bed, but I don't think it's as good an environment for organisms and it will clump more.

 

[dawgfan]

The link you sent for "aragamax" states at the bottom of the bag (bottom corner) sugar fine sand. Is that the correct item?

 

[george]

It is usually a bit coarser than regular sugar. Regular white sugar is about 0.5 mm whereas Aragamax is more like 1.0. They call it "sugar-sized", but the oolite sand is really the only one that's actually sugar-sized.

Other makers do make non-live sugar sand.